Christa's Trip to Korea
Two weeks ago, I returned to Alabama after spending the last 6 months studying Korean in South Korea. Ever since I got back, people keep asking me the same question, “How was your trip?” But I still can’t find a good way to answer that question.
My experience in Korea was full of ups and downs. There are a lot of things that I miss about Korea. I’ll miss living in the city with access to diverse foods, arts and culture events, and buildings so tall that you could only see the tops by craning your neck. I’ll also miss the access to food. In Korea, if you want to go out with friends for late-night barbeque or even a cake and coffee to your house at 2:00 in the morning, you can! Being in Korea allowed me to experience many new things like riding a train, having a barbeque on the beach with friends, and even going ice fishing!
But living in Korea wasn’t always easy or comfortable. Even simple tasks – like placing an order at a fast-food restaurant, going to the post office, or applying for school – are a thousand times harder because you’re still unfamiliar with the language. I remember this one day after class, I got into an elevator and the elevator was full of posters and flyers, all in Korean. But as I looked at each flyer, I couldn’t make sense of anything they were saying. I caught myself scouring each piece of paper for any English because I missed being in an environment where I could immediately understand the language and be confident. In Korea, I was always second guessing myself, worrying that I’d mistranslated something or misunderstood. I felt a constant uneasiness about making a mistake and looking stupid.
But my friends and teachers really helped me to get over the kind of crushing feeling that I was never going to good enough in Korean. My friends were all international students like me, so we could understand each other’s struggles and help each other through them. My teachers came to class everyday so full of energy and a passion to teach, that even on my worse day, I was encouraged to keep trying.
The process of learning a language or living in another country is not a linear experience. And Korea’s not some magically country of K-pop – it’s a country like every other with things to love and things you might hate. It’s different in so many ways, but that’s also what makes it unique and interesting. There were a lot of things I loved about living in Korea, but there was also a lot that I’ll never get used to. So, I think the next time someone asks me, “How was your trip,” I’ll tell them, “It was good. It was bad. But most importantly, I can’t wait to go back!”
Written by Christa Springs
