Today I woke up excited for the day ahead. Today we were going on a hike through a nearby mountain up to a Buddhist temple. The mountain we scaled was located in Bukhansan National Park. After a bus ride to the park, our hike began. While the hike was challenging at some times, we were able to make it up the mountain in about an hour and a half. It was an amazing journey filled with beautiful scenery and nature. I loved how rocky the landscape was and all the natural rivers and waterfalls throughout the trail we were on. I even got my feet wet a few times. The most amazing part of the trip was definitely the destination. Once we arrived at the Buddhist temple, I was in awe. The intricate and careful architecture was seamlessly integrated into the mountainous landscape. I loved all of the colorful buildings with ceramic tile roofs, and I loved the wonderful sculptures of various deities and significant figures. A special part of the area was the giant portrait of Buddha carved into the side of a mountain. To reach it I had to climb up a very large set of stairs but it was worth it all in the end. After the hike and temple visit, and a short lunch, we headed over to our second activity for the day, a Korean cooking class. There, we made bibimbap. The dish is classic Korean cuisine and centers around having 5 different colors incorporated in the dish. It was an incredibly fun and meaningful experience. Learning from the chef was a great time to put my cooking skills to the test. I was especially impressed by how easily and precisely she cut the vegetables. Overall, the food was amazing! I’ll definitely be making bibimbap back in the US. I can’t wait for tomorrow!