Letters~ WorldWide Date: Apr 30, 2014 5:19 AM Subject: Hello, Mr. Finley! To: Cc: Dear Mr. Finley, Hi! My name is Seong Won and Im currently a college student in South Korea. I recently viewed your TEDTalk on being a guerilla gardener and I have to say, I was absolutely blown away by your words, your message and your philosophy. In fact, youve inspired me to look into spreading the concept in South Korea as well, but I wanted to ask you some questions, if that is alright. To explain a little bit about myself, Ive spent some part of my childhood in relative poverty- getting my clothes from a school donation bin, not knowing where my next meal is coming from, etc. My family and I got through those tough times and were doing well now, but I still remember the hardship like it was yesterday. That was one reason why I was so moved by your talk: your call for less talk and more action felt so appropriate and all I could think was Yes, thats it! Thats what kids and families need. Here is one question Id love to ask. South Korea is a small country, about the size of Indiana. Therefore, there arent a lot of empty lots or areas with open soil that could become home of such guerilla gardens. Do you have any opinions or solutions? Are there other ways to grow sustainable, healthy food in concrete urban areas- with little to no place for gardens- afflicted by hunger? Another question I would like to ask is, most Korean cuisine itself is not fatty or unhealthy, being made of vegetables and some meats. The biggest problem is the mentality that is gripping our culture that, in my opinion, forces people to trade health for speed when it comes to food, especially amongst the youth. They love to go to McDonalds or KFC for a quick and tasty bite. Do you think that getting them out into the air and making them touch the fresh soil might inspire them to rethink their choices? My last question is this: I saw in your talk that youve faced various challenges, from the government to cynics. Where did your strength to stand up to them and say No, what Im doing is a good thing, a right thing come from? It must have been difficult. Id love to hear some advice about how to do that! Finally, Id like to extend my sincere congratulations on the immense following youve gathered as well as the changes you have brought about. Also, I hope you continue to inspire and help others through your work and Id love to follow your example and do the same in my own country. Who knows, in ten years time, maybe every kid on the block will be growing their own vegetables and list gangsta gardener on their resumes. Sincerely, Seong Won (Korea University)
Posted on: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:06:50 +0000
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