July 4

Feeling a little adventurous today, I decided to embark on an hour journey to CERN, which is the European Organization for Nuclear Research. It wasn’t until later on that day when I found out that I was present during a monumental moment in scientific history. Nicknamed as “god’s particle”, the Higgs Bosom is said to be the key to understanding the very beginning of the universe tracing back to the Big Bang. Although the theory behind it was too complex for me to understand, I truly enjoyed the exhibitions and learned a lot about the intricacies behind physics of the universe. Ever since I was young, I was intrigued by the possible theories of the origin of everything and read many books on the mysteries of the universe. However, when it came to down to real life physics and the formulaic physics class at school, I was utterly disappointed by its boring nature. The complex formulas and concepts just sounded like an alien language from another planet. I tried really hard to memorize and enjoy physics as I used to, but it just wouldn’t register in my mind. I spent hours doing my AP Physics homework, grabbing my hair and moaning in frustration while other students took only an hour of hard thinking to finish. Eventually, I grew tired of physics and started to lose interest. But today, my visit to CERN rekindled my long lost enthusiasm for physics and I was truly intrigued reading the information in the exhibition. The exhibition also provided visual documentaries that added to the fun. What was really cool was the “Galileo” globe that was across the road from CERN that showcased mechanical parts of the LHC particle accelerator at CERN. Furthermore, the exhibition had a ball shaped sofa that one could snuggle in and listen to a brief lecture on the mysteries of the universe. To be honest, I dozed off for a bit because the sofa was too comfy and the room was dimly lit. After relaxing for a good hour of snuggling and “learning”, I headed back to grab lunch.

   I was on my way back when a familiar word grabbed my sudden attention. This word surprised me so much that I blankly stared at it as the bus passed by it. This word was 밥 which means food or rice in Korean. I did not expect a Korean restaurant to be in the middle of the city, but it had quite a few customers going in for lunch. So I got off at the next stop and decided to drop by for some lunch. A familiar smell wafted into my nose as I stepped in and I was happy that I had the chance to eat my traditional food in a foreign country. After days of eating Western food, I missed the warm rice and Korean side dishes that I used to eat. This also reminded me of  how much Korea has stepped into the international world, making its name known through technological and economical advancements. I thought that even a few years ago, I could not imagine a Korean restaurant in Geneva where they even barely spoke English. Korea and other Asian countries were slowly becoming global powers and it made me proud that my country was leading this progress in a way. Whenever I see anyone carrying a Samsung phone or see an LG television in restaurants, I cannot help but think that those devices originated from Korea. It was quite amazing how fast we developed when a decade ago, Korea faced an IMF crisis and the whole country was in economic turmoil. I believe that this is just the beginning that Korea started to become an international country. There is much potential for all these developing Asian countries and soon enough I think that we will all become stronger and more involved global countries in the soon future.

   The spicy stir-fried pork was delicious. Although I expected it to be a little westernized, the authentic taste surprised me and I savored every last piece of it. With a satisfied stomach, I stepped outside as I was determined to resume my journey throughout the city.