To begin with, I want to compare the career of Sylva as a photographer with my hobby of taking photos. In particular, I plan to mention the significance and meaning of photography to Sylva and me. In the video clip about Sylva’s father, who also takes photographs, Sylva’s father states that he had begun taking photos of insects and flowers which attracted him, but that soon the environment, the barren and concrete buildings, began to show themselves in his photos. He and Sylva say that through photography, they learned the meaning of their neighborhood and environment to them. Similarly, I like to take photographs of the environment that surrounds my home as well. I live in Ilsan, and near my home, there is a large park, where I frequently take photos. I think that photography has also taught me the value of the precious environment that surrounds my home.
Second, I wish to contrast Sylva’s and my perceptions towards the urban area. In the clip about the Prague Castle, Sylva states that the Prague Casle is located 20 kilometers away from her house, ini the city, but that living in the apartment is better than living in the city. In contrast, I share the common perception of Koreans that living in cities is in many ways more beneficial than inhabiting rural areas in terms of proximity to services including hospitals, stores, etc. Therefore, I am grateful for the fact that my current home is located near the center of Ilsan. Third, I plan to compare and contrast the buildings near my home and the building mentioned by Sylva. Sylva talks about the building that is nicknamed the ‘Great Wall of China,’ which she describes using the words ‘morbidly beautiful in its ugliness.’ This is because the structure is a uniform block of concrete. However, the buildings in Korea near where I live don’t seem to be so different either. There exist many skyscrapers that are built from the same materials, concrete and iron, and look alike – the form of a box. However, the difference exists that while the buildings in Prague once held a political meaning as symbols of socialism, as Sylva says, the buildings in Korea hold no such meanings.
Finally, I will write about settling down versus moving around. Sylva states that the most important event in her life happened when she had the twins, which made her settle down in one place. In contrast, I am not confined to one place. Rather, I am prone to moving around a lot, between my home and KMLA, and also to other places because I am at that age when travel is common. Therefore, while Sylva may closely feel the importance of her home greatly, it sometimes rather eludes me, because I am away for many days at times.
