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Arriving at Jingwansa temple felt like entering a new world. The landscape which features a large mountain surrounded by traditional Korean architecture was breathtaking. The way the sun was shining brought out the greens and blues of each building which complimented the lush green grassy mountains that towered behind them. It was vivid, and bright, yet calm and serene. It looked like a painting. I couldn’t wait to go in and experience it all. Aside from it being one of the four Buddhist temples in Seoul, there are two things that make Jingwansa unique—it is ran entirely by women, and they have traditional temple food which is said to be delicious. Jingwansa is the last place I thought I’d ever find myself and although at first, I was nervous to go, I thought to myself, “how many people get this opportunity?” So, I had to take it. Before the fun however, there were some house rules that needed to be addressed. First, we must wear our temple uniforms. They weren’t particularly stylish, but they were very comfortable and airy which was perfect for the boiling summer temperatures. Second, we respect the times allotted for our free time and return time. Third, lights out by 9 PM. Wake-up call 4 AM. That last one was hard. However here we were, up before the sun had risen and preparing for a morning filled with prostrations. 108 to be exact. A prostration is a form of prayer that involves very specific movements and it is important that they are done right. According to Buddhism, 108 represents the different compartments of the mind and doing 108 prostrations cleanses each of those compartments. Within the first 50 or so prostrations, I found myself fully immersed in the experience. I closed my eyes and let my mind and body connect, it was almost like doing yoga. Although I did become tired, I pushed myself to do them all. The way I felt after completing the prostrations was unexpected. The movements forced me to focus my mind and forget about the world momentarily. With each breath came a new movement, it was grounding and humbling, yet empowering at the same time. This clarity allowed me to understand those who practice Buddhism and I understood the full mind and body experience that one has during prayer and worship. I never experienced anything like it. More than that, the peace that I felt around me was so grand, I truly couldn’t believe it. What followed was a dining experience like non other. Having temple food was nothing like I expected, with little seasoning used, I didn’t expect to like it very much. However, I was greatly surprised to discover that it is quite enjoyable. My favorite thing on the menu was the fried eggplant, and I despise eggplant, so that says a lot. The rice was warm and fluffy, the broth was soothing and refreshing. But of course, no temple experience was complete without the teachings of the nuns. “Food is medicine” she would say to us before we ate. “It is essential to who we are, and we need to be mindful of the things we consume”. Therefore, we were instructed to serve ourselves only what we would eat, and to try not to waste a single crumb. My time at the temple met me with many surprises. I was surrounded by peace. The river, the mountain, the crisp air early in the morning, it all makes you stop and appreciate what you are seeing. In an era where most of us are constantly connected to technology, it was nice to unplug for a moment and look up at my surroundings. I thought to myself, “I’ll miss this place” as I stood on the other side of the world in a country far away from mine, learning about a religion that was completely foreign to me.