After being here for almost 2 months, I sit and reflect on the time I've had, the people I've met, the things I've done, and most of all, all the things I've encountered that I didn't expect.
It is interesting when you try to describe South Korea to people from back home. The things that stick out in your mind, the things that you notice the most, are things that don't really translate well... You'd really just have to see it to understand... but I'll try to explain some of the things that I've come across so far....
Being a foreigner in a country where you don't know the language presents all kinds of obstacles. I never thought I'd complain about not knowing how to deal with trash. Back home, you take it out on a specific day and that is it. Here, well it isn't that simple. You have trash, that you have to buy specific bags from the grocery for, that comes on specific days. But you have to also find where you can drop it off at. Sounds a lot like home so far, right? Well then there is the question of what you are allowed to put in that trash bag. You aren't supposed to but food in it, you aren't supposed to put paper or plastic or glass in it. What the hell ARE you supposed to put in it? And where does all the other stuff go?! Well, you'd think that you would have a recycle bin for the paper, plastic and glass, but for some reason I don't. I see other places to put it while I'm walking around, but I have NO IDEA where to put my recyclables. I decided to take a box down the other day with some things that I thought would be recyclable, but 4 days later, they are still there. So here I sit with another box of things that need to be recycled, but nowhere to put them. Then there is the food. Your food waste is supposed to go into a little red bucket. Some people suggest putting it in the freezer, however I use my freezer for food, not waste, so I have the little red bucket under my sink area. So you put all of your food waste in this red bucket, then you are supposed to put some sort of sticker on the bucket. My land lord gave me one sticker, but now that I've used the one, where the hell do I get more? So then your food waste bucket goes in front of your apartment on certain days. Last night, I put mine out for the first time, and today my little sticker was gone. I snatched up my bucket assuming it would be empty, but noooo, it had liquid in it... all of the liquid that leaked from the food waste was in the bottom, so I had to empty that out once I got up stairs. So still on the agenda (after 1.5 months here): find the food waste stickers and figure out where the hell to put recycle.
Food waste bucket and sticker
Also, something that would seem to be easy, but actually isn't, is using your bank card... Now, setting up a bank account was difficult enough, but I expected that and my co-teacher helped me... ah she is an angel... but apparently you can only use one kind of card for some things and another kind of card for another. Also, apparently my card has a different ID number attached to it than my actual Korean ID number, so that also presents problems. So instead of just typing in your card details and clicking submit, you have to jump though all kinds of hoops to spend your own money (maybe this is a good thing though?)... On a side note, apparently I still need to go back to the bank and get another type of credit card, one that I can use outside of Korea.
Another thing I've noticed is their contradictory germ phobia... some people in Korea walk around with masks on (envision a doctor's mask, but a cute, Hello Kitty style one, and cloth instead of paper like material) and won't stand next to the foreigner (though that is rare)... while most don't cover their mouths when coughing... and worst of all, they don't wash their hands... like, EVER. Also, it seems like everyone in Korea is just always sick.
One thing I think I prepared myself for well was the food. The food here is SO different, you can't even explain it. There is different meat than you are used to, different vegetables than you are use to, the bread is different, the juice is different, the candy is different. However, I surprisingly really like most of the food here. The general meal in Korea (at schools) consists always of rice and a soup, but then some kimici and some meat maybe, some noodles or some fruit maybe. My school lunches are actually pretty good, which I'm very thankful for. And I never thought I'd say I enjoy soups now, as well as spicy food. Oh, and raw carrots (not usually at school, just something I tried and actually really liked.) Another thing I LOVE here is the salad dressings. Back home I never really liked eating salads, but I think it was because of the dressings... here, the dressings are so different from back home... and they are delicious. So yes, I now like soup, salad and raw carrots.
Soup for lunch
Traditional Korean BBQ- you wrap the meat and sides in lettuce to eat
Noodles and soup for lunch at a market
Mystery meat on a stick with Kaleena at the Monday open market
One thing that will never get old is being so busy with all of my friends. There is always something to do here! Though it does make for one tired gal. Between the dinners, trivia nights, shopping, festivals, weekend getaways, exploring outside, hiking and all the other things we spend time doing, you stay extremely busy (oh yeah, and there is that thing called "work"). I am trying my best, though, to remember that I'll be here for a while, so there is no need to do it all right now, right this second... I have time... and I don't want to make the same mistake I did while I lived in Europe, which was go go go so much, that I forgot to get to know the city I lived in... That, I refuse to do again... so I am spending time getting to know this city that I call home... trying new restaurants and pubs, experiencing the markets and shops... going to different neighborhoods and hiking different mountains... just EXPLORE.
Exploring Duryu Park with new firends
Trying out a new bibimbap restaurant
There are so many other things that makes life interesting here... the fact that you have to bow all the time, not look older people in the eyes and you give things to someone (or receive something) with both of your hands... everyone is always on their cell phone, whether it be to play a game, watch a TV show (they are fully equipped with extendable antennas) or even if it is to look at themselves... if they aren't looking at themselves in their cell phones, then they are using a mirror to do so... public transport is amazing... boys have better style than I do... probably because I refuse to wear the 5 inch heels that all Korean women seem to be wearing...
But there are many ways life is just the same as back home... You eat, sleep, work and play... I love the life I have here in Daegu and I can't wait to experience all the other things that await!
