Hong Chae-ryoung/Task 4.2 & 4.4/Thursday 1-3pm

Task 4.2

 

            I can never get bored of going to the movie theaters to watch the latest movies. Some may think that the price of movie tickets is quite pricy, but it is always thrilling to watch movies in big theaters, which never feels the same with watching movies at home. I often relieve my stress by treating myself to go out to the cinemas. I went back to the theaters once again to watch 'Doctor Strange' that I have been longing for a few months.

            The first thing I hear as soon as I close my eyes is the ushers asking for tickets to check before they let people into the theaters. "May I see your tickets, please?" is repeatedly heard, sitting on the couch in front of the theater doors. Some people are excited to watch the latest movie that they have been anticipating for; I can just notice it right away from their high toned voices. I had a bucket of popcorn and a cold soft drink in my hands, waiting for them to start in a few minutes. The popcorn bucket was slippery and greasy near the top because of the grease of freshly popped popcorns. The cold soft drink cup kept feeling like as if it were sweating, since the cup was literally half full of ice. It was slowly melting inside leaving condensations on the surface of the cup. Furthermore, the whole movie theater is always full of savory, salty and buttery smell of popcorn, which makes me buy a bucket of popcorn in the end almost every time no matter how much I promise myself not to get snacks before I go in. It was hard for me to resist nibbling the popcorn because of such mouthwatering smell. As I nibbled on the popcorn even before entering the theater, I tried as best as I can not to eat too much before the movie actually started. However, the grease of the butter in my mouth with savory and salty taste of the popcorn made my fingers keep reaching for another one without even myself noticing. After having about 6 little popcorns, I then grab my drink to rinse out the grease in my mouth and feel refreshed, yet again only to reach for another tiny popcorn. The irresistible popcorn and soft drink routine goes on and on like a loop that you cannot get away from until you reach the bottom of the empty popcorn bucket eventually.

 

Task 4.4

 

Sight: row of private desks and chairs, main desk for the supervisor, a long alley starting from one end and ending on the other end of the room, books and studying materials scattered on desks, chocolate bars half eaten, wrappers of snacks lying around

Sound: no talking or chatting noise, wind hitting the metal window frames, pens clicking, pencils and pens being written on pieces of paper

Smell: stuffy warm air from the heater, chocolates and candies

Touch: cold surface of desks, sticky wrappers of candies, wet and damp pages from spilt water

 

            The study room in my high school that I would normally go to after school is one of the places that I spent most of my senior year of high school. All of my high school friends studied there altogether and it has so many memories from my last year of teenage years.

            The study room had 5 rows of tall private desks that had shelves on the top of each desk and each one of them was separated by partitions to allow students to focus on themselves more. The desks and chairs looked all the same; rows of desks standing next to one another created little alleys in between the rows, just enough for the chairs not to bump into each other when they are not tucked under the desks. The rows would literally start from one end of the room and end on the other side, with more than a hundred desks fitting into the room. All desks had books and studying materials scattered and several pens, pencils and highlighters lying around that anyone could notice that someone is in the middle of intense studying. There are also some snacks on desks, some are half eaten and some are already gone only with the wrappers left. There is no such talking, chatting or whispering sound in the room; every single student was very much aware of behaving mannerly in the study room. The sound of the early winter wind continuously hitting the metal window frames was the loudest heard in the room, and some clicking sounds of pens from time to time. The writing sound was also heard, some students preferred pens while others liked pencils. It was early winter but it had got so cold all of a sudden that the heater was turned on. The heater spitted out warm but stuffy air that made some students fall asleep on their desks; however, it was not always easy to freshen up the air in the room because the cold wind was blowing so hard outside. Some sweet smell of chocolates and candies came from the wrappers, which also seemed very sticky looking very unpleasant to touch any part of it. There were always someone who spilt water on their desk and wet their pieces of paper and pages of their books, looking damp that urgently needs blow dryers to dry them out.

Su Yeon Kim (201500568)/ Task 4.2 and 4.4/ Thurs 1-3pm

Task 4.2

As cliché as it may be, I love cafes. It is the perfect hang out spot for lazy people who want to enjoy a simple day out.

 

With winter approaching, I could barely feel my fingers or face from the biting wind so I sought cover in the closest café. As I walked through the door, immediately the familiar aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans filled my nose and a wave of warmth washed over me. I was also greeted by the chattering of people and soft instrumental music playing in the background.

 

I sunk into the plum cushioned armchair and felt completely at ease. My thoughts then wandered only to be startled out of it when I was notified that my coffee was ready with a vibrating devise. I eagerly returned to the counter and received my mug of coffee. As I settled down again I wrapped my hands around my coffee, I felt a tingle in my fingers as I tried to absorb all of its heat into my cold hands. After a few minutes of this, I lifted the mug to my lips and savored the bitter and smoky taste wash over my mouth. As I swallowed I felt the warmth of my coffee travel throughout my body.

 

The dim lights in the café, the music and people engaged in conversations while taking occasional sips from their white coffee cup makes me feel as though I'm in a painting. I could spend hours on end just sitting by the window sill table, inhaling the wonderful scent of my coffee and appreciating one of humankind's most enjoyable sensations of music.

 

Every once in a while when the music briefly stopped, people's murmuring overtook the café. I overheard parts of people's conversations, heard the clicking sound of photos being captured and even caught the sound the expresso machine whirring and releasing steam. While the café music was pleasing to the ears, the combination all these sounds were slightly overwhelming. I could barely make out what my friend was saying but it did not matter, I was warm and my overpriced coffee tasted wonderful. I wanted nothing more than to not think of anything and take pleasure of the serenity of cafés.

 

 

Task 4.4

Details:

·         Sight – metal gate, brick house, photos

·         Sound – rice cooker humming, radio

·         Smell – make up, food

·         Touch – pat on the back, embrace

 

The first home that I can remember is my grandparent's house from my dad's side. This house withholds my earliest childhood memories. Even now, my grandparents are still living there and it is the one place throughout my life that hasn't changed. Every detail about the neighborhood and house is the same now as it was 20 years ago.

 

There's a small alleyway and at the end of it was my grandparent's house. I remember being afraid of the alley as a young child because it wasn't very well lit so I would sprint to the gates with my eyes half-closed. Coming up to the house there's a huge metal gate which had a lock from the inside (this was before password locks were invented). So we would have to call out to my grandparents and let them know we arrived. I would feel really thrilled when I heard my grandfather's reply, "Oh you're here! Hold on let me get the door!" and it would be followed by the tapping from his walking stick. Then in a few seconds he would open the door and usher us in with the brightest smile while patting our backs.

 

Once I walked through the gate, the brick house which was always a familiar sight became clearly visible and there was a small space on the front lawn where the dog's house was. I was just as excited to see the dog as I was to see my grandparents. Outside the house smelled of soil and colorful flowers from the large, brown pot plants which my grandmother tended. I loved this earthy smell because it made me feel like I was in the village far from cities. In addition to the metal gate, the house had a metal door which had a massive dragon design carved into it. My grandparents had simple taste for things so I always thought the door was very out of character. Anyway, as soon as we enter the house, we would be immediately embraced by my grandmother who always smelled of light make up and food from cooking. Strangely, it was this scent that was very comforting to me rather the smell of the house because it's the scent which really reminded me of home. Additionally, apart from my grandmother's greetings there were various sounds that could be heard in the background. We could hear voices from the radio that was on 24/7 and the sound of the rice cooker humming.

 

The interior of the house is made of dark varnished wood which gave off the perfect antique atmosphere unachievable by modern apartments. On the four walls of the living room are four photos of our family smiling at us. Some were from my dad's childhood, some were more recent photos of my cousins and me. There were four rooms in the house which were all connected by the living room where we spent most of our time. The whole living room was bright even without turning the lights on because there was a huge glass window from which sunlight spilled in. Also, because the window was so large, the change in the seasons was so easily observed. During spring and summer, we could see the blooming of flowers and hear cicadas. While during fall and winter, we could see the leaves from the pot plants turn red and yellow and get enveloped in snow. There were flower patterned curtains on either side of the window but I had never seen them drawn. By the window is a mahogany red couch on which my grandfather used to sit and listen to the radio. There was a huge electrical mat which most, if not all, Korean families own and it was on this mat that we would eat, have conversations and even take naps. Due to the radio being on even at night, I remember I used to fall asleep to the ballads from the early 60s and 70s. More importantly, I used to wake up to the sound of my mother and grandmother cooking in the kitchen, chatting away while my grandfather would hum to the songs on the radio. There was never a time the house was completely silent and I loved that. It was and forever will be my home, my roots.

 

Subin Lee / Task 4.2 & 4.4 / Thursday 1-3pm

Task 4.2

I practiced using my senses at the Express Bus Terminal on my way to Cheonan. As I sat outside the bus terminal to wait for my bus, I closed my eyes. Sound was the most evident sense of all. I heard numerous buses pulling in and out. 'Pi- pi- pi- pi-'the buses beeped as they pulled out, probably warning others to get out of the way. I knew that it was a departing one because the sound gradually died out in distance. The engines purred as the sharp sound of a whistle cut through the air. People walked here and there, sometimes dragging their baggage with them; often there were sound of wheels rattling along with footsteps. I could also eavesdrop on some phone calls. One thing that I did expect to hear was the sound of bus wheels, but to my surprise, it wasn't noticeable. I had also expected the smell of oil, nasty scent of grease. However, all I could smell was the cold evening air. It pierced through my nose as I inhaled deeply. The abrupt change in the weather made me shudder- I should bring some warm clothes on my way back to Seoul. The air was cold yet dusty. The feeling of dust particles lingered on my tongue, although I'm probably being over-conscious. The chair I was sitting on was cool with the weather, and it surprised me. It used to be unpleasantly warm in the hot summer days. When I grabbed the hard plastic chair, the thought that my bus would be due anytime soon hit my mind, so I opened my eyes.

 

Task 4.2 - 3) After rereading what I've written, I noticed that there are not many descriptions of senses other than sound. Maybe I could add some more information about how my thin coat felt, or how I could feel my hands getting colder, sitting outside. Explaining more in detail about how the dusty air felt in my mouth, and writing an additional smell that I could sense would be some ways to improve this work.

 

Task 4.4

1&2)

Extremely hot / greenery / sound of tourists / hot, stuffed air

 

3&4)

I had often wondered why it is that some Japanese friends I know have somewhat darker, tanned skin than Koreans do. Korea and Japan are both placed in East Asia, and have all 4 seasons. 'What could be so different?' This was the day I found the answers to that question. The blazing sun was literally burning your skin. There would be no way to prevent your skin from getting tanned if you were to live in the country during summer.

I was in Kyoto, a historical city full of cultural heritage, but all these didn't matter to me then. The surrounding greenery was refreshing, if not for the heat. The sun glinted through the leaves, and we could see a peek of the wooden pillars of Kiyomizudera. It was a sight that my friends and I have long looked forward to. However, the Glazing sun was cruel and had no mercy to let us to see the sights. The sun was pushing us down to the ground, and the ground reflected the heat back. I had never before thought that heat could kill. However, in the foreign country, my friends and I were dying of heat. What's worse is that we wearing yukata, as an aspect of cultural experience. The clothes which seemed unique and attractive an hour ago turned out to be something which we can't wait to take off. It hampered each and every step we take. What's more, the thin cloth constantly stuck to our skin. Because of the humid weather, we felt like the yukatas were picking a fight on us. Flipping it over when it sticks to our legs, we desperately searched for a place to sit down. The traces on my face felt cool when the sweats rolled down. Even talking was a luxury in the steaming hotness; the stuffy hot air made it hard to breath. I felt like it was dominating my lungs. The people around were endlessly taking photos and talked in elated voices. Their rowdy conversation hovered around us, and we dragged our legs to find a place away from it. Finally we found a spot under a roof, in the shadows. The three of us shared relieved glances and limped towards to sit down.

Lee Ji Won/ Task 4.2&4.4 / Thursday 1-3 pm

201502643 Lee Ji Won   Task 4.2   *Some notes I wrote down immediately after I opened my eyes : Orchestra music, conversation between people, laughing voice of my nephew, light smell of scented candles on table, silk fabric, no taste   On Sunday, I went to Hotel ICC which is located in Daejeon to go to my cousin's wedding. I was so cold waiting for my family outside in the freezing weather, but after I took a seat in a wedding hall and closed my eyes listening to a slow and soft orchestra music, I could calm myself. I felt like the beautiful melody is making my body warm just as when I drink a cup of hot chocolate. At the same time, various voice of people filled the wedding hall and especially hearing my baby nephew gurgling, I could just imagine a lovely dimple on his face that appears when he smiles. Also the natural and subtle fragrance of scented candles on each table played a role in making a lovely atmosphere. Meanwhile, I could feel a silky texture of a wedding tablecloth whenever I slightly moved. I couldn't feel any sense related to taste during a few minutes when I closed my eyes.     Task 4.4   Place: My dormitory room (room number 314) Sight: Two bunk beds / Giant teddy bear doll / Piles of clothes (laundry) on the floor / Our school uniforms on hangers / Windows decorated with photos of university campus and logo Sound: Snoring sound of one of my roommates / My friends and I talked in whispers / Tick of the clock / The corridor echoed with a shouting of housefather Smell: Aroma of fabric conditioner / Smells of chocolate cookie and noodle that we secretly ate Touch: Cold wind blowing through a small gap in windows / Hard floor with the heat on / Soft blanket / Fluffy pillow   At the start of my second semester when I was a junior in high school, I moved to a new dorm room and met three new roommates. A sweet floral fragrance of fabric conditioner always filled the air of our room and whenever I opened the door, my roommate's giant teddy bear doll at the top of bunk bed always caught my eye. Our room was always messy with piles of laundry on the floor, but the only thing that was neatly organized was our school uniforms on hangers. While one of the roommates went to bed early every night, other two roommates and I chatted for hours at night. We used to giggle quietly because the snoring sound of that sleeping roommate was quite funny. We had to secretly eat snacks and noodles because it was not permitted to bring any food or drink inside the dormitory. A whiff of spicy noodle was really mouth-watering. After having our own late-night snack party, we lied vertically on the hard floor and began chatting. Although a wind blowing through a small gap in windows was a little bit cold, because of ondol (Korean traditional heating system), our back became warm in an instant moment. We talked in whispers, covering ourselves with a soft blanket and resting our head on a fluffy pillow. We used to talk about how the day was or about our dream universities. We encouraged ourselves to enter one of Korea's top universities in Seoul, decorating windows with beautiful pictures of various university campuses and logos. When a corridor echoed with a shouting of housefather, we hold our breath pretending to sleep. Then the only sound in our room was a tick of the clock. I loved small pleasures that came from these repeated daily school life.

LeeSooKyung/Task 4.2 & 4.4/Thursday 1-3pm

Task 4.2

1.  Near the back of the HUFS, an imposing building called 'The hall of peace' lies on the top of Kyunghee University, which is well known for its beautiful campus. So I visited here to practice using my senses with my friend.

2.  When I closed my eyes and sat on the stairs of the building, the sound of visitors' happiness around this building came into hearing. The voice of people passing by the most luxurious and famous building in Kyunghee University became louder and louder. The sound of people's laughter and camera shutters mingled in the air. I felt the cold wind on my face. Because of the icy wind, the stairs also so cold that I couldn't help standing up soon. The stinky smell of ginkgo fruits was wafted through the wind.

3.  After reading my writing, I thought it would be better to add more detailed expressions. For example, to change the sentence from 'I felt the cold wind on my face' into 'I felt the cold wind on my face as if it told me the winter is coming'. The reason is that if I wrote some descriptive writings in a specific way, the readers could imagine easily, reading my essay.

Task 4.4

1.  The high school where I went for 3 years made me unforgettable memories with my friends and teachers, so this is a valuable place for me.

2. Sight: Tiny schoolyard, Beautiful musical fountain

   Sound: The voice of students and teachers, The sound of laughter and the school bell

   Smell: An earthy smell from flower garden, A delicious smell from the cafeteria

   Touch: A stiff chairs and desks in the classroom, A cold blackboard

 3 - 4.  I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the daily life of my high school days. When I was in high school, every time I went to the classroom, an earthy smell from flower garden was wafted through the refreshing air. With a noisy from the laughter of the students, a bell sounded for the beginning of the class rang out. I hated to sit on the stiff chair during the class and when I erased the blackboard as a weekly duty, I used to think it was always cold to clean. As the lunch time was getting close, a delicious smell from the cafeteria made me so hungry that not a word of the lecture was coming into my head.

The most beautiful place in the school was a music room. Its windows' beautiful and fragile stained glasses were luxurious enough to catch everyone's eyes. A black grand piano, a sheet music, and some musical notes were drawn on them. These colorful windows were always glittered in the sunlight. When I visited the music room at first, the interior appearance seemed like the gorgeous medieval Gothic style's building. The peaceful classic music coming from the musical fountain reached on the music room. 

Subin Lee / Character Sketch Essay First Draft / Thursday 1-3pm

Dora

Dora is a sunshine; she is one of the warmest person I know. She has a kind heart that cares about not only the things around her but the earth as a whole. I can say that Dora is the living definition of rightfulness. It is thanks to her that I learned to pay more attention to what is going on in the world we live in.

Dora Car is a gorgeous friend of mine from 7 years ago. Her fair skin glowed under the sun, as her light hazel eyes shined under her long eyelashes. Her oval face was a great match with her long neck. It was especially noticeable in PE classes, when she tied her hair up. She would give me a dazzling smile of apology whenever she gets me in a game of dodgeball. Her lean figure made her look great in jeans, although she got embarrassed whenever I tell her that. Dora had firm, piercing eyes which often gave the impression that she can see through others. It was one of the features that made her look somewhat cold and indifferent. Or maybe it's her compressed, thick lips that made her look so. However, everybody realized that such was a wrong judgement as soon as they got to know her. Dora was a charming girl, whose inner beauty is much more striking than her appearances.

Dora was like a nest that comforts others. My friends and I could always trust on her to give advice whenever we are troubled. She was like a true magician of words. Dora could turn any troublesome problems into nothing, she would give the perfect solution for it. A bad experience would seem trivial after she suggests a new perspective to look at it. When we thank her for her help, she would always grin and say "No problem." I could always feel at ease when she gave that smile. Dora was considerate of other people, and thought of others' problems as if they were her own.

Other people weren't just the thing that she cared about. Dora had a great interest in protecting the nature and animals that suffer from human selfishness. She always contemplated what she could do to be of help as an individual. As a part of it, she engaged in voluntary service at dog shelters and participated in Greenpeace programs. A single trash left in the streets would be picked up by Dora and be put into a bin. If anyone asked her why she put so much importance in such values, she would answer, "It is our responsibility to preserve this planet. I believe that my actions can help make the world a better place, no matter how little it may seem." She was mature and thoughtful than any of us in the same grade. Others must have agreed with this thought, too, as they often said "Dora, you are the only hope of our planet", "I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here to talk with!" Dora definitely had a beautiful personality.

           One remarkable feature of Dora was her hair. Dora had a broomstick in the place where her hair was supposed to be. She had an oatmeal hair which stood out in every direction. The fluffed hair made her head look twice as big. Her hair was thin, which was one of the reasons it was so frizzy. If you had seen her, you probably might have thought that she was on a bad hair day. Her crazy hair was the one thing that stood out the most; it didn't suit Dora at all. Yet, it is one of the most significant characteristic of her, and it was what made Dora herself. This probably explains why I miss her crazy hair so much.

Dora was a guiding star to me. I admired her beliefs and attitude towards others and the world. It is her that has influenced me to be more interested in the outside world. It reminds me of Dora whenever my friends compliment me for always trying to act in a right way. I miss her dearly, I would do anything to meet her again and thank her for how she has guided me.

Subin Lee / Task 3.3 & 3.4 / Thursday 1-3pm

3.3

The writer provides reasons why she described this man with a certain metaphor. This enhances the readers' understanding of her feeling towards the man. Her gentle expressions arouse the wave of nostalgia, reminiscence for the times she spent together with the man.

 

3.4

My sister is a pendulum.

My mother is a couch.

My father is a bright moon in a dark starless sky.

My friend is a bouncy rubber ball.