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Life in Korea
William Gagnon | ½ÂÀÎ2009.04.07 22:51
Life in Korea
Can you imagine leaving your family, your friends and your life 10,000 kilometers behind and moving to another country for one year? When my friend asked me that exact question in May 2008 a few short weeks after graduating from Brock University in Ontario, Canada, I didn’t know what to answer. I had always loved traveling and experiencing new cultures but the thought of leaving everything behind and moving across the world for an entire year also seemed quite a bit daunting and emotionally difficult. It took a few days but in the end my thirst for adventure and new experience won me over and I told my friend that I was going to go to South Korea and teach English with him. I was 21 years old hadn’t begun a career and didn’t have any ties holding me down. The opportunity was there and I decided to jump on it.

I knew that South Korea would be different then Canada but I had no idea what to expect really. I didn’t know what it felt like to be a foreigner, to not understand anyone and be understood by the vast majority of the population. I was eager to discover and explore Korea and learn about a different culture then what I am used to back home. Special things like that need to be experienced over a long period of time, not just a few weeks when you go on vacation to Mexico, Europe or Australia. By living in the country for an extended period, you become submerged by the people, the culture and all the different aspects that this country has to offer you. I have to say that South Korea has been a blessing for me and that I have truly enjoyed my time here. Living abroad enables you to become open-minded and have a different perspective and opinion on many different subjects. One thing is certain I have met some of the most interesting people in my life while being here and that’s because we all come from different places around the world.

Living in the same country your whole life you get accustomed to a lot of things. Some elements of your daily life become second nature to you and you stop paying attention to the smaller details constantly surrounding you and your lifestyle. The closest thing I had ever done to that was when my parents and my sister and I moved from Quebec to Ontario when I was 13. At first the language barrier was definitely a big problem for me as French was my mother tongue and I didn’t know much English. Of course leaving your friends and the rest of your family makes it very hard as well. It took some time and adjusting but my English is now as good as my French if not better. My lifestyle also changed from when I was in Quebec but I truly believed it changed for the better. Of course I made some friends, I adapted and my family was only a 6-hour drive away.

After almost 8 months here, I have learned a lot about the customs, traditions and cultural aspects of Korea and it’s people. The truth is that we both, foreigners and Korean people, have a lot to learn from each other and these things cannot be taught in books. Without a doubt my life is not the same as it was back home and I believe it’s because I am changing as a person myself. I see and do things differently and I have grown up a lot during those last 8 months. When I left Canada I was living with my parents and my sister and now I live by myself. It gives me an added sense of responsibility and maturity that I didn’t have back home. Basic house chores that I was helping with at home are now much more important. I am relying on no one but myself and I have to say that it feels pretty good. I have learned a lot and continue to learn almost everyday, living on your own is just an amazing feeling.

I mentioned earlier that speaking a different language caused a barrier when I moved from Quebec to Ontario and that’s no different here in Korea. At times it can be quite surprising how little things like grocery shopping, ordering food, taking the taxi, bus or train can become much more complicated and elaborate. However, Korean people are extremely patient and comprehensive generally speaking and will do their best to help you find what you want. That being said, learning the basics of the Korean language can also go a very long way. Things like please, thank you, nice to meet you, hello, goodbye as well as being able to give directions to taxi drivers, knowing how to count and order things make your life that much easier. I strongly believe that if you make an effort to learn a little bit of Korean people will be more appreciative. I haven’t learned as much Korean as I would of liked to by now but I am extending my contract and it’s becoming one of my top priorities. I feel the need to speak the language very important in order to embrace the culture as well as its people even more. On the other hand learning how to read in Korean is quite simple and can be very practical especially when taking the bus, ordering food and looking at directions. Despite speaking a language that is barely used here but becoming more and more popular hence all the English academies, I do not feel like communication is a problem between Westerners and Koreans. By being open-minded and making an effort everybody can communicate effectively and that is really great to see and be a part of. I feel confident now that I can go anywhere in the world without speaking the native language and feel comfortable and not stressed out which is something I learned here.

One of the most important things I have noticed in Korea is that Confucianism still plays a significant part of their daily life. Being a foreigner in Korea there is little you can do to avoid this and you should know a few things about it to make your experience more enjoyable and in respect for Korean people. Of course Confucianism comes from China and is typical of Asian countries but the rest of the world is not really exposed to this cultural experience. Confucianism is still a fundamental part of Korean society nowadays and is responsible for shaping the moral system, the way of life, social relations between young and old and high culture. What I really like about this in particular is that respect is more much encouraged and emphasized then in Canada especially by children and younger people. Respect is given to others according to seniority, which is then based on age, position in the family and job position. Being a foreigner you do not command the same respects although most of the kids you I am teaching in the English academy tend to respect you a lot more then if you were back home which I find new and refreshing. Kids in Canada are becoming more and more impolite and have no respect for elders, their parents or their teachers. The respect in this country is unbelievable and Western culture can learn a lot from that.

To me being a foreigner in Korea or anywhere else in the world for that matter is about fitting in and being as respectful as I can be. Small things like taking off you shoes when you enter someone’s home or the restaurant are quickly becoming second nature to me. Then again I was raised to take off my shoes in my house since I was a little kid so this was quite easy to learn. Here are a few more that I experienced first hand. I learned that writing a person’s name in red ink is equal to saying that they are dead or will die soon. Being an English teacher I have been in many situations where I am out eating and socializing with my co-workers and superiors. I quickly learned that when you are drinking with a much older person it is customary to turn your head away to take a drink. By far my favorite ritual is that Koreans shake hands and bow at the same time. It is very cool to see kids bow to say hi to you. In return you bow too older and people with higher seniority. All of these things are not done in Canada or any other Western countries. One thing that is similar however is that younger people will generally give up their seats on the bus or train when an aged person is looking for a place to sit down in sign of respect. When receiving or giving something to someone you give two hands and only one hand is necessary if it’s not someone younger then you and bow at the same time. You can’t help but notice how different the culture is over here in Korea and how traditions and customs are still a part of everyone’s life. It’s nice to see that a country as developed and modern as Korea can keep it’s cultural values and traditions for so long.

Another aspect of Korea that was not very familiar to me but that I find culturally inspiring as well are all the little street markets that are set up all year long. Whether it’s raining, snowing or very hot and smoggy, people are outside selling their fruits, vegetables, clothing and cooking supplies and many other things. That is not something that can be seen where I am from in Canada especially because of our very cold and harsh winter where there is a lot of snow. Another thing I really like about Korea is that there are so many restaurants everywhere and the food is delicious. Just in the area that I live you could eat at a different place every day and it would take you months to try them all. Imagine if I was living in Seoul. I find living in Daegu very nice and relaxing. I know that a lot of people prefer Seoul because there is more action, there are more things to do and the nightlife is better. For me I find that this city offers a lot of great things and is location is perfect. It is not far from Seoul, less then a two-hour train ride on the KTX and also very close to Busan which is practical in the summer. I live in a suburb of Daegu and I about 20 minutes away from downtown. I go there fairly often as the best restaurants and shops are all located in this area. If I feel like hanging out with other foreigners I go to foreign bars if not I choose something more typical and Korean. To me Seoul is just too crowded and overwhelming to live there but I really enjoy visiting the city once in awhile.

Lastly, as far the lifestyle goes, being an English teacher allows us to have a pretty easygoing life regardless of how bad the economy is doing in Asia as well as back home. We have a lot more disposable income then if we were in Canada as well as having a much better experience and learning a new culture. During the last my last 8 months in Korea, I have learned various customs, and cultural aspects of Korea. I have visited many temples and explored one of the biggest cities in the world twice as well as visiting many other places. Korea has a lot to offer in terms of scenery and Busan, Seoul, Daejon and Deagu all have something different to see and admire. I have also visited many temples, Haeinsa Temple being the most famous one and have enjoyed each and every one of them. I have taken an interest in hiking and have been to quite a few mountains near Daegu including Palgongsan and Mt. Apsan. I have seen many things around Daegu where I live and work. I had the very fortunate experience to attend both a wedding and a funeral the latter being an emotional and sad but valuable experience. Both of these experiences were really enriching and culturally different then Canada. I also met a wonderful girl and we have been dating since Christmas. Things are a going really great here in Korea and it is no surprise that many foreigners decide to stay here for a few years and even move here permanently. Korea is very cultural at times and also very modern, it is the perfect mix of both. The people are friendly and welcoming and the sceneries are beautiful with all the mountains, the beaches and the big skyscrapers in the biggest cities. I am currently living one of the most memorable experiences of my life and I’m thankful to everyone who is contributing to it.


William Gagnon  rladbsgml1212@hanmail.net
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