It has now been just over two months since our Hwa Rang Do trip to Korea, but the memory has far from faded in that time. Like a great meal, Korea lingers on in my thoughts and on the edge of my senses as only a truly exhilarating experience could. In fact, in many ways, I have gained so much from Korea that I am almost ready to call it the start of a new chapter in my life: My Life After Korea.

But I will not go that far yet. It has, after all, only been two months.

After this time, however, I do understand that I have gained immensely from the Korea trip. Traveling to the country with my fellow Hwa Rang Do brethren taught me more than just how to read Hangul, the difference between Koryo and Silla dynasty Buddhist architecture, and what goes in (or more appropriately does not go in) to making kimchi. It taught me about national identity, and how one culture from one country can unite national identities from around the world. It also taught me about cultural identity, and how, for better or for worse, we lack such a concept in America while Korea has it in spades. Finally, and most importantly, the Korea trip taught me about myself, as the experience of representing Hwa Rang Do in its homeland tested my character to its limit - not to mention the long days touring and late nights of drinking and singing, as those were tests as well!

The trip started innocently enough, with introductions and jokes typical of such a trip's beginning, but as soon as we were off the plane the frenzy began. No more than an hour after we landed we made our first tour stop, Kyungbok Palace in Seoul, a grandiose and sprawling complex reminiscent of the massive chateaus of the French countryside. Such cultural stops on such little rest, while disagreeable at first, were the norm for the trip and their necessity soon became apparent. How else could we learn about 5000 years of Korean culture in eight days? But before I go on, I should mention that before we really got to touring, we had to prepare for the banquet and demonstration.

The demonstration was a fantastic display. Not so much because it was otherworldly, such as the wirework of today's martial arts movies, but precisely because it demonstrated the human and physical potential that Hwa Rang Do taps. From my own perspective, the demo was a blur, but a glorious blur, of adrenaline and pride, especially for my fellow demo team members from around the world. Yet after the demo, there was little time to revel in its glow as the tour moved on just as quickly as it started.

The trip covered the range of the Korean experience. From going to the "Hawaii" of Korea, Jeju, and staying in the finest hotels the country has to offer, to eating food from Buddhist temples that, euphemistically, I believe was intended to inspire a holy life by punishing us for the sins of the past, we saw a lot of the country. If anything, I came away from the trip feeling like I was offered a peak into the place, only to be quickly pushed on just as my interest was building. Because of this, I have come to understand what an enormity 5000 years of history is, a concept that as an American with only 250 years to comprehend, I had scarcely conceived.

If anything, I feel that I need to go back to Korea. I am fascinated by its small geographic size, yet enormous people. Korea, I was forced to recall, was rubble 50 years ago, and now it is poised to be an economic leader of the world. What's more, the trip made me want to connect further with Hwa Rang Do, as I saw how much even the Koreans stopped to remark on our international group. Finally, I found the country, with its dense forests and mountainous terrain, to be extremely beautiful. I am certainly looking forward to another trip in the future!