green.ac.kr
Researching Korea green stuff I had found out about the Green University and decided to investigate.
A bit of a surprise it wasn't quite like I had expected. Maybe a few buildings in the forest surrounded by organic gardens, but what we saw was a run down abandoned middle school. When I think of green I expect of a well cared for enviroment, not garbage in the weeds. It is ecological to make use of an abandoned building, but the first impression was not good. However inside the friendliness and commitment of the people I met next is very strong. It seems they have had a number of problems in these first 3 years so maybe they have overlooked the state of the immediate enviroment. Or maybe I have been spoilt by some of the places I have seen in the past like the Green University in Brendon Hill, UK and Ruskin Mill College Nailsworth (http://www.ruskin-mill.org.uk ) (ruskin sitemap.)
Uni site in middle of valley
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Old Middle School is main building
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One thing they have only 30 students (maybe the organic trainging institute near Chungju has more) and another 20 weekend graduate students.
Maybe a little effected by the arrest of one of the founders before opening. Also in a democratic place people are effected by internal fighting. It is such a pity that as in relationships people with common goals take a lot of negativity from the hassles and problems of the outside world and push it back out onto each other instead of working together positively.
But a deeper look reveals more interesting things. They have 2 fulltime teachers and many guest speakers and the management is run on democratic lines in Summerhill school fashion with students involved in decision-making. The building itself is a bit untidy and half the stdents are living in rough containers (while the others lodge in the villages, they home to build a new accommodation block this Summer), but round the back the students have made a good job of the restaurant interior with clay floor and adobe walls and a well presented no water bio-toilet block (pity there is nowhere to wash your hands)
Teacher You Sahng Kwoong showed me around. Friday we went up to help in the fields 2 Km away from buildings to help plant soy bean seeds. Most students spend most mornings like this. Since it was the last day of term there was a drum and then drama performance in the evening. There was a german journalist visiting she should have a story at
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr search for Renate.
Saturday one of the students had a house warming party and he cooked chicken and dog meat (which is very expensive and tastes like tender beef)
clean it up !
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I helped Malgolm a little with building a chicken house, I put on the door.
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I stayed in the valley to help self sufficient farmer Jeon Hwa Yong. It was good to meet her and find more about the neighbourhood.
It seems here is the Hippy valley of Korea nearby 20 or so city people.
Some alternative people, women not wearing bras, the odd single mother, etc.
They have come to live in the abandoned village farmhouses. (They are even much more basic than Kim's House in Sunchang). Most just 2 or 3 rooms. A cold shower. Some of the students also live in these houses as it costs only 500dollars a year or sometimes free if you do some maintenance.
No one has a water toilet, They all have the traditional Korean toilet , just collect piss in a big bottle and the shit in a box to be used to fertilise the soil. (If you keep them seperate there is no bad smell). Is that really OK ? I checked on the internet and a number of people recommended it, but why don't we do it in the west instead of building complicated compost loos ?
The University Toilet Building
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and there is even an ecovillage nearby û¹Ì·¡ ¹ÌÀ»
http://cafe.daum.net/bluevillfarm. (others http://www.e-jang.net/)
I visited by bicycle seems it's mostly new self build houses for people who want to get out of Seoul life.
(I found another ecovillage at Sanan Village
in Hwasung, Gyeonggido)
Tuesday we went into the small country town of Hamyang (why so many motels ?) and to meet a Japanese visitor to Hwa Yong
more photos on my blog site
My notes about the visit, Singing from the party on Sunday gubirthday.wav, guboysing.wav
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Next plan to do a long distance walk
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