Korea: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

For the past 5 weeks, I've been counting weeks left of teaching, but this week I decided it was time to start counting the days. I officially have 29 days left of teaching...and one of those (the final one) will be full of parties and good-byes...so really just 28 days left. It's insane to think about. It's really bittersweet. I am super pumped to get home and see my friends and family and return to all that is comfortable, but I'm really going to miss some things about Korea and this place I have called home for the last year.

I've decided it is time to compile a list of things I love and things I could-live-without in Korea. Remember, these are just from my perspective...so don't think I'm trying to speak for foreigners or English teachers as a whole.

Korea--The Good (in no particular order):

• The kiddos--They are just precious. I think Korean children are sooo adorable. I never get tired of seeing babies and little kids here. They are just so cute!
• Safety--I feel safe everywhere here and all of the time. I never feel threatened or in danger. It's an amazing feeling. After a night of bowling, I can walk home at 1a.m. with no worries in the world. I am really going to miss that feeling. Oh...safe streets...how great it is!
• Beautiful Scenery--We really live in one of the most beautiful places in Korea. Tongyeong is a tourist destination for many Koreans and it's obvious why. Everywhere you look, there is something pretty to see. The ocean is just a 5 minute walk down the road and it's such a peaceful place. I have taken so many pictures of the scenery around here because it's just so amazing.
• Transportation--Obviously, I don't have a car here, but getting around is no problem at all. If I want to travel within Tongyeong (besides walking), I can get on a bus to anywhere in the city for about $0.80 or hop in a taxi for about $3. If I want to go outside of Tongyeong, getting a bus is so cheap. A ticket to Seoul, which is about 4.5 hours away, costs around $20. I remember going from Arlington to Abilene (2.5 hours) for $36. And here, public transportation isn't scary...it's a way of life. I love it! :)
• Universal Health Insurance--I pay about $55 a month and I am covered with my insurance. I trip to the doctor runs about $5 and meds for 7 days are around $4. I had a three-day stay in the hospital during July and that cost me about $70. Dentist visits are also covered in the insurance. Cavities run around $5 each and x-rays are included in that. It's insane...really...and such a blessing. I've never had insurance before I came here. When I got sick, I either prayed it would just go away, or I stressed over going to the doctor. Here, I don't have to worry about any of that. I love it.
• Eye Care--In the states, I pay about $60 for an eye doctor visit and $300 for a new pair of glasses. Here, I go to the eye store, get an exam, new pair of glasses, and it's all done in about an hour for around $100. It'd be cheaper but I have to get the special lenses since I have such bad vision. Kami got a pair of new glasses for about $30 last week. Again...insane!!
• Bowing--When greeting people or saying good-bye, it's customary to bow. It didn't take me long to get the hang of it, and now that I have it down, I think it'll be hard to break the habit. When we went to China, I really missed the bowing. So if I get home and bow to you, don't think I'm weird! The cutest thing ever is when a small child bows to you...oh my...that just gets my heart every time! I love it!
• Respect--There is such a respect here for elders. It's amazing to see. It doesn't matter who it is, if someone is older than you, you have to use the 'respectful' terms when addressing them. On the bus, if an older person gets on and all the seats are filled, it doesn't take long for someone to get up and offer their seat to them. It's just such a respect and it's really admirable.
• Traditions--It's amazing to me the number of traditions this place has. Being from a country that is less than 300 years old and moving to one that has thousands of years of history is eye-opening. There are so many traditions here that date back so many years. Looking around, it's easy to see traditional houses, clothes, and all kinds of things.

Korea--The Bad (in no particular order):

• The stares--At first it didn't bother me much, but after a year of it, I'm getting kind of tired of it. It's one thing for small children to wonder who this white girl is, but it's totally another for grown men and women to stare like I'm an alien. I've been here for a year in this small town...you'd think they'd be used to me by now.
• Non-confrontational confrontation--As part of their culture, Koreans don't like to directly confront people if they have a problem with them. I accept that it is their culture, but it just makes it hard to know if someone ever has a problem with you. For example: Korean Teacher A has an issue with Foreign Teacher A, so Korean Teacher A tells Foreign Teacher B to tell Foreign Teacher A something. In the states, we'd refer to this as middle school behavior, but here, it's really the way it is. So you can go months without knowing there is a problem because no one will confront you about it.
• Education--People here are OBSESSED with education. I understand wanting to learn and progress and all of that, but the approach here is just obsessive. Kids start at age 7 with this type of lifestyle...public school in the morning, 2-3 academies in the afternoon, and studying all night. By the time they get to high school, it's 1am before they're leaving their academies go to home and do more homework. They even have public school every other Saturday...can you imagine that in the States?
• Bluntness--As previously stated, Koreans do not like direct confrontation, but one thing they don't mind is telling you about any physical imperfection you have. They don't mind saying someone is too fat or too skinny or ugly or whatever. I was with an adult one day and she told one of our 10-year old students that her butt was too big...she's 10!! They really don't even think about it though. It's just normal for them. I'm sure we're a little oversensitive about these things in the US, but there has to be a happy median, right?

Korea--The Ugly (in no particular order):

• Spitting Men (and women)--It's no rare occurrence for you to be walking down the street and suddenly you hear someone hawking up something nasty behind you. They have no reservations about spitting everywhere...no lie.
• Swine Flu--Because we are foreigners here, everyone instantly thinks we have swine flu these days. I sneeze and all of my kids are like, "Teacher, influenza." Oh my goodness...you have the same chances as me to get this...don't think just because I'm foreign that I have it.
• Public Intoxication--It's like every night is a walk down 6th Street in Austin...except worse. I'll be walking home from work at 9pm and there are already men stumbling home from an evening of drinking. It's not so much the stumbling, but the puking that comes with it. I can't even count the number of puking incidents I have witnessed...gross!

Ok, these are all I can think of for right now. I'm sure I'll think of more...in that case, I'm let you know!