- I'm no longer so scared I'll miss my bus stop that I stare out the window with anxiety wondering if I'll be the one who has to push the little red "stop" button or if someone else will do it for me.
- I know more Korean phrases than just "Hello" and "Goodbye" and am quickly learning many new phrases.
- When someone speaks to me in Korean I try to listen now and see if I can understand anything as opposed to shrinking back in terror, shaking my head, and wishing I knew how to say, "I don't speak Korean" in Korean.
- I can buy a train ticket and a subway ticket on my own.
- Not eating kimchi with at least one meal a day feels wrong.
- Eating with a fork is abnormal, chopsticks and a spoon feels better.
- Thinking of more complex English words is a bit of a struggle.
- Upon seeing another foreigner I don't know, I want to inspect them and know who they are and where they come from.
- I play 가위 바위 보 ("gawi bawi bo") (rock paper scissors) to make decisions.
- Finally, I feel that my shoes are the most important part of my outfit.
These are just a few personal adjustments I have made and some of my favorite stories are here:
On my way back from lunch, minding my own business I pass three fifth grade students in the hallway, one boy and two girls. The boy is being tortured by the girls in some way that only a fifth grader can be tortured while the girls shamelessly pull and tug at his sweatshirt. They see me coming up the stairs, giggle, and say their usual, "Hello." I expect nothing more as the boy is shy and in my experience speaks very little English, and the two girls are obviously otherwise occupied by their task of elementary school torture. As I pass by I am surprised to hear a cry from the boy, "Teacher! S.O.S.! Help me! Help me!" Now all I can do is laugh, as he breaks free from the grasp of the giggly girls and goes running down the hall continually crying, "Help me! Help me!" as he runs away.
Deajeon, South Korea. Location: Subway
I rise from my seat to join the crowd of people who are also exiting the subway and notice an older Korean man, Ajushi, with a look of surprised excitement on his face when he sees me. He greets me with an excited, "Hello!" and continues to ask me "Where are you from?" and "When did you come to Korea?" It takes me a while to adjust to the fact that he is speaking English and he continues talking to me up the escalator where, not two minutes from when I met him, asks if I have a boyfriend. I respond truthfully (regretfully), "No." and he asks me "Would you be my girlfriend?" I burst with laughter and reply with a chorus of "No, no"'s mixed with "Anyeoo, anyeoo"'s. To which he replies, "Why not? I can hold a very good English conversation." Still bursting with laughter from shock and embarrassment, I continue to reply with, "No, no, anyeoo, anyeoo." He persists with, "May I call you? What is your phone number?" More laughter from me and more, "No, no, hahaha, anyeoo, anyeoo." He motions me toward the elevator and I run away to the stairs with an English, "Goodbye," and laughter still in my mouth.
Location: Daedun Mountain
After a 6 minute cable car ride and a few flights of stairs, our group of English speakers arrives at the bridge of Daedun Mountain. Ajushi's and Ajumah's (Older men and women) in their expensive hiking gear make their way across the bridge and continue up the mountain, while others are making their way down.We stop to take a picture as does an Ajushi of my friend and I. He is promptly smacked by his wife and scolded for trying to take our picture. Some things are the same all over the world...
