Week Two in Korea

Asia is really just something else. David assures me that I'm adjusting "surprisingly well" to Korea, but I'm just waiting for the real culture shock to hit me in a few weeks. For some strange reason, the thing that is hardest for me to comprehend about Asia is the homogeneous culture and genetics. It's not unusual for me to be in some crowded space (the subway, a street, the market) and be the only person without black hair and brown eyes and Asian features. On the one hand, I expected all the Koreans to look the same to me, and I'm surprised by how different and distinguishable everyone is, but on the other hand, there is no cultural diversity, no ethnic neighborhoods, no melting pot scenarios. The thing I love most about living outside of America is that you gain a greater appreciation for just how unique and special America truly is. There are so few countries that have the same kind of diversity that America embraces. And yes, sometimes I get annoyed by all the talk of ethnic pride and cultural diversity and minority rights (why can't we all just be Americans?) but to look around Korea and see how the culture, the traditions, and the people have changed so little over hundreds of years, makes me even more shocked that a country like America can exist and thrive. (Although, I am not quite happy about the current state of America but that's another topic for another day....)

Anyway, I hope to start blogging more in the future about all the crazy, strange, fascinating and absolutely bizarre things I encounter in Asia. In order to not make my head explode with all the different sights and sounds coming at me, I plan on picking one thing to focus my blog posts on, whether it be my favorite Korean foods, the toilets (believe me, I've got a post about toilets in the works), or Korean temples, landmarks, or museums. I also want to try to learn more about Korean culture and history and write about that here as well. Korea is often a forgotten country amid its more famous cousins, China and Japan, and I certainly knew very little about Korea before I moved here. In the meantime, here's a random smattering of my thoughts about Korea so far:

The Food: I've had some absolutely delicious Korean food (my favorite is bulgogi, a very thinly sliced marinated meat that is often cooked right at your table on charcoal grills), and then I've had some stuff that I couldn't even begin to describe. It's such a different type of cuisine and one that relies on flavors and components that I've never heard of or never really liked much to begin with. I'm a rather picky eater (and not a lover of seafood) but I'm trying to be open to possible to all types of Korean food. I'm trying to stray outside my comfort zone and try many different dishes (you never know what you may end up really liking) but I'm just glad that food here is relatively cheap....and that I access to the commissary so that I can still prepare all my favorite foods.

The Money: While on base, we still use American currency, but out on town, we use won. (Which also means that I have to have both forms of money on hand.) The hardest part about using any foreign currency is understanding the exchange rates but my math-muddled brain is too slow to figure it out quickly enough. The exchange rate around here is around 1250 won to $1. Which means, I go to the store and see a bottle of juice for 1,500 won and want to freak out just a little, only to remember that it's really only $1.25.

The People: I had heard many things about Koreans before arriving here. Many had told me that they were rude or unfriendly or hated the military. I'm sure I will run into those people. But so far, every Korean I have met has been extremely kind and friendly and they are even more welcoming when you attempt to speak Korean to them or want to learn about their culture.

My next biggest challenge is to find a job. I'm not sure if I should try to find something on base, or look for a job teaching English at a Korean school. Either way, job hunting is about as fun as getting a root canal.