Bukchon Hanok Village For one of the last days of the trip, we woke up early and drove to the Bukchon Hanok Village. This village replicates ancient Korean architecture with the use of modern materials. In the roughly one hour that we were there, I walked around with two close friends, Felipe and Alex K….
Tag: Martinson Elevate Award
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HY | Freddit Co. Today we visited a manufacturer of probiotic-based products, HY, whose parent company is Freddit Co. Their most popular products include drinkable yoghurts, which are very tasty! Upon arriving to the luxurious factory, we were instructed to wear special sandals, a part of Korean culture aimed at conserving the integrity of the…
Adios Costa Rica!
For our last day in Costa Rica, we first visited a strawberry farm in Sarapiquí. It was really fun to learn about how these farmers produce their strawberries, and we even got to pick some strawberries to take home! We then went to La Paz, where we saw more animals and beautiful waterfalls. Throughout this…
Day Eleven: Last Day
We started the day with a lecture on data science from Dr. Trihinas. He started the lecture with a point that I found to be very interesting. He said that some of the biggest companied today are actually data companies, even though they may not seem like it. Uber, Meta, and AirBnb are all massive…
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Korean Peninsula Ecological Peace Tourism Information Center Today, the Plus3 South Korea group woke up very early for our visit to the DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone. This zone, occupying the area between the border of North and South Korea, was established shortly after the “ceasefire” of the Korea War, occurring in the early 1950s. Technically,…
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Yonsei University Today’s activity lineup featured a more academic-focused theme. We set out early in the morning to the prestigious Yonsei University. In Korea, there are many colleges, however, there are three universities which are considered to be the Ivy-Leagues of Korea: Yonsei University, Korea University, and Seoul National University. As an overview, our visit…
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태권도 Today’s itinerary began with the practice of the Korean martial art, Taekwondo. In the hour-long class, black belt Master Kang taught us the basics of Taekwondo. Unlike other martial arts, Taekwondo places on emphasis on force through the lower body, which requires strength and stability. At the very end of the class, we took…
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Eaton Today marked the first company visit for the Plus3 South Korea group. The South Korean offices of the global company, Eaton, located in Pyeongtaek, featured two main stories. The first floor enclosed the main factory line and warehouse, while the second floor featured the corporate offices, where most business and engineering-related employees were stationed….
Day Ten: Visit to GAP Vassilopoulos Group
The GAP Vassilopoulous grip was particularly interesting because of the wide range of services they supply. The first main business of the group was the shipping business, but the scope of their services soon expanded. First, they expanded into shipping insurance– offering plans for the clients they were already shipping with. Next, they expanded into…
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Camp Humphrey For the third day in Korea, the Plus3 Korea group visited Camp Humphreys located in Pyeongtaek. In the tour of the exclusive facility, we talked with various sergeants, lieutenants and a 3-star general. To begin the tour, the General, Lieutenant General Christopher C. LaNeve, introduced us to the camp through a captivating video,…
From Café to City
Today, we took the train into the center of San José. Before it was a city, San José had many coffee farms, but as farmers shifted to more ideal climates, the rural area shifted to urbanization. The railroad through Costa Rica is a direct result of the coffee trade. For quicker export to Europe, it…
Day Nine: Kakopetria
We started the day with a bus ride to the remote village of Kakopetria, nestled among the Troodos mountains. The village follows the dramatic landscape of the mountain range; the village’s cobblestone roads wind and bend so that they can slowly climb the steep mountain faces. The village was lush with plantlife and as was…
Pining for Piña Coladas!
Today we visited two fruit plantations in Sarapiqui, on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The first plantation we visited grows and exports bananas. Costa Rica is now the third largest exporter of bananas in the world, but the fruit was not initially intended to be an export. During the construction of Costa Rica’s railway,…
Day Eight: Lectures at University of Nicosia
Dr. Solomon’s lecture on Cyprus’ history was very interesting today— particularly when he discussed the modern history of Cyprus. I had already known that it was under Ottoman rule up until 1878 and then under British rule until the 60s, but I didn’t know much of the specifics or details. First of all, I found…
Day Seven: Paphos
We started today with a visit to Aphrodite’s rock— according to mythology this place is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of Cyprus. Visiting the site was nothing short of majestic, and the pictures don’t do it justice. It was truest aww inspiring— that feeling when you see a huge mountain. The rocks edges seemed…
Community Comparison
After spending a week in Costa Rica, I feel like I have already become part of a new community. My host mother, Zeneida, is very kind and patient, even though I do not know much Spanish and cannot communicate with her very well. Being at my house in Costa Rica makes me feel like I…
Sweet Treat Saturday!
Today, we went on Sibö Chocolate Tour. We learned about the history of chocolate from how it originated with the Native Americans in Central America to how it got Europeanized into the modern product we know and love. Initially, chocolate was a bitter drink, or used as a savory sauce. It traveled to Spain as…
Day Six: Famagusta
To start off our first Saturday in Cyprus, we took a long bus ride to the Turkish part of the island. We started by visiting Varosi, a modern ghost town. Over the last 50 years, it has become overgrown with vegetation. Walking through it felt like walking through a post apocalyptic movie. I couldn’t believe…
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청계천 In the dawn of May the 6th, a great adventure began! On our first planned activity of the trip, the Plus3 Korea group rode the Korean metro to Cheonggyecheon Square. Riding the metro was, itself, a unique experience. Korea’s metro is extensive and has many twists and turns; thus, becoming lost was not uncommon….