#21

Out my Window




out my window trailer:

     Out my window is a 360º documentary about different people, living in different highrise. There are 14 windows in a highrises(aka apartments), occupied by different people from all around the world. As for me, I was assigned to compare my life and Amchok's life. When you go to the website(Out My Window website), you get to choose a person. If you click the top left, you'll meet Amchok. I chose him because he lived in Canada. I, too, once lived in Canada, so I felt a strange connection to this Toronto guy.

     Firstly, I want to talk about the view Amchok and I get to see out of our windows. When I look out my window from our apartment, I see a bunch of buildings, playgrounds, students, and cars. Since there is an elementary school right beside our apartment, we always get to see a lot of students or parents who pick up their children. Amchok somewhat sees a similar view like mine when he looks out the window. Currently, he is living in an apartment just like me. But when he was young, he used to live in an animal tent which had a lot of holes during summer, or a house made out of mud. Whenever he looked outside those holes, he could see animals. Horses, sheep, and cattle, Because he lived on Tibet, he didn't have chance to take a close look at motor vehicles. He said that once in two or perhaps, three years, an airplane would roar by over the amazed eyes of Tibetans. On the other hand, I see an airplane like twice a day and about a hundred cars! I suddenly felt a cultural difference between Amchok and me.

     At one point of a video, it said that Amchok was one of the 2,000 Tibetan in exile, living in Toronto, who escaped Chinese controlled Tibet by walking to India over the mountains. What would it be like if North Korea invaded South Korea, so my family had to run away to somewhere else? What would it be like if our family was the only Koreans existing? How would Amchok feel? It's a feeling that cannot be imagined. I could feel from his sorrowful eyes that he suffered. He couldn't have survived if it wasn't for his wife. His life was at the edge till his wife and children saved him.

     Another factor that Amchok and I am alike is that we both like music. He is very talented at playing instruments. He said he didn't play music for his own interest and hobby, but for His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Last year, he was even invited in Ottawa officially to sing for His Holiness last year! His currently favourite instrument is draynen. (the picture at the right shows the image.) I play violin and I would love to play electronic guitar. Even though my fingers are really short, I like to play string-instruments. Whenever I practice my violin, I feel pain in my fingers but on the other hand, it relaxes my soul. Just like what Amchok said. He said music can transform hearts and give solace and peace to unhappy souls. He even said that music brought him freedom of life, human rights, and a country where he belongs. I could feel how he adored music like a child but at the same time, a life saver. I wish that someday in my life, I would be able to love any instruments so that I could depend on it whenever I need to.

     There is a music video of Amchok and his family singing an ancient Tibetan song. They were going around and around in circle, looking as joyful as they can be with Amchok playing draynen. The music video is accessible of watching it in 360º paranormal view. This video showed me a clear characteristic of Tibetan song. I wish I could represent traditional Korean music proudly, and celebrate it with my friends and family. But firstly, I would have to learn a Korean instrument first. I wish to learn Jang-gu when I come into KMLA, hopefully.

    As one can see, there are some similarities but also differences between Amchok and me. We both like music and we live in a highrise. Despite some differences between us, I believe that those differences gave me an opportunity to understand and at least get an idea of people who suffered through something that I did not.