The Halfway Point

            Well it’s hard to believe but this past week was my sixth month here in Korea.  It’s certainly been an interesting time for me and I’ll go through some of the things that I’ve learned in my time here.

            Ne means yes and Anieyo means no. 

This sums up how different Korea is from Western languages.  It sounds backwards to our ears and is a good indication of how Korean culture is.  Now I can hear Korean and it makes sense to me but it took a while for my ear to start listening and understanding Korean and its unique rhythm.           

            Kimchi and rice is to the Korean diet as hamburgers and fries are to our own.

             Americans, specifically Southerners, have some of the largest personal-space bubbles in the World and those bubbles are going to get popped in Korea.

Get used to it y'all and get over it.

            Superficially Koreans dress like Westerners, are just as obsessed about current technology as we are, love their music and movie stars but culturally are still in the 1950’s. 

This took a while for me to get used to as they dress very preppy, they love their black-rimmed glasses, their smart phones are attached to their hands but the genders are very separated.  Think MadMen but without the beehive hairdo’s or slick hairstyles.

             Speaking of MadMen if you’re a Korean man you smoke, drink Soju, dress well and always, always act like you know what you’re doing.

             If you’re a Korean girl show your legs, wear your heels, have your compact mirror so can constantly check to see if you look cute while making sure you don't look too hot. 

You don’t want to show too much self-confidence or you will scare off  90% of Korean men.

             The public transportation here is incredible.

I love getting on the express buses, taking the subway or getting around town on a local bus. It’s so cheap, efficient, clean and safe to use any of the three, even in Seoul.  It’ll probably never be like that in the US because we’ve put much more emphasis on our independence via our cars.  Remember Korea is slightly larger than Kentucky so it makes more sense for it to push viable public transportation.

            Most of the foreigners here are not here to experience another culture but to continue to live like they’re in college.

Of course this isn’t true for a lot of people that I’ve met here and hang out with but for those on the periphery it certainly is.  It’s been pretty frustrating for me to sit and listen to people whine about their schools, living situations, their fellow teachers, other foreigners but it’s been a great learning experience for me.  In no way am I in-step with most of the foreigners here but have learned a tremendous amount about other Western countries, their grudges with one another, their different mindsets, what’s important to them and that they don’t give a damn about American football.  Personally I can’t wait to watch a rugby match in Australia, South Africa or New Zealand.  Furthermore, I do hope that I have represented my country and my area properly and that due to meeting me or talking with me they’ll have a positive image of  where I’m from.             

            What you love as a child is what you will enjoy doing as an adult.

Goes back to my belief that being happy is rooted in following your passions. 

            If you can’t explain it to a child then you don’t understand what you’re talking about.

This might seem like an oversimplification but give it a try, you’ll learn just as much as the child. 

            This has been the most difficult and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. 

It’s given me an incredible perspective on what I’ve done, where I’ve been, where I’m from and what I want to continue to do in my life.  Lastly, I’m excited about the next six months here and what they will bring.