p 119 #5 essay first draft [Seung Ah Lee 200902496]

 

My Two "Hometowns"

 

When I was 15, I went to Tashkent, Uzbekistan to study abroad and lived there for four years. Because I spent the important period of my teenage years there, I feel like it's my second "hometown." Now I am living in Seoul. Although I was not born in Seoul, I can say it's my hometown because I spent most of life in Seoul except four years in Tashkent. In that aspect, Tashkent and Seoul, as my "hometowns," differ greatly but share some similarities.

             Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and Seoul, the capital of Korea are distinctive in three aspects. First, in terms of the size, Tashkent is two times bigger than Seoul. Seoul is the largest cities in South Korea but compared to Tashkent, it is a small city. Despite the small size, Seoul's population is ten times as much. Second, the weather in Seoul is very humid and has high precipitation. In contrast, it is quite dry and deserted in Tashkent. Unlike Seoul, spring and fall seasons are very short in capital city of Uzbekistan. Last distinguished feature of two cities is the fashion of local people. Uzbeks usually cling to rather traditional clothes with very colorful patterns. In case of Koreans, however, modern clothing of somewhat westernized style is common. People in Seoul care a lot about outlook and pursue varied, fashionable and trendy clothes.

             Despite their differences, Seoul and Tashkent have some things in common. As a capital city of the country, both cities are not located at the center of the country. Seoul is located at the very western part of South Korea and Tashkent is situated at the edge of northeastern part of Uzbekistan. Another similarity they share is the skyscrapers. Even though the structures and designs differ, the buildings in Tashkent are high like those in Seoul. It gives me a feeling that I am in a developed country. Both In Tashkent and Seoul, buildings are sophisticated and fancy. On top of that, both cities are similar in that there are a lot of foreigners. It is not hard to spot a foreigner in Seoul. Similarly, in Tashkent, it is easy to see people from different countries. Thus, in both cities I can feel the global atmosphere.

             In short, the two different but at the same time similar cities- Seoul and Tashkent are my two "hometowns" that mean a lot to me. It is about eight-hour trip from Seoul to Tashkent, the two cities have some features in common. Seoul is crowded with people and traffic; yet, the way people dress up gives lively and fresh impression. On the other hand, Tashkent is a city of history where people value tradition and culture. It is amazing to be in both two cities.