Well, I've actually been back in the US for over a year now. I just happened to stumble upon this old blog, that got officially 1 post before I gave up (to be fair, it was ALL in Korean).
I remember being so frustrated when I was trying to create it, and now a year later I came back and changed the language settings within about 2 minutes...haha.
2011년 9월 14일 수요일
2009년 9월 10일 목요일
Everything is in Korean
Wow. I've got to say, the biggest aspect of culture shock that I've faced is the fact that everything is in Korean. A lot of products or places have a short English translation, but to say that "something is lost in translation" would be a serious understatement. Heck, we'll see if this thing even publishes, since the site is in Korean.
Beyond the small frustrations, I am really loving Korea...
Food: This place has amazing food. The sushi is good, the soup is good, the meat (whatever it is) is good...One of my favorite meals so far consisted of seared pork which you place on a leaf and fill with kimchi and other side dishes, then you roll it up and pop the whole thing in your mouth. It was freaking amazing. They also have a cold noodle soup that is really good for lunch, especially when it's hot out.
Hongcheon: Hongcheon is the name of the city I live in. It is in the Taebuk mountain range that runs through east Korea, and has a river that runs right through the middle of town. Two things happen as a result of the city's location, 1) It is absolutely gorgeous 2) There are a plague-worthy amount of bugs. There is a mountain right outside my window that I like to hike anytime I have free-time. It takes about an hour, and leads you through the woods, past a Korean cemetery, and finally to a Korean war memorial.
People: I get 2 common reactions from the Koreans I meet here. Either they avoid eye contact altogether, unsure of what I'm doing here, or they get really excited and want to have a conversation made of broken English and a lot of charades. It's pretty amusing. As for the foreigners, there are about 30 of us, which is a lot for the city. We hang out a lot and usually get dinner at least twice a week (that will probably slow down once all the new people are settled in). Joe is my coteacher. He has been really awesome about helping me with the cultural transition and making sure I'm not hiding in my room. It's really nice to have someone who knows the area be able to help me find my way around. Kong is a native Korean, but he speaks English amazingly well, and hangs out with the foreigners a lot. He is really helpful for ordering food and getting taxi rides home!
My School: My school is called "Wonderland". It is a chain hagwon that has a really bad rep., but ours is actually doing well. Amy, the woman who runs it really loves the kids, but also has a good business mind. The Korean teachers are Sunny, Michelle, Sally and Jay, who are really helpful and friendly. I love the kids here--they are absolutely hilarious! Teaching is difficult, but very rewarding, and honestly, a lot of fun. Plus, I get to wear slippers to work!
Overall, I am really happy that I came to Korea, and especially to Hongcheon. I am excited for the rest of this year and the chance to travel around more!
Beyond the small frustrations, I am really loving Korea...
Food: This place has amazing food. The sushi is good, the soup is good, the meat (whatever it is) is good...One of my favorite meals so far consisted of seared pork which you place on a leaf and fill with kimchi and other side dishes, then you roll it up and pop the whole thing in your mouth. It was freaking amazing. They also have a cold noodle soup that is really good for lunch, especially when it's hot out.
Hongcheon: Hongcheon is the name of the city I live in. It is in the Taebuk mountain range that runs through east Korea, and has a river that runs right through the middle of town. Two things happen as a result of the city's location, 1) It is absolutely gorgeous 2) There are a plague-worthy amount of bugs. There is a mountain right outside my window that I like to hike anytime I have free-time. It takes about an hour, and leads you through the woods, past a Korean cemetery, and finally to a Korean war memorial.
People: I get 2 common reactions from the Koreans I meet here. Either they avoid eye contact altogether, unsure of what I'm doing here, or they get really excited and want to have a conversation made of broken English and a lot of charades. It's pretty amusing. As for the foreigners, there are about 30 of us, which is a lot for the city. We hang out a lot and usually get dinner at least twice a week (that will probably slow down once all the new people are settled in). Joe is my coteacher. He has been really awesome about helping me with the cultural transition and making sure I'm not hiding in my room. It's really nice to have someone who knows the area be able to help me find my way around. Kong is a native Korean, but he speaks English amazingly well, and hangs out with the foreigners a lot. He is really helpful for ordering food and getting taxi rides home!
My School: My school is called "Wonderland". It is a chain hagwon that has a really bad rep., but ours is actually doing well. Amy, the woman who runs it really loves the kids, but also has a good business mind. The Korean teachers are Sunny, Michelle, Sally and Jay, who are really helpful and friendly. I love the kids here--they are absolutely hilarious! Teaching is difficult, but very rewarding, and honestly, a lot of fun. Plus, I get to wear slippers to work!
Overall, I am really happy that I came to Korea, and especially to Hongcheon. I am excited for the rest of this year and the chance to travel around more!
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