A Whole New World: My first 2 months in Korea
our first Korean BBQ experience at a place within walking distance from our apartment
We have officially been living in South Korea for over a month (almost 2 months actually so i'm a bit behind on writing this!) and I wanted to be sure to document the rollercoaster it has been moving overseas for the first time. I say the first time because there is always a chance we could do this again someday, but hopefully not for a few more PCS seasons if I have anything to say about it, hah! Living in Korea feels like a whole other world compared to life in the United States and i'm here to tell you all about it.
My first experience with South Korea started when I got on the plane from San Francisco with Korean Air because every single employee was Korean and spoke with a thick accent that was difficult to understand. Even the airplane food was Korean! This is a picture of my Korean dinner I had on the plane and it was DELISH! Thankfully it came with instructions on how to assemble it in English. This was not your normal Delta flight with pretzels and movies! I realized very quickly from the minute I got onto the plane that one of the most difficult things about being in a foreign country was going to be the language barrier. Thankfully we have lots of technology at our fingertips to bridge the language gap, and most Koreans speak at least a little bit of English, but even then it is challenging. I quickly picked up that speaking in very simple terms, using your hands when you talk, and repeating yourself are ways to help someone who speaks very little of your language to understand what you're needing.
Thankfully I do know what all is in a simple “vanilla late” and the cute dog is a bonus! This is my go to (but add an extra shot!)
Now having lived here for over a month i've realized that I just can't be very specific or picky about things because someone who speaks little English just doesn't fully understand. As silly as it may sound, my biggest issue with this has been in coffee shops. I am accustomed to my complicated Starbucks order of "3 shots of espresso over ice with a light splash of cream and 1 pump of hazelnut" or simply being able to ask for a dairy-free milk and 1/2 the amount of syrup in a drink. Here, they have no clue what i'm requesting and if it's not on the menu, I can't order it. Being specific doesn't translate well. If I spoke fluent Hangul (the Korean language) i'm sure I could order my drink exactly how i'd want it, but using Google Translate just doesn't suffice for this. This is the same with ordering food at a restaurant. Most of the time I have very little idea what i'm ordering and eating, so I can imagine that being in a foreign country with dietary restrictions or allergies would be an extreme challenge. Thankfully, Jacob and I aren't picky and can handle most foods.
Some other interesting things about dining in Korea are that you do not tip at a restaurant. This means you usually will order your food from a waiter but they do not wait on you like they would in America, earning a tip. Your utensils and napkins are stored in a drawer at the end of your table, and if you need anything additional there is typically a button you can press to request a server. You are given a small pitcher of water and you refill your own cup as needed throughout your dinner. As you can see in this picture above, Koreans use metal chopsticks, not wooden ones. They are much more difficult to use, but we are getting better each time we try.
in front of the Lotte World Tower which is the tallest in Korea and 5th tallest in the world!
The next thing that has been interesting to adjust to is the driving here in Korea. It has been told to me MANY times that the only driving rules in Korea are that there are no rules, unless there is a camera. South Korea operates a lot differently than America in the fact that they have cameras EVERYWHERE. It is called "CCTV" or closed-circuit television, which operates as a security system. This is a big reason why you'll hear that Korea is very safe and there isn't much crime... you're always being watched by these cameras. The driving is managed by these cameras as well, as they are placed every so often among the roads and they can issue tickets based on your speed if you pass one going too fast. There are not many police officers that i've seen on the roads because there is really no need for them. The cameras do all the work. The navigation systems here will even alert you when a camera is coming up on your route, so if you weren't already following the rules, it's time to! The first taxi ride we took was proof of this... the driver was going DOUBLE the speed limit, zipping in between cars, following zero driving rules, but when a camera came up ahead... he slowed down and drove responsibly. None of this applies when you are driving on post at Camp Humphreys of course, but when you are off post in Korea, get ready for some crazy driving.
South Korean apartments are another thing i've experienced being a lot different than in America, but thankfully these are easy things to get used to! The first thing you will notice is that they are very high tech; you will use a code or electronic key of some sort to get into any of the doors (which most of the doors here in Korea are glass sliding doors that are automatic!) All of the units have a camera system, heated or cooled flooring, an intercom system, and nice appliances. Each unit in our building also came with a filtered water system. Something interesting that I don't really love is there are no garbage disposals in the sinks here, so you have a filter for all your food waste that needs to be emptied into the trash. It can get a little gross! When you walk into a Korean apartment or house, you are expected to remove your shoes. Due to this tradition, our apartment has a shoe closet right when you enter the front door. This is convenient and interesting, none of our shoes are in our closet, but at the front door! The reason for this is because Koreans often sit or sleep on the floor so it needs to be kept clean. It is a sign of great disrespect to wear shoes inside the house. Want to see a tour of our apartment?
Here in South Korea the currency is Korean Won which is another thing we had to get used to when coming here. I'd say that most places we've been to so far are able to take credit card so it's not a major issue with payment, but it is an adjustment when seeing a price tag of 10,000! This would be a little less than 10 US dollars, but 10,000 Korean Won. It is especially weird when we are paying our rent which needs to be paid in won. We are handing over millions in won but just over a thousand US dollars. It feels fun to hand over a million of something, hah!
The time difference makes it pretty challenging to stay connected with friends and family back home.
Aside from the language barrier, driving craziness, differences in apartment living, and the currency, one of the most challenging changes since moving halfway across the world is the time difference. As if living in a foreign country away from your friends and family with little opportunities to meet other friends here wasn't enough, throwing a 14 hour time difference on top of it is rough. When I'm waking up in the morning, people in the US are finishing their evenings, and when i'm going to bed at night they are just waking up. This has made it difficult to communicate on a regular basis with friends and family back home. It is not impossible, just challenging for both parties involved. There have been many times where i'm having a really hard time with something (and Jacob is busy at work) and would love to just pick up the phone and call my mom or best friends, but it is in the middle of the day for me and they are fast asleep in America. This has pushed me to put my word for 2021 into action and RELY fully on the Lord in those moments where I really feel alone. So, while it is a challenge, it is one I will welcome. I am very grateful for my friends and family who have been understanding of this and stayed up late to talk to me or gotten up early. Jordyn i'm so sorry for losing our Snapchat streak when I was asleep... we will rebuild! hah!
There are lots more things to share with you about South Korea and i'm excited to use this platform to tell you all about them. Life has been a whirlwind since moving here, but an exciting one that i'm very grateful for. If you're still reading, thank you for taking the time! If you have ideas for things you'd like me to blog about, please comment below.