Korean infrastructure

Coming from Brooklyn, New York, I've always thought that urban development was best exampled in neighborhoods like Fort Greene, Park Slope, and Brooklyn Heights. The even mix between old-school hardware and supply stores (although my old one was recently replaced with a beer garden, or bier garten...same difference), a variety of restaurants, nifty shops and clothing stores, and bars made those places pleasant to walk around, day and night. Sometimes, you could even count on the attention to urban planning with meticulously detailed lamp posts, or redone street signs. The little things tend to get noticed these days in the times of Blu-Ray flat screen TVs.

I was always comforted by tall buildings surrounding me, every square inch of land being used to build a new apartment building. Not many hospitals and libraries being built these days, but everyone always needs housing. They might be overpriced, but at least it will put a roof over someones head.

Coming here to Korea, specifically Technovalley, Daejon, things aren't quite the same. I'm used to the 3-and-4 story buildings on either side, and the "corner stores," or GS 25 as they are here, basically your 7-Eleven. I live in one of these small apartment buildings. They are quite common where I live.

But no further than 100 yards away lies one of several massive apartment complexes, each one 15 to 18 stories tall. And this isn't your average NYC red-brick project housing development. These buildings all have different styles of architecture. It's actually pleasant to look at. Each building has a number prominently displayed on either side, generally up towards the top of the building so everyone can see it. From my small window at work, I can see nearly 14 buildings, and of those 14, I can see 6 numbers. I would venture a guess that nearly every group has about 9 buildings, since the numbers I see all vary between 6 and 9. I've seen some in the teens in Seoul.

Back home, if you've seen one project, you've seen them all. The only difference is the name of the housing project (Marcy, Fort Greene, Stuy Town, etc.). Otherwise, every brick and fence is the same.

Here in Korea, this foresight to grow not only outwards but upwards avoids the current problem in America of urban sprawl. They are building train lines everywhere, streamlining transit from every corner of the country. Public buses run everywhere, and even though they stop at night, parking is still very easy to find here. Not only are parking lots not endangered yet in Korea, there is also something very unusual here.
My apartment building lies right next to a cabbage field. Across the street is another field growing something else, maybe potatoes. They are not as crazed about using land for some money-making scheme. I don't know yet if the cabbage is given to all the restaurants in the area, but if it is, I have moved to a farmer's paradise.

School is about to start now, so I must end this. I will try and add some pictures soon, when I find my camera cord.