One of my friends posted what she thought were ten essentials to survive Korea. I thought I'd share the ten things that have gotten me through transitioning into a new culture. I am posting the first five to make it a shorter post.
1. An Open Mind
This is one essential to surviving ANYTHING! I came to Korea fresh out of university. I spoke no Korean and knew very little about Korea. I didn't have low expectations, but I came with the mindset that anything is possible and that there are going to be uncomfortable moments. There are a lot of areas I have had to keep my mind open about.
The first is respect. I have met a few folks who complain about working, living, and experiencing Korea. These folks have come to associate Korea with negative feelings, which then translate into disrespect. I am by no means going to bend over backwards to please a random ajashi or ajuma (아저씨 and 아줌마 are respectful terms for married older man and woman, age is a big deal in Korea), but I am going to respect the fact that things are done differently in Korea. This is something I have accepted, and do what I can to follow the way it is done here while doing what I feel is right.
The second is jumping into something new and uncomfortable. I have had many new experiences. Sometimes they are positively memorable, others very awkward and would rather forget. For example: being berated on the subway by an irritated, drunk ajashi because our English was annoying him. I have learned to let these awkward occurrences roll off my back like water and chalk them up to life experiences.
The third is food. I LOVE KOREAN CUISINE!! I can’t get enough of the spiciness. I think I am addicted. The methodology of eating and cooking in Korea is to share, cook fast, and enjoy the company. There are the usual Korean must haves once you have stepped off the plane: kimchi (fermented, spicy cabbage leaves), kimbap (if a sushi roll and a sandwich had a love affair, this would be their illegitimate love child), mandu (dumplings filled with all different types of ingredients), the many different types of soup, noodles, and of course Korean bar-b-que (galbi/걸비,samgipsal/삼겹살, dalk galbi/닭갈비).
There also are many dishes that have violently churned my stomach. Here is a short-list of stomach roller-coasters I have to try, just to say that I’ve eaten the weirdest foods Korea has to offer: raw, still wriggling octopus tentacles; chicken feet; weird little snail bugs; and dog (I know a lot of people are against this, I just want to see what the hype is all about).
2. Patience
This one goes hand in hand with keeping an open mind. Understanding that I am not going to automatically understand Korea as a Korean would (actually I don’t believe I will ever reach that level of understanding, but I can try to get as close as possible). This has been a feeling that I have come to unwillingly accept. There are instances where students or Korean friends have trouble understanding my English. Then I realize I have been speaking to fast and must slow down and annunciate.
3. Friends
I was lucky enough to have a cousin already living in Seoul. I have been taken to incredible hidden culinary treasures. Foreigners that have been in Korea for a year or two can guide you through uncertainties and bullshit. Having Korean friends will open your eyes to cultural differences and new experiences. Having both can make your life a lot easier while adjusting.
4. Toiletries
Bring DO 4 the BO! Koreans do not sweat like we do in the West. Unless you go to Itaewon, it’s going to be very difficult to find deodorant and toothpaste. Bring what you can from home. I learned the hard way that western deodorant costs $9 a stick. Korean toothpaste is ok (there is a green tea kind that I like), but it is nowhere close to the level of strength the toothpaste back home provides. Also, some Korean toothpaste brands have sugar in them. There are also sunscreens, lotions, and cosmetics that have whitening agents in them. I am white enough; I do NOT need to bleach my skin!
5. Sleep
It’s a no brainer: sleep is good for you. When you move to the second most populated metropolitan city in the world, there are a LOT of distractions within arms reach. I have had to learn how to budget time for sleep and save the fun for the next weekend. Especially when you teach a nine 5 year olds, sleep is a must or else they will drain you dry. I never considered how much attention little kids need.
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