My Initial Impressions of Korea

*This is a cut and paste of a paper for my internship class. Please feel free to skip it or to read it. I won't be offended.*

It is difficult for me to believe that my time in Korea is nearly half over. At times, I can’t even remember my life at home. Then, in the next moment, I feel as if it was just last week that my exhausted eyes were trying to stay open to soak in each of the neon signs on the bus ride from the airport. I remember being surprised by the number of driving ranges that we passed and by all the bright red glowing crosses. I had heard there were a lot of churches in Korea, but I hadn’t expected Vegas-style signage. I tried to come as prepared as I could be with regards to Korea and it’s customs, but not to be limited by bringing too many expectations… that was an impossible task. I have been shocked and awed many times.

I have found the Korean people to be very friendly in general. Whenever I am lost, there always seems to be someone around who is willing to not only tell me where to go, BUT to take me there. When we were in Seoul, we met a few wonderful friends who offered to walk us to our destination rather than leaving us on our own with our limited Korean. My suitemates have been exceptionally kind and generous. Each of them is always ready to chat or ask about my day and our room parties are filled with giggling and fun. I was invited to stay at one of their houses and loved experiencing a Korean home stay. I even got to make my own kimbap!

Adapting to the food was probably the easiest “challenge” so far. I love kimchi, kimbap, and bibimbap. I love aloe juice and cereal snacks. I don’t love silk worms… but I think that isn’t quite a universally loved Korean snack. A few things about eating that have been difficult to get used to are sharing water glasses (mostly at bars) and listening to Koreans eat very loudly. There is a lot of lip smacking around our living room when we order in. I come from a large family, so I love that we eat mostly family-style. I like sitting on the floor while we eat, but I don’t love when I stand up and my legs have fallen asleep.

One thing that I have not gotten used to is the use of soju as a social lubricant. Don’t get me wrong; I love soju. I love drinking soju with my suitemates and with other internationals. I love playing drinking games and laughing with everyone. The part that is difficult for me is how often it is used as the only bonding tool. Many of my Korean suitemates come home drunk from their mandatory major “meetings” at least once a week. Some of them drink with their professors. In the United States, that would be looked down upon without question. I obviously don’t expect the whole of Korea to change their system, but it will take a bit longer for me to adapt my thinking.

A deeply imbedded characteristic of the Korean culture is a very strong sense of community. As a Korean you are a part of your family. You are a part of your university. You are a part of your major. Then finally you are yourself. This is a big change from the individualistic thinking of the United States. In the US, you fight for yourself. You go after your dreams. We don’t really do a lot for the greater good of the nation. Here most of my Korean friends see themselves as a part of a whole. They study hard because it is important to their parents, or even to the future of Korea. I would love to speak Korean better, so that I could have a real conversation about issues of the heart with some of my friends. I want to know how they really feel about their position in the community. I often wonder if they are compliant members of the “team” out of obligation or out of a real desire to benefit the whole.

Included in that sense of community is a very clear set of rules regarding hierarchy. All of my suitemates are required to answer phone calls from “their seniors” and an invitation from a senior in your major is more like a mandate. The Major Training (MT) trips seem to be a chance for bonding and “hazing.” I went to EZ’s with my suitemates and we witnessed the initiations of many freshmen into their majors. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, but mandatory soju consumption will do that to you.

I witnessed a great example of this hierarchy in action at a play on campus. I attended with my friend Mi Jeong, a senior in the English Literature department. As we walked in the door, we were greeted by dozens of bowing underclassmen. It was only my second weekend here and I was taken aback, to be honest. I didn’t understand what was being said or what was happening. I felt like royalty! In reality it wasn’t for me at all, everyone was bowing to Mi Jeong and the other seniors who had entered out, of respect. In the US, we unfortunately sometimes don’t even greet a professor if they enter a room. I would like to bring home some of this sense of respect.

Overall, I have loved my time in Korea. There are surprises around every corner. Many of the biggest surprises have actually been about me, and not Korea at all. I am looking forward to seeing more of the country and learning about the history of the people I get to interact with each and everyday. My goals for the next half of my time here include conquering the Korean language. I would love to be able to really communicate with my new friends in their heart language. I feel like I have only just begun falling in love with my temporary homeland.