Saturday, February 12, 2011
I was reading something in a Facebook note this morning about another foreigner who basically put into words what most of us here have been through: a love/hate relationship with Korea. This foreigner talked about having another frustrating day after experiencing some misunderstandings and cultural differences at her school (probably not for the first time) and how she had basically reached the end of her tether (sounds so familiar!), and she just wanted to crawl into bed with memories of home (in her case, England), looming largely. Her comments really hit home for me because I've had many of those days. I've been driven to tears by sheer homesickness and a loathing of the strangeness of this place. Once, I found myself literally unable to get out of bed to go to work! I was paralyzed by my absolute lack of desire to face my students' blank faces and the drudgery of the effort of trying to be understood, talking "down", smiling even when I just wanted to scream, and coping with all the little things that can make life here so hard. It was so bad that one day, after finding out that the cleaning woman had unwittingly chucked out my souvenir water bottle (from UShaka in Durban), I sobbed so uncontrollably I had to leave the classroom!
Anyway, as that facebook user goes on, after finding someone to vent to, she managed to pull herself together and focus on the positive things that keep her going/sane. I think most people that I've met here would agree with her list of things that make her love Korea. So I'd like to make a similar list here, but I'm also going to mention some of the things that have made me 'hate' my second home, as well:
First, things that made me "hate" Korea or that just plain bothered me:
- having to talk slowly and constantly enunciating to be understood
- saying something in a perfectly understandable way ("Taxi"), finding the Korean person not understanding, saying it over and over again, only for the Korean listener to say the exact same thing phonetically in Korean, and proclaim ("aaaahhhh... TAK-SHI!!!!" )
- spitting on the sidewalk or wherever they just happen to be standing
- squatting whilst waiting for the "tak-shi" (looks like they're going to the toilet!)
- the lack of trash cans on the street
- at work, people don't seem to feel the need to let you know in advance when important events are going to happen, but just spring these things on you at the last minute! (one of my biggest gripes)
- co-workers talking about you (in front of you) amongst themselves in Korean! (you can hear your name pop, so you know they're talking about you!)
- pitching up at work in the morning and finding out that there are no classes that day (that's happened to me at the hag-won and at the public school, so it's like a universal conspiracy to test the foreigners' patience)
- Koreans don't have any concept of personal space - they'll wave hello/goodbye right in your face!
- straight males (well, I think they're straight) holding hands whilst walking down the street!
- the cold, freezing, snowy weather in winter (I'm from sunny South Africa after all!)
I can't think of anything else right now, but I'm sure there are memories lurking somewhere in the recesses of my memory that will surface sooner or later! Ha ha!
On the other hand there have been loads of things that make me feel downright affectionate and even protective of Korea and its people. So these are some of the things that I "love" about Korea, things that I will definitely miss:
- Korean co-teachers! love them, need them, miss them!
- the wonderful scenery in the countryside, especially in Spring and Summer
- Spring and Summer
- awesome sandals, bags, sunglasses and other accessories
- the kindness displayed by almost everyone I've met here
- the best After Care Service in the world (I have returned several purchased items, sometimes without a receipt, without any fuss)
- lovely fruit and vegetables that are always available
- samgyeupsal - my favorite Korean meal
- ramen!
- using words/phrases like 'eye-shopping' and 'PC Bang'
- receiving some small free item (Koreans call it "service") with your purchase
- cheap food in restaurants and eating out whenever you feel like (I've never been to restuarants in South Africa as much as I have in Korea)
- fantastic amusement and water parks!! we have had so much fun with that!
- being able to walk outside 24 hours a day in complete safety
- the bar/night time culture
- being able to clean the bathroom easily with the shower head because there's a drain on the floor
- K-pop! my favorite is 2NE1
- Korean animated shows - my son loves Pororo, Jjangu, Sunday Eleven and Pokemon
- the honesty of Korean people - I once left my handbag in the bus terminal in my town, and was in the bus heading to the next town when I realised what I'd done. we hopped off the bus at our destination, hopped into the next bus out, got back to our bus terminal, and my handbag was in the exact same spot where I'd left it! omg!!! :)
- Korean strawberries
- bakeries and 24 hour convenience stores wherever you go
- the hustle and bustle of Seoul and the variety of stores/restuarants/people there
- the wonderful small towns where one street is downtown and you can walk anywhere from your apartment
- Costco!
- the beaches/coastline/fishing villages (so scenic)
well, there are so many things that I have loved in Korea, sometimes without realising it. This place will stay with me forever and I will always think of it as 'home'. It's also been a place where I feel like I've grown up in many ways. I think I'll go back home as a different person. I've engaged with so many different types of people here, people from different countries, backgrounds, cultures, that it's been a real eye-opener and given me a whole new perspective on life.
So, thank you, Korea. I will always love/hate you!
Anyway, as that facebook user goes on, after finding someone to vent to, she managed to pull herself together and focus on the positive things that keep her going/sane. I think most people that I've met here would agree with her list of things that make her love Korea. So I'd like to make a similar list here, but I'm also going to mention some of the things that have made me 'hate' my second home, as well:
First, things that made me "hate" Korea or that just plain bothered me:
- having to talk slowly and constantly enunciating to be understood
- saying something in a perfectly understandable way ("Taxi"), finding the Korean person not understanding, saying it over and over again, only for the Korean listener to say the exact same thing phonetically in Korean, and proclaim ("aaaahhhh... TAK-SHI!!!!" )
- spitting on the sidewalk or wherever they just happen to be standing
- squatting whilst waiting for the "tak-shi" (looks like they're going to the toilet!)
- the lack of trash cans on the street
- at work, people don't seem to feel the need to let you know in advance when important events are going to happen, but just spring these things on you at the last minute! (one of my biggest gripes)
- co-workers talking about you (in front of you) amongst themselves in Korean! (you can hear your name pop, so you know they're talking about you!)
- pitching up at work in the morning and finding out that there are no classes that day (that's happened to me at the hag-won and at the public school, so it's like a universal conspiracy to test the foreigners' patience)
- Koreans don't have any concept of personal space - they'll wave hello/goodbye right in your face!
- straight males (well, I think they're straight) holding hands whilst walking down the street!
- the cold, freezing, snowy weather in winter (I'm from sunny South Africa after all!)
I can't think of anything else right now, but I'm sure there are memories lurking somewhere in the recesses of my memory that will surface sooner or later! Ha ha!
On the other hand there have been loads of things that make me feel downright affectionate and even protective of Korea and its people. So these are some of the things that I "love" about Korea, things that I will definitely miss:
- Korean co-teachers! love them, need them, miss them!
- the wonderful scenery in the countryside, especially in Spring and Summer
- Spring and Summer
- awesome sandals, bags, sunglasses and other accessories
- the kindness displayed by almost everyone I've met here
- the best After Care Service in the world (I have returned several purchased items, sometimes without a receipt, without any fuss)
- lovely fruit and vegetables that are always available
- samgyeupsal - my favorite Korean meal
- ramen!
- using words/phrases like 'eye-shopping' and 'PC Bang'
- receiving some small free item (Koreans call it "service") with your purchase
- cheap food in restaurants and eating out whenever you feel like (I've never been to restuarants in South Africa as much as I have in Korea)
- fantastic amusement and water parks!! we have had so much fun with that!
- being able to walk outside 24 hours a day in complete safety
- the bar/night time culture
- being able to clean the bathroom easily with the shower head because there's a drain on the floor
- K-pop! my favorite is 2NE1
- Korean animated shows - my son loves Pororo, Jjangu, Sunday Eleven and Pokemon
- the honesty of Korean people - I once left my handbag in the bus terminal in my town, and was in the bus heading to the next town when I realised what I'd done. we hopped off the bus at our destination, hopped into the next bus out, got back to our bus terminal, and my handbag was in the exact same spot where I'd left it! omg!!! :)
- Korean strawberries
- bakeries and 24 hour convenience stores wherever you go
- the hustle and bustle of Seoul and the variety of stores/restuarants/people there
- the wonderful small towns where one street is downtown and you can walk anywhere from your apartment
- Costco!
- the beaches/coastline/fishing villages (so scenic)
well, there are so many things that I have loved in Korea, sometimes without realising it. This place will stay with me forever and I will always think of it as 'home'. It's also been a place where I feel like I've grown up in many ways. I think I'll go back home as a different person. I've engaged with so many different types of people here, people from different countries, backgrounds, cultures, that it's been a real eye-opener and given me a whole new perspective on life.
So, thank you, Korea. I will always love
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