A little bit homesick
It took two years but I'm finally starting to feel a bit homesick. Don't get me wrong, I still love living in Korea but I miss home.
That beautiful big blue sky over golden wheat fields during this time of year. Open skies and wide fields. I miss open spaces.
Those don't really exist in Korea. The land is too mountainous and any flat land is occupied with apartments and complexes to accommodate the 50 million people living in a space a third the size of Alberta.
I live in the least populated province in Korea but it still feels crowded to me some days. Maybe it's the mountains, although beautiful, it feels like they are pressing in on the already limited space available. I miss my open prairies.
I miss having a common language with the people around me. I am learning Korean but I'm barely able to even hold a conversation and it's draining to have to think carefully about everything I'm saying. It would be nice just to know that if I needed to I could comfortably communicate with the lady behind the coffee counter.
I miss the diversity. Canada is such a diverse beautiful place with a diverse range of people and cultures. I love that about Canada. And having lived in a culturally and racially monogamous society for the last two years has taught me how much I value that diversity. Korea is slowly becoming more diverse but it is still mainly Korean with 96% of the population being so.
When I first arrived in Taebaek, I was surprised at the amount of staring that took place when I went anywhere in the city. I grew to like the attention and it made me feel special. But now, two years later, I have grown tired of the staring. I know I look different but it would be nice to walk down the street without every man and woman double taking and rubbernecking.
But I don't blame them. This is a consequence of growing up in a culture where everyone looks, talks and acts the same. So when someone who lacks these things walks by, there's bound to be staring. But this makes me appreciate growing up in a society of diversity where people look, act and talk differently from each other. I can be comfortable in a variety of situations because of it. To me, variety is the spice of life and that is sorely lacking here.
But most of all, I miss my family and friends. I have made friends here but nothing quite comes close to having the people who know you best near to you. I miss those moments with my family, just enjoying each other's company. I miss those intimate conversations with my closest friends, it's just not the same over the phone.
So in summation, I miss home. I think this will be my last year in Korea but as with anything in life, you're never quite sure what will happen.
That beautiful big blue sky over golden wheat fields during this time of year. Open skies and wide fields. I miss open spaces.
I live in the least populated province in Korea but it still feels crowded to me some days. Maybe it's the mountains, although beautiful, it feels like they are pressing in on the already limited space available. I miss my open prairies.
I miss having a common language with the people around me. I am learning Korean but I'm barely able to even hold a conversation and it's draining to have to think carefully about everything I'm saying. It would be nice just to know that if I needed to I could comfortably communicate with the lady behind the coffee counter.
I miss the diversity. Canada is such a diverse beautiful place with a diverse range of people and cultures. I love that about Canada. And having lived in a culturally and racially monogamous society for the last two years has taught me how much I value that diversity. Korea is slowly becoming more diverse but it is still mainly Korean with 96% of the population being so.
When I first arrived in Taebaek, I was surprised at the amount of staring that took place when I went anywhere in the city. I grew to like the attention and it made me feel special. But now, two years later, I have grown tired of the staring. I know I look different but it would be nice to walk down the street without every man and woman double taking and rubbernecking.
But most of all, I miss my family and friends. I have made friends here but nothing quite comes close to having the people who know you best near to you. I miss those moments with my family, just enjoying each other's company. I miss those intimate conversations with my closest friends, it's just not the same over the phone.
So in summation, I miss home. I think this will be my last year in Korea but as with anything in life, you're never quite sure what will happen.
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