2022 IFLA Bursary awardees in south korea

In 2022 IFLA offered bursaries for 6 students or recent graduates to attend the World Congress in Gwangju. For some it was their first time aboard, for others their first time in Asia and certainly for all them their first time at an IFLA Congress.

Before the trip we wrote a blog post introducing the awardees, you can read that here.

During their time in Korea the 6 awardees attended the congress, some took part in our charrette, went on study tours and met the IFLA Executive. Now they have had time to digest their experience they have each written an account of their Korean adventures which you can read below.

IFLA President James Hayter said ‘IFLA is committed to the development of the profession and supporting students and emerging professionals as they commence their career in Landscape Architecture. As the future of the profession it is crucial they are supported to be a visible and active part of the IFLA community and the field of Landscape Architecture more widely. IFLA is particularly focused on how our federation can help countries and regions where the profession is still developing, these bursaries allowed students, who would not have otherwise had an opportunity to attend a World Congress, to participate and make important connections with professionals from across the world. We hope this has inspired them to continue their important work when they return to their home countries’

Natalia Kogia - Greece

What were your first impressions of South Korea?
My first impression of South Korea was of the busy neighbourhood around the Central Station in Seoul. I was impressed by the huge scale of the city, public spaces and buildings. Although everything looked supersized to me, it managed to maintain a human scale and omitted a welcoming feeling inviting you to walk around and enjoy.  

Was this your first time abroad? Or in Asia? or visiting Korea?
This was my first time in Korea and generally in Asia. Also, it was my first long-duration flight!

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
I did take part in the charrette! It was brilliant. We got to walk around Gwangju and get to know the local history and architecture. I met a wonderful group of people with whom I had a great time talking, designing and exchanging ideas. We pulled an all-nighter in the hostel kitchen that was exhausting but so much fun!   

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
It was a unique opportunity. I was nervous I’d be awkward, but everyone was very warm and down to earth and genuinely interested in listening to what fellow students had to say and exchange views and experiences.

What keynotes did you see?
I saw all keynote speeches. They were really interesting and covering a variety of topics. 

What messages did you take from their talks?
I got to really think about what environmental and sustainable design actually means and how much society has to actually get involved in the design process if we want it to really succeed. I also got to second-guess some of my own design principles, and how sustainable and eco-friendly they are long term.

Tell us about your congress itinerary
I would walk to the conference centre, get my morning coffee and find a seat in the hall. I would take notes and pictures of slides that peaked my interest. During the breaks I got together with friends I made during the Charrette and met new people. I had chosen which roundtables and visits I would attend beforehand, as some of them coincided or required commuting. I really enjoyed the pin collecting so I would also go around looking for those! I also visited the exhibition hall daily to look around, take pictures and brochures and also scout for a good book to buy.

What study tours did you go on? Tell us what you saw….
I went on the Walk and Talk: Gwangju Greenways tour. It was a tour through a linear park that has been designed alongside a derelict railroad track in the city. It was a very interesting space, with innovative design and rich history behind its inception. I was really impressed by the local flora and the rich green colours. I also got to see everyday people, going around their business and using the public space. 

What contacts did you make?
I made new friends with whom I still talk online! I also got to know some academics who made me think about broadening my academic experience and are willing to help me do so!

What surprised you the most?
I was really surprised by my experience in the Conference Centre. I expected it to be a huge, bland space, but the organizers turned it into a really welcoming space full of things to see and do, with beautiful decoration, landscape installations and attention to detail. I had fun just hanging around the Conference Centre! I was also surprised by the size of the city of Gwangju. I come from Athens, Greece where everything is more or less within walking distance and expected Gwangju to be a small town, since it's not the capital or a very well-known city. The rides in the underground were very long!

What inspired you the most?
Because of COVID, all of society had to go through a long time with minimum human contact, let alone travel and international get-togethers. I think I had forgotten how important that is. It was my first time meeting people outside Europe, coming from such different cultures, backgrounds and places. This, combined with the years-long social distancing It was amazing to realise how big our world can feel. 

What’s your best memory?
My best memory is visiting a Korean restaurant with my studio team during the Student Charrette. We talked about our project, our studies and our lives back home and our Korean friends introduced us to Korean food. They gave us tips on how to enjoy the food and combine the flavours!

What’s your worst memory?
Trying to navigate the Seoul underground with a heavy luggage, laptop and backpack!

How do you think you can apply your congress experiences in our own study/future practice?
I think that the best way I can apply my congress experience is to not be afraid to reach out to people for their views, contribution and help, no matter how far away they might be, how much older or more experienced . This was the first congress I have ever attended and I was excited to see how eager to help people can be. I learned not to be afraid to ask questions, ask for feedback and input.  

What about your fellow bursary awards - do you plan to stay in touch?
I am really willing to stay in touch and maybe meet some of them again next year in their home country, Kenya!

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
I think that the Travel Bursary was for most of us our only way of ever attending the conference. I think that this initiative, combined with the Student Charrette that I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to additionally attend, can really help students and emerging professionals if they are maintained for future conferences. Moreover, I would be excited for more workshops and educational trips. It’s a great way for young people to enrich their portfolios, show initiative and gain experience.  

Anything else you’d like to say?
I want to thank again everyone who helped us through this process, all the people that were genuinely excited to meet us and welcome us and of course IFLA for this unique opportunity. 

Jefferson Okari - Kenya

What were your first impressions of South Korea?
The streets were clean, a well maintained transport system, friendly Korean people who were so easy and eager to help. This was awesome and I loved it.

Was this your first time abroad? Or in Asia? or visiting Korea?
This was my first time in Asia

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
I did not take part in the charrette because I found out about it during the conference.

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
I made friends with people I could only read in the papers. I made friends with the outgoing and incoming IFLA presidents and promised to make pencil portraits for them when they come to Kenya in 2023 for the 2023 IFLA World Congress in Nairobi, Kenya. Also, I was amazed to know several members of the Executive who hails from different parts of the world. This was indeed a great eye opener.

What keynotes did you see?
I saw almost all keynotes speakers.

What messages did you take from their talks?
Landscape Architects across the globe should play the key role in designing landscapes that are not only beautiful, but ones that encourage postive climate change and inhibits carbon prints. We should take responsibility if the world goes into the bliss of climate change.

Tell us about your congress itinerary
Everyday, I could wake up from my hotel, take a subway to KDJ conference at KRW 1350 only, sometimes I could use a bus at the same price.
At the conference, I could first visit the Exhibition Centre to watch, see and learn what other Landscape Architects in South Korea had done in their country. I could take photos with my camera of almost all that I came across (hoping it would help me as a benchmark when I get back to Kenya) and talked to almost all exhibitors who could speak English, those who couldn't, thanks to technology, I could translate using Papago App. I could take their contacts afterwards. Some acknowledged my country Kenya and said it is a great tourist hub in Africa with beautiful landscapes, cool climate, vast wildlife and diverse culture.
Next, I headed to the main hall to listen to the keynote speakers. The talks were fascinating and they completely took my attention only to be told it is time for coffee and lunch afterwards. I gladly made it a habit to accept the invitation for lunch after the keynotes where I got buzzled with the organized collection and sorting of waste at the site just after the meals. I bet, this to me was a great lesson to take back to my home.
In the afternoon, I could make friends with Koreans and any one I came across in the conference (I guess my contact list is swelling with contacts and emails). I will also take a walk around the KDJ centre and notice the organized, well-maintained and clean streets that I yearn to design and construct after class work is done. On some days, I could join others in Walk and Talk and also tours. Later in the night, I will then take a happy ride back to the hotel, with a bunch of books and some contact cards.

What study tours did you go on? Tell us what you saw….
I visited Asia Cultural Centre Park. I saw two recreational parks on top of a building. The never-dying green and lush grass was amazing to behold. The ever-playful kids blended reminded me of the beautiful movies I once watched and here, I could see them first-hand. The incorporation of features that depicts animals such as snails and a jetty water fountain created a site that I long to see again.

What contacts did you make?
Outgoing and incoming IFLA presidents, several ExCo members, Several Exhibitors and IFLA Bursary awardees

What surprised you the most?
I was surprised the most with the cleanliness of Gwangju and Seoul City. I witnessed proper waste management. Infact, my shoes never came across dust all the time I was in Korea.

What inspired you the most?
I was inspired the most with the strict implementation of policies in South Korea. Also, the vast connection of the subway network in Seoul City.

What’s your best memory?
Meeting the IFLA ExCo and sharing experiences from different nations across the globe.

What’s your worst memory?
I can't say it was necessarily worst, but being in a new environment will always come along with learning new things first. I take that as a wonderful learning challenge instead.

How do you think you can apply your congress experiences in our own study/future practice?
I got back to Kenya with a lot of experiences. I'll first encourage strict implementation of policies to safeguard proper waste management, creation of a wide option of transportation, i.e. subway, bus, car, motorbikes, bicycle and walking, wide landscaped streets to promote non-motorized transport system and highrise buildings to solve the emergence of informal settlements in Kenya.

What about your fellow bursary awards - do you plan to stay in touch?
I am already still in touch with my fellow students who got the IFLA bursary. We talk and exchange ideas and I hope to extend this in becoming friends forever and without IFLA, this would have never been possible.

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
Giving students travel and accommodation bursaries is a great invention and I humbly request that it continues so that more students will get this rare opportunities in future like I did. With the wide networks in IFLA, it will also be great if graduate students are offered Internship opportunities anywhere in the world to learn and experience more from what others do outside their countries. This will heighten their experiences and make them qualified Landscape Architects. Personally, I yearn for such an opportunity once i finish my undergraduate in December this year 2022.

Anything else you’d like to say?
I am overwhelmed with gratitude to the IFLA ExCo, for such a rare opportunity of being granted a Bursary to attend IFLA World Congress in Gwangju, South Korea. Jefferson Okari from Kenya is a happy Landscape Architecture student today with a lot of experience gained from Korea and all those I came in contact with. This was an eye opener for me and a great milestone in my career. Thank you so much.

Samson Mutinda - Kenya

What were your first impressions of South Korea?
My first impression of South Korea was this clean country where people really keep to themselves. Everyone is busy minding their business. A country of order especially when I saw that walkways were marked in the direction to keep. Pretty new for me.

How was your journey to Korea?
The journey to Korea and back was really interesting. Am not sure if an email can sum up all the experiences. It was my first time outside Kenya and first time on a plane. I was pretty confused at first when passing through immigration and those security check ups, Jeff was there to calm my nerves😅. The food inside the plane was great. Doha was also wonderful but really hot and there were so many people from all over.

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
I did not take part in the charrette and I really feel bad I didn't. I came across the Charette immediately after booking my flight and it was rather late to rebook, However am glad that a friend of mine from Kenya, William and Natalie, participated and won!

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
The meeting with the IFLA Executive was awesome.Totally enjoyed the conversations and the vibes! At some point I kept asking myself whether this is me in such a setup, I guess that's why I was pretty quiet because of the shock😅. Hope we can have another one soon or at least next year in Kenya. Felt encouraged by the wise words of James that there are opportunities for us.

What messages did you take from the Keynote talks?
This has to be the presentation by Craig Peacock. It absolutely made me rethink the way I approach the issue of carbon footprint. Did not know that even us landscape architects can contribute that much in the carbon footprint

Did you go on any tours?
I was not able to go for the tours. They were fully booked on that day. Loved the pictures shared in the Whatsapp group.😍

What contacts have you made?
I have made many contacts all along this process ; one is you and the IFLA Executive team, met students from Korea, Philippines, India, Indonesia and China and of course the awardees. Hope we can connect someday.

What inspired you the most?
What inspired me the most has to be this experience, It has motivated me to work hard to experience such again, grab such noble opportunities and see where they take you. I was also inspired by James Hayter that one day it could be me leading IFLA. In. terms of m y time in Korea I was inspired by love the Korean people have towards their culture. it's absolutely beautiful from the dressing, food (Which was pretty challenging to take in at first) and their music, absolutely beautiful. Their burial sites also captured my interest and i've been reading about them, it's fascinating. The way they managed (segregated) the leftovers/ food waste also stood out for me even with so much plastic.

What was your best memory?
This has to be the day we had lunch with the executive. It was a wonderful series of events. The lunch with the team, vibes and encouragement by the executive. Then from this the students roundtable where I met students from China, Philippines, and the ever welcoming Korean students who cordially invited me to speak, participate in some games, it was absolutely heart warming and even after the meeting they were really interested in sharing their experiences with me. The reception at ACC was also really beautiful, the interplay between the lighting effects and the performances was absolutely magical

What was your worst memory?
My worst memory was getting stranded at Incheon airport. We arrived in the evening, our phones were off,many people did not respond to us when we spoke in English and we had to get a COVID test after waiting!, getting to the hotel in Seoul without a working phone and it was raining. Luckily Sheyla was also there and was really helpful.The last day was also sad for me, knowing that I was leaving. It was a really low moment for me.Honestly I started missing the place even before leaving Korea. I am sure I've shed a tear or two when I recall all these experiences.

What lessons have your learnt from your visit?
I hope to apply lessons learnt from the exhibitions and messages from the speakers in approaching the profession.One of the things I hope to embrace is combining art and landscape architecture in my practice like I saw at the AC center.

What about your fellow bursary awardees?
I really hope that we can keep tabs with all other awardees and by God's grace meet once again. William has already offered to assist me with my thesis.

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
IFLA can continue awarding such bursaries to students and am glad I was among the first, Secondly activities such as the Charrette can really go a long way in mentoring students and exposing them to new ideas. Such can continue even when it is not at a congress level. Another is supporting exchange programs. Also organising for meetings or mini congresses for students can be impactful.

Anything else you’d like to say?
For now this is as much as my keyboard can key in 😅but I'm more than glad to take part in sharing any other experience if need be. As we say in Kenya Asante sana for the opportunity.

William De Assis De Silva 

What were your first impressions of South Korea?
When I got to South Korea, one of the things that first caught my eye was the well-distributed means of transportation. I was able to go on everywhere without any difficulty. Their buses are all categorized by color, it was pretty practical. Another memorable scene for me was Seoul at night with those giant digital outdoors and city lights.

Was this your first time abroad? Or in Asia? or visiting Korea?
It was both my first time on a plane and my first time outside Brazil. As you can imagine, it was a life journey. The bursary travel was the only way that allowed me to come to my first international event. I’m very thankful for that.

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
I did. During the intensive moment of my final thesis, my professor Ana Carolina suggested I register for the bursary travel and the student charrette program. At first, I confess I thought I wasn`t able to be admitted, but she encouraged me, and I finally decided to try. That was certainly the most important choice I made in my life. I was selected internationally as one of the six students to the bursary travel and one of the thirty students to the student charrette.

As a young professional who was finishing the undergraduate course, that was an excellent opportunity to get to know a unique way of making landscape design and create networking with professionals from diverse backgrounds. I had the opportunity to contact students from Kenya, Thailand, Mexico, Greece…

We spent three intensive days together, working in teams with the guidance of tutors to create a landscape project that was presented to a jury on the last day. The team I was on had the challenge to redesign and reallocate one of the greatest urban projects of Gwangju: the follies. This is defined as an architecture that contributed to Gwangju`s urban regeneration, playing both decorative and functional roles in public spaces.

Me (from Brazil), Ian Prita (from Thailand), and Gaham (from South Korea) decided to redesign the "Gwangju swarms" (2011) by Nader Terahni and reestablish it in Anhangabau valley in São Paulo, Brazil. We also added a historical approach to the project by referencing native Indigenous people who had a significant role in the occupation of the land and the culture of the Brazilian people. The project was a success, we got the third prize. That was incredible!

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
The meeting was an excellent opportunity to chat and be inspired by people who work and love what they do. We had an exciting time discussing the importance of landscape architects dealing with other professional fields and the challenges for the future of this career. It was nice for me to realize that the distance is not a problem to count on each other.

What keynotes did you see?
Fortunately, I watched most of them. It was an opportunity to expand my repertory and change my attitude toward designing the landscape. The ones I appreciate the most were Graig Pocock`s speech about carbon in landscape design, Catherine Nagel`s that presented the work of the National Association for Olmsted Parks, and Jillian Walliss and Heike Rahmann`s that showed us the Big Asian Book of Landscape, a project that aims to document contemporary landscape practice in Asia post-2000. I also watched the cha special session, which introduced methods, opinions, and discussions for protecting historic gardens. That was incredible to me, especially because it had a close relation to my undergraduate final thesis.

What messages did you take from their talks?
I can say the speeches mainly went around the global climate change fact. The presentations showed that directly or indirectly it is clear that global warming is an international preoccupation for all landscape professionals and students. I could understand how our actions as professionals can deeply interfere in this battle we`ve been fighting for.

The carbon landscape speech, for example, was extremely important to clarify commonly mistaken conceptions about carbon impact in the process of landscape design and placement. The historic garden session, on the other hand, showed a different layer of this contribution. I remember of the speakers said that preserving the historic gardens and sites was an effective way to remind people of their cultural relationship to nature and show why we should do something against the ending of many other places alike.

Tell us about your congress itinerary
It started almost four days before the official congress activities as I was participating in the student charrette. This program took place in the same convention center as the congress, and it was nice to be in contact with the keynote speakers, professors, and students that were going to participate in the event.

The congress itinerary itself began with the opening speech followed by the student charette award, where my team was nominated for the third prize. The following days were highlighted by the keynote speeches, the landscape equipment exposition, and the landscape design panels of the student`s competition and nominated architects. On the last days of the congress, I went on the optional tours, where I had an amazing time.

What study tours did you go on? Tell us what you saw….
I went to two of the congress visits. During the first one, I visited the Mudeongsan National Park and the Soswaewon Garden. The former is known as a park that includes a 1000-year-old Buddhist temple with one of the most beautiful views I`ve ever seen. The architecture openings to nature were precisely done, it looked like a live portrait. The latter is characterized as a traditional Korean Garden. The highlights of this place were the entrance surrounded by two bamboo walls and the playing they prepared for us with traditional Korean instruments and songs. It was an extraordinarily immersive experience of Korean culture.

On the second day, we visited Mokpo Modern Culture Street, a representative Building in the city's history that is currently used as a museum. There we could understand the impact of the Japanese colonial period in South Korea and how it became what it is now. We also had a unique opportunity to visit a private Garden of this Japanese period. The owner allowed us to get in and take some photos. It was memorable!

In the end, we went to a massive urban Project called Solaseado. It is a planned city that achieves to be a preserving ecosystem with high technology equipment. Unfortunately, we could only see the construction of a few places, but it seems to be a curious project to keep our eyes on.

What contacts did you make?
I made contact with many incredible people. Everywhere I went I had a unique opportunity to talk and learn from places I could never think of, especially from the professors I came across that inspired me to keep finding my way into this career such as Bruno Marques, Jillian Walliss, Heike Rahmann, and Reem Alissa.

I also made great friends that I surely can count on. I had a fantastic time with Sheila from Mexico, Samson from Kenya, and Rahman from Bangladesh. Since then, we've been sharing messages and indicating good opportunities to each other. Hope I can meet them again soon!

What surprised you the most?
What stood out for me was the way green areas are distributed. Gardens and parks are almost at every corner, open to anyone that wishes to take a relaxing pathway. Not only public leisure places are part of the South Korean cities, the residential private pathways, the corporate squares, and so on were connected to the urban space and opened to everyone. Comparing it to the Brazilian scene where many green areas are walled or even charges to enter, I might call it a "democratic green city". Certainly, something every city should have.

What inspired you the most?
I was inspired by the people I met, and the way nature is incorporated into landscape Korean projects. It`s not an attempt of copying reality. The Korean way of making landscapes involves the elements of nature for design purposes. They prioritized the human relation to the site over any decorative motif. Therefore, the watering equipment, for example, is placed following an essential pathway to the project where the user is guided. Simultaneously, it offers a contemplative view.

What's your best memory?
It is from Seoul. This city is a place of lights and shows. The streets are fulfilled with lightning outdoors, neon panels, and animated videos everywhere. Even famous public green space such as the Cheonggyecheon river has a "digital garden", composed of colorful lights, songs, and fountains that plays a part during the night and attracts many people. That surely reinforces the Korean cultural relation to K-pop.

What's your worst memory?
It is the process of managing the challenges of being in a different country with such a diverse culture. I had a tough time trying to buy food and groceries on the first days in South Korea. It took me a few days to get used to overseeing the communication issue and finding a local dish I appreciate. After all, it was good in a certain way because now I feel more confident to go on a trip by myself and I became a spicy food lover. 

How do you think you can apply your congress experiences in your own study/future practice?
I think I have already been applying and sharing these experiences. As soon as I arrived in Brazil, I made a presentation to the students at my university during the Architect Week Annual event. It was a good moment to encourage them to participate in the next congresses and state that it`s something we are all able to reach as students from an emerging country.

Furthermore, the speeches I`ve watched and the contacts I`ve made had also provided opportunities to build the next steps in my career. Lately, I`ve gathered with a landscape architect from my hometown to discuss how we can collaborate as professionals and citizens to deal with the local environment and landscape challenges we`ve been so far.

What about your fellow bursary awards - do you plan to stay in touch?
I do. In fact, I am. Lately, I've been chatting with Samson about student events and landscape topics. It's good to know that we can somehow be a bridge between Brazil and Kenya.

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
Firstly, I believe it can happen by maintaining the programs it has been offered so far. Secondly, I think it would be nice to have official online meetings to gather those who are not able to come to another country. I mean, there could be an online pre-congress meeting or even a student roundtable like the one offered during the congress itinerary. That should embrace more emerging professionals, especially the ones that play a part in emerging countries.

Anything else you'd like to say?
I would like to thank IFLA and the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture for offering this terrific opportunity to students and young professionals. I can say it changed my perspective of landscape architecture.

Matilda Grunauer

What were your first impressions of South Korea?
My first impression is that South Korea is a developed country, I found that amazing.

Was this your first time abroad? Or in Asia? or visiting Korea?
I've been abroad before, but It was my first time visiting Asia.

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
No, I didn't participate in the charrette

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
I felt that it was really important because we were able to make contacts, and lead in the future to other opportunities or experiences.

What keynotes did you see?
All of them.

What messages did you take from their talks?
I learned that taking care of green spaces today will bring us a better tomorrow, we have to start working on climate changes as soon as possible.

What study tours did you go on? Tell us what you saw….
The tour that I did that was a highlight for me was the green tea plantation. Words can't describe what I saw there, it was amazing.

What contacts did you make?
I made contact with a girl from Seoul named Sooji, I also got to know a member fron the IFLA that is from Chile.

What surprised you the most?
Something that I found incredible was that the scale of the city was really big, I haven't been somewhere where the buildings and scales are that huge.

What inspired you the most?
What inspired me was that in the future I really want to work in Asia.

What’s your best memory?
Meeting new people, making friends from different countries, making landscape architects contacts. Being there is my best memory.

What’s your worst memory?
The food. I am not used to spicy food, and almost everything was spicy hahaha.

How do you think you can apply your congress experiences in our own study/future practice?
I think that I can apply designing with a carbon footprint in mind, thinking how can we as landscapes architects reduce this.

What about your fellow bursary awards - do you plan to stay in touch?
Of course, I want to stay in touch with everyone I met. I know it is maybe a bit hard because of different time zones and distance, but it is not impossible.

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
I think it is really important to give this kind of opportunity to students. It is a unique experience and we can learn from first world countries, for me that I live in South America, it was really nurturing and maybe in the future I can apply some strategies in my own city.

Anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you!!

Sheyla Perez

Was this your first time abroad? Or in Asia? or visiting Korea?
Was my first time abroad and was awesome

Did you take part in the charrette? How did you find this?
No, since two years ago I told my escolar co-ornidator that I wanted to apply a interchange to South Korea but he said that didn't exist a compatible program with Landscape school in Korea and my school in México so when the bursary opportunity was published he told me with emotion that I should apply for the bursary but had to be fast because only was for six students of all the world. After I applied for the bursary I saw the charrette.

How was meeting the IFLA Executive?
Was awesome and incredible because was like see celebrities that you only knows in photos

What keynotes did you see?
I can take note about the carbon Landscape with Craig Pocock, Henri Bava with his french Landscape parks, Valia Wright with her project on skate park

What messages did you take from their talks?
With Henri Bava, I think that his ideas and creativity with french Landscape are sustainable and with organisations and design, I love the design in his projects. I think that with good ideas with good motives we can made a better world, like super heroes!

Tell us about your congress itinerary
I had the conferences, the Opening show in the ACC then in the second day the lunch with my bursary partners and then the technical visit in the traditional houses with the end in the Lee Nam Lee Studio. In the second technical visit, we went to Mudeongsan National Park & Wonhyosa, Soswaewon. I went to the Gala dinner and In the post congress tour we went Mokpo Modern Culture Street, Samhakdo Island, Solaseado

What study tours did you go on? Tell us what you saw….
On the Lee Nam Lee studio I saw the different plants species with their history and I met Nuya from Thailand and other students from around this área.
Mudeongsan National Park & Wonhyosa, Soswaewon. In this place I saw a plants variety with the temples, the architecture inthe pagodas with traditional music show and poetical Landscape architecture. In this tour I made new friends, like William from Brasil and Rakesur from Bangladesh
Mokpo Modern Culture Street, Samhakdo Island Solaseado. In this place I saw about Korea History and the advances about democratic situation and in Solaseado I saw the solar farm an sustentable idea with concrete and literal design in their gardens with great concepts I enjoyed the post tour with my friend William and in the finish I meet Seah Sarah

What contacts did you make?
Lots! including William from Brasil, Jefferson and Ngonzi from Kenya, Matilda from Argentina
Nongo Kim, Ji ji o, Kim hu, Taekwan Yang, Jo Dam Bin, Jang, Young Seok, Shin Ji Ho, Seah Sarah, Hugh and Daniel from Korea
C'Kenn Yasin, Aulia Fathiarahmah from Indonesia, Klarissa from Philippines, Ricardo from Chile, Natalie from Greece, Clara Kwon from Canada, Bruno Marques, Indra Purs, James Hayter and Jeremy Dennis

What surprised you the most?
The area where I was, the people were so friendly and happy. And I loved how the people love to sing and the ways that they want to make you feel the space through architecture and landscape, for example in places like the ACC.

What inspired you the most?
The botanic garden (Solaseado) and ACC with their perceptual expos outside, so I could feel good because the place was iconic and with a landart design. And the tree species that are with a aesthetic shape.

What’s your best memory?
When I talked with William in the bus, when I find in the Airport with Jefferson and Ngonzi, when I arrived my hotel in Gwangju and the Gala Dinner. I learned a new word with the students girls that I met, Good Pom! (Good Night) . I also enjoyed the Llunch with the bursary partners and we discussed why we study Landscape Architecture and finally when I met Nuya in the first technical visit.

What’s your worst memory?
When I felt alone - when I arrived in my Seoul hotel I felt sad and I missed my family because was the first time that I was so far from home.

How do you think you can apply your congress experiences in our own study/future practice?
I can apply my experiences in my thesis because this is about theVirtual and perceptual Landscape, that this is that I enjoied in Gwangju,And practice about the conceptual an design part of our study I can felt the space, with all my senses with all my emotions and I can saw that my ideas can be right I can find me and believe on me.

What about your fellow bursary awards - do you plan to stay in touch?
Yes, they told me all their ideas and we think that can travel to our countries and find us and enjoy our differents cultures. And I love watch in the Instagram their stories in their countries.

How can IFLA continue to support emerging professionals like yourself in the future?
Maybe with other opportunities to the master's degree or interchange for learn and update about the Landscape Architecture and Ambiental Impact solutions.

Anything else you’d like to say?
I am very grateful that they gave me the opportunity to get to know a country so rich in culture, knowledge, technology and above all for being able to widen my circle of friends and contacts, it also opened many doors to knowledge and new ideas.

Gallery of some images taken by the awardees