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Published: December 7th 2011
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We’ve now been together in Korea for more than 8 weeks. Still, it feels foreign and unsettled for me, while Matt daily plows into his job as if he’s thick in the trenches of war. Moving here without kids has meant there is more time but less sense of worthiness to my daily activities. Nevertheless, being an expat in a new city also means one can be busy from sun up til sun down simply by striving to keep the home organized, staying in touch with family back home, perusing markets and stores to stock the kitchen with acceptable yet healthy cuisine, learning the language and culture, prioritizing daily fitness, finding new friends, exploring what the city has to offer, and navigating the roads, subways, and buses to get around.
So here’s a few interesting things about life in South Korea which I’ve deduced thus far:
Like me, Koreans value fitness. There are paved biking trails and padded jogging trails situated along a lovely rivers edge just 5 minutes from my home. There are numerous fitness parks along the trails and a well equipped gym at our apartment complex. Mountain climbing and subway riding both require steep travels up
Matt's first milkshake in Korea
It was a thrill to finally find a vanilla milkshake, only a 20 minute walk from our apartment. and down, adding a new dimension to my daily fitness regime.
Koreans recycle EVERYTHING!! In the 8 weeks we’ve been here (plus an additional 4 weeks Matt was here without me), we’ve only thrown out 1 small plastic grocery bag of trash. All else is recycled. No garbage disposal means all food scraps must be carried to large disposal bins where everyone in the apartment complex dumps their scraps. NOT a lovely sight to open one of these bins!
Multi-function toilets are actually kind of fun. There are wash cycles for various body parts, varied water temperature and pressure, and even an air dry cycle when you’re finished. Every visitor here must try it!
Shabu-shabu and Korean BBQ are not only delicious, but also a fun way to cook tableside while chatting and dining out. Feels a bit like camping and cooking over a campfire. I really want to take some marshmallows and s’more fixings next time we go to a BBQ restaurant.
The children of Korea speak better English than the adults – both young and old. Often times we have happy conversations in our elevator with children while the proud parents look on,
Doing what I love
On a nice fall day, I visited this fortress and found a fellow photographer doing the same. unable to add to the conversation.
Learning Korean language is challenging, but easier than Chinese. No tones. Symbols represent sounds and hence words are “spelled” out. No characters representing deep rooted Tang dynasty poetic meaning as in Chinese. However, having said that, I still struggle just to say “How much does this cost?” and remember which form of “goodbye” to use when parting.
They really like HARD beds here!
They control strange things, like refried beans – apparently not allowed in the country, and cell phones – not allowed unless you have a resident card. “Black markets” exist which sell foreign foods that have either been purchased at the US army post or purchased from Costco and resold in smaller, more expensive packages. Even there, you can’t find refried or pinto beans!
Costco. The number 1 reason we are able to eat here without hardship. Otherwise it would be cabbage and rice everyday for dinner. Well, not really, but fruits and veggies are less diverse and meat is very expensive. There’s LOTS of choices of mushrooms, lettuce, and spam. Yes, spam. A treasured remnant of survival food provided from the troops during the Korean War.
Our apartment buildings
A park and a Home Plus grocery store are opposite our apartment. 70% of Korea is covered by mountains and Koreans love to trek and climb on them. As a Korean friend says, “Being on the mountain makes everyone feel young.” I agree.
As a blonde expat wandering areas of the city where extremely few foreigners are present, interesting that most Koreans don’t look twice at me. Many will return a smile and offer help when needed. Just a slight few give me angry looks. Could that be the same for a foreigner living in the USA? Those who have international connections or experiences are the most open and welcoming toward me.
Whatever Koreans decide to do, they do it with earnestness and gusto. Whether it be mountain climbing, biking, working, or academic studying, all are approached with serious intent.
Most things made in Korea are of very good quaity. In fact, generally anything made in Korea is viewed by Koreans as superior to the same item made anywhere else in the world. Imported Australian beef is actually cheaper than prized Korean beef. Korean made cars of course dominate the Korean market (95% of owned vehicles). And Korean rice cookers are viewed as the best in the world. I’m
told that Japanese people actually come to Korea for their rice cooker - and they are experts in preparing rice! Our mid-range rice cooker costs $260.
Every day here is a new adventure. Just today alone, I started the day in conversation with a 5 year old sweet Korean girl in the elevator, was given a "thumbs up" by an elderly Korean man watching me study the language while on the subway, sang Mary Poppins tunes with friends while making Kimchi at our Korean cooking class, consulted a respected acupuncturist and sipped Korean herbal tea, discussed visiting Africa with a friend from her hilltop apartment overlooking the lights along the Han river, and made my first rice and beans dish in our new, very fancy rice cooker. That's just a smidgen of the small adventures that make up this changing life overseas.
So, come along and do a little "Seoul searching" as you peruse some photos of everyday life for us in this little city of 11 million on the Korean peninsula.
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Laura Smith
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How beautiful Sherry! Enjoy!!!