College basketball seasons are known for loud gyms, nighttime bus rides, and conference rivalries. Our trip to South Korea and China this August was quite the opposite. Beyond being competitive, it offered a chance to immerse ourselves in the culture and realize how much one can gain from a trip beyond just competition.
Our trip started back at Swarthmore, where we prepared to leave for Asia. On August 14, we moved into Mary Lyons and followed a routine that included practice, weight-room workouts, and dinners hosted by Head Coach Shane Loeffler nearby. Those days felt like a mini preseason, which was exhausting, but helped us revitalize our team atmosphere in advance.
To get to our first stop, Seoul, South Korea, we flew from Philadelphia to San Francisco and then crossed the Pacific. We arrived there on a Tuesday afternoon, with our time zone being flipped nearly twelve hours. We quickly got acquainted with Seoul, visiting Gangnam, COEX Mall, and Starfield Library, all made funnier by our immense jet lag after eighteen straight hours of flying.
Our second day revealed Seoul’s history through Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the National Palace Museum of Korea. Dinner at the Myeongdong Night Market offered new street foods, including spicy squid and tteokbokki. Things were truly put into perspective standing inside an ancient palace with my teammates that night, helping us realize just how large our world is compared to our small college life.
We then visited Yonsei University, trained there, and had a game against their team, after which we had dinner with the opposing players and coaches. Shifting from competing to sharing a meal as friends became one of my favorite experiences this trip. We also played against the Samsung Thunders, a professional team. This game was after our tour of the Samsung Innovation Center, where Coach Loeffler was gifted a new phone, a Samsung Galaxy Flip! Playing against these older players in terms of size, speed, and discipline helped us improve greatly. In between games, we hiked the Seoul City Wall Trail, visited Namsan Park, and viewed the city from the top of the Namsan Seoul Tower. The long half-mile uphill walk to the tower was made up for by the magnificent view of the city from the top.
Our next stop brought us to Shanghai, China, a profound change of scenery. While Seoul was a sleek and well-organized city, Shanghai seemed huge, dynamic, and full of history. First, we visited the Zhujiajiao Water Town. There were small canals with ancient stone bridges and traditional buildings around them. Wandering along the peaceful water town without tall skyscrapers was like being transported back in time.
One of the most memorable stops we made during the trip was the Buddhist Jing’an Temple and its large central fire. Visitors tossed coins toward it, and we joined in, each of us making a silent wish as the coin left our hands. It was a small moment, but it made us slow down and reflect in a way that a busy travel schedule rarely allows. Surrounded by incense smoke and the sound of visitors in prayer, I felt grateful just to be there with my team.
Additionally, we visited the World Expo Museum, which covers the story behind the international World Expos and the way countries have been sharing their ideas, innovations, and culture for well over a century. In all the excitement of having competed and toured around for several days, it was amazing to see just how much of world history revolves around people coming together to showcase their identity — precisely the theme of our trip.
In hindsight, the trip has taught us much more than just playing basketball. We learned to adapt to the new culture and language, and we relied on each other in case of exhaustion or unfamiliarity. When the trip came to an end, we left with not only improved skills but also enriched experiences of Korean and Chinese cultures, as well as deepened bonds with our teammates.
