Proverbs: Trying on Korean Shoes

There's something about being 30 that feels like I finally fit into my own shoes. At this point so far, my life experiences, the good and the rough, have molded my identity, and I have lots of practice in adapting to and accepting change.

In the past 13 years, there has been a little blip on my radar, a little tugging thought that has popped up every few years. It says, "Leave the country! Make a difference in the world! Change things up!"

"You're crazy, little thought," I would argue. "That sounds amazing, but I can't do that. That doesn't sound stable or secure. What if I fail?"

But I've seen other people do it. And I've looked up to them, impressed by their candor, open minds, versatility, resourcefulness. Envious of their adventures and stories. I always thought: Those are people who can lie on their death bed and feel fulfilled, knowing they lived a full life.

I'm the only one stopping me. That's the epiphany I had in 2019. All those doubts and fears, those were mine and in accepting them, I do myself a favor. In acknowledging them, I can overcome them.

Fear is valid. Fear is funny. Fear is fickle. In understanding fear and by practicing overcoming it, it is replaced by normalcy.

I took a leap on Wednesday. I moved to the other side of the world, to Seoul, South Korea, to teach English. To fulfill my dreams. To give back to the world and do my part to make it a better place. To learn. And to understand the world better myself.

Before I left, friends and family would ask me how I feel. "Excited and terrified," I would answer.

Now I am here, and there is still excitement and there is still fear. I look forward to normalcy! But I mostly look forward to learning. To learning about the world we inhabit, the culture I now inhabit, to learning Korean, and to learning how to be the best teacher I can be.

In my three days here so far, I have noticed similarities and differences between Korean and other international cultures (yes, including American ones). I have noted subtle and glaring nuances of Korean culture. And I have learned things about myself.

In a nutshell:

- Pigeons are ubiquitous. If you find yourself in a place with no pigeons, you have likely left the Earth. (Scientists are still testing to confirm proof of pigeons on Mars.)

- Whereas the USA is a melting pot, Korea seems very homogeneous. In three days, I have noticed only one other foreigner (outside of my school, where we have other native English teachers, and the airport). Therefore, I stick out like a sore thumb. (Especially because the only winter jacket I brought is bright pink. Koreans wear mostly black and neutral-colored coats. I forgot my black and grey coats at home!) It is humbling and a good lesson in confidence-building, especially as I learn to adapt to the etiquette here.

- Koreans are very organized in public. For example, in the subway station, everyone files cleanly in a line to fill into the train. But first, we wait for everyone to exit the car before filing in. Inside the train, everyone faces one direction. Most people keep their heads down, usually in their phones. It's rather quiet.

- Korean is everywhere! There are random English words here and there, and Korail (the subway system) does have some English translations, thankfully! One of my main goals here is to learn Korean. Hangul (the Korean alphabet) is very similar to English in that it consists of 24 letters, broken down by consonants and vowels. It is easier than English in that it is pronounced phonetically. So, reading it will be easy. Understanding it will be a whole other story. I'll get there a step at a time.

- 7-Eleven is the pigeon of international businesses. Outside of the USA, 7-Elevens are standalone convenience stores and can be as prevalent as Starbucks. (Yes, those are here in Korea, too!)

- There is so much "cute" in Korea! Many advertisements (including safety messages) are characterized with cute, kid-like 3D computer animation models. Luggage carriers in the airport sing little songs as they're driven around. Korail plays a cute little jingle before each train arrives. There's another little jingle that plays on the train when an announcement is being made.