What is your mission on earth?

What is your mission on earth?

por | Nov 16, 2019 | Asia, Corea del Sur, English

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this world? Why do you work for? Do you follow inertia, or do you seek to find your purpose and happiness?

I’m sure you’ve ever asked yourself these questions or questions that were similar. The bookstores are full of self-help books and best sellers on this topic. Concepts such as mindfulness, yoga, meditation, therapy… are a recurrent subject in our conversations. It demonstrates that there is an audience that seeks to find itself and its meaning.

When I was walking through the mountain of Hallasan (Jeju), I met Do Beop or The path of truth, a Buddhist monk. My curiosity and desire to flee from tourists led me to follow a way that ended in 3 houses which were attached to a Buddhist monastery. Its doors were open, and I could see that inside there was only one room with the bamboo floor. There seemed to be no one there, but I discovered they were not uninhabited.

Once I contemplated the beauty of the place, I started to follow my way when, suddenly, a Buddhist monk appeared and asked if I wanted a tea. And there I was, sitting at the door of one of those three houses having a drink with Do Beop.
He told me that he lived alone for three months, and he would be there for five more years to practise meditation and study Buddhism in depth. He wanted to find his mission in this world through meditation. And then, he asked me the million-dollar question; Do you know what your purpose is?

Well, I still don’t know, I told him. Do Beop replied that there are many ways to discover our purpose. It can be found through meditation, but it’s not the only way. Also, he explained that meditation could be done anywhere. And that for him to travel, being with people and friends is even meditating.

Our conversation continued with tea, and some dried persimmons, which were terrific. I have not found them again. That day was like a dream—a monk who comes out of nowhere and asks me if I knew my purpose in life. As I continued my travels, I tried to find these delicious persimmons, but I could not find them. Was a dream? Hallucinations? Hahaha!

 

What is life? A frenzy.

What is life? An illusion,

a shadow, a fiction,

and the highest good is small:

That all life is a dream

And dreams are dreams.

(Monologue of Segismundo, Calderón de la Barca)

 

What is your mission on earth?

¿Cuál es tú misión en la tierra?

por | Nov 16, 2019 | Asia, Corea del Sur, Spanish

¿Te has preguntado alguna vez cuál es tu propósito en este mundo? ¿Para qué trabajas? ¿Sigues una inercia o haces lo que realmente deseas? ¿Eres feliz?

Estoy segura que alguna vez te has hecho estas preguntas o algunas parecidas. Las librerías están llenas de libros de autoayuda y best sellers. Conceptos como “mindfulness”, “yoga”, “meditacón”, “terapia”… son cada vez más recurrentes en nuestro entorno. Ello demuestra que existe un público que busca encontrarse a sí mismo y su propio sentido. 

Do Beop o El camino de la verdad es un monje budista que encontré paseando por la montaña de Hallasan (Jeju). Mi curiosidad y ganas de huir de los turistas me llevaron a seguir un sendero que terminaba en 3 casas anexas a un monasterio budista. Sus puertas estaban abiertas y pude ver que dentro había una única habitación con el suelo de bambú. No parecía haber nadie pero tampoco estaban deshabitadas. 

Una vez contemplada la belleza del lugar me disponía a seguir la marcha cuando apareció un monje budista que me preguntó si quería un té. Y allí estaba, sentada en la puerta de una de esas tres casas tomando un té con Do Beop. 

Me explicó que vivía solo desde hacía 3 meses y que se quedaría en ese lugar 5 años para practicar meditación y estudiar en profundidad el Budismo. Quería encontrar mediante la meditación su misión en este mundo. Y entonces, me hizo la pregunta del millón: ¿Y tu, sabes cuál es tu misión?

Pues todavía no lo sé, le dije. Do Beop respondió que existen muchas maneras de descubrir nuestra misión. La meditación es una pero no la única. Además, me explicó que la meditación se puede hacer en cualquier lugar. Y que para él viajar, estar con gente y amigos también es meditar. ¡Así que me lo apunto!

Nuestra conversación siguió con un té y unos caquis secos que sacó de algún sitio y estaban alucinantes. Ya no los he vuelto a encontrar. Ese día fue como un sueño. Un monje que sale de la nada y me pregunta por mi propósito, unos caquis buenísimos que no los he vuelto a encontrar en ningún supermercado de los países que he visitado y un entorno espectacular. ¿Alucinaciones? ¡Jajaja!

¿Qué es la vida? Un frenesí.

¿Qué es la vida? Una ilusión,

una sombra, una ficción,

y el mayor bien es pequeño:

que toda la vida es sueño,

y los sueños, sueños son.

(Monólogo de Segismundo, Calderón de la Barca)

Driving in Jeju was quite an experience!

Driving in Jeju was quite an experience!

por | Nov 4, 2019 | Asia, Corea del Sur, English

Rentalcar boy: It’s automatic. Have you ever driven an automatic car? 

Me: Of course! (my sister let me drive her car once before the trip)

Rentalcar boy: Well, here are the keys.

Me: And that’s it? Wouldn’t you explain anything else about the car to me? Which type of petrol does it use? Where are all the little buttons…?

Rentalcar boy: There is only one type of petrol on the island, so you will not have any problem.

Me: Well, everything clear. What about the speed limit?

Rentalcar boy: Maximum speed here is 70 km/h and in some places is 80 km/h. When you pass through school areas It’s 30 km/h and in the city at 40 km/h

Me: In a nutshell… So I can’t go beyond 80 km/h, right?

(…)

My inner voice: Driving is easy, driving is easy, driv… It started to rain! Oh, my god! Where is the windshield wipers button? Oh! It’s here, It’s where all cars have it. You’re worrying about nothing! Easy peasy!

(…)

 My inner voice: Let’s see… Where is my traffic light? Really? Do I have to look to the other side of the road? Is that my traffic light?!?!?

So… pay attention, be aware!!!!

(…)

Me: What the hell is that car doing?!?! He ran a red light!!!! Is anyone going to say anything to him? In China, you can turn right on red. Is it the same here? 

(…)

Me: Now I have a Police car behind me. Pay attention! Anna, respect the signs. Put on the right signal. Just stop when the traffic light is red and that’s it. 

Police: (speaking in Korean through the speaker, I guess he means something like… Move, you stupid foreigner!)

Me: Please don’t give me a fine, don’t give me a fine!!! Is it true that I can turn right on red?   

(…)

GPS: In 300 mt turn on the right.

Me: 300, 200, 150, 50… Ops! I passed my turn! Nooooo!!!!

GPS: Do a turnabout

Me: Really?!?! Is a turnabout permitted?!?!?! Should I do it, shouldn’t do it?

GPS: Do a turnabout, NOW!

Me: Aaaahhhhh! Let’s go! This is worse than a theme park!!!! Ughhhh!!! Is it true that you can do a turnabout without a roundabout here?

(…)

 

Speed 40 km/h

My inner voice: So, is it true that you must respect the signals because speeding fines are very high. 

GPS: Speed at 40 km/h. Respect the traffic signs. Speed control nearby.  

My inner voice: Wow! GPS tells you about speed control. This GPS is fabulous.

GPS: Ding-dong

My inner voice: One point for me, buddy! Every time I pass through a speed control sounds like the Super Mario Bros videogame when he collects a coin. Will I get a prize if I pass all the speed controls well?

(…) 

 

My inner voice: Cruise control… Enjoy the view. 50 km/h on the road, It’s said that is because if you crash with another vehicle the impact would be lighter. 

The rest of cars are driving in the same speed range. I can’t believe it! In Barcelona, a car would have overtaken me for sure.

Oops, a truck passed me by! Really? So I drive slower than a truck?

I noticed that the ones who respect the speed limits are the ones who drive rental cars. Just like me. Locals know the rules and drive over the speed limit (60 km/h).

(…)

 

GPS: You’ve reached your destination. 

Me: Finally! I can say that it has been such an experience. I recommend it to you but by now I need to have some rest and relax a bit. 

 

See you next time, Jeju!