Well, 7 months have come and gone here in Korea, and I guess it's time for another evaluation of my experience. A "report card," if you will. (you will.)
Things I Miss
Food: Although my craving for real cheese has been temporarily abated by the generous and thoughtful birthday gift of fine Spanish cheeses from my friends back home (you know who you are, you guys rock!), I find that new craving doors are opened weekly. It started with the Reuben. I began wondering if I could find rye bread and corned beef and Swiss cheese if I went to a swanky enough grocery store. Then I started thinking about potatoes and all their manifestations over recent months. Then it was a sort of constant desire for salads that are more than just shredded cabbage and dressing. Then it sprung out into pork chops and green beans and Mexican foods and gyros until now I just consign myself to never ever thinking about American cuisine for sake of sparing myself the hunger and not drooling all over my clothes.
Critical Thinking: This one took me quite a while to pinpoint, but critical thinking skills here are few and far between. It turns out that the Korean idea of critical thinking is actually just saying "Well, each side of the argument has good points and bad points," then pat yourself on the back and call it a day. They are completely incapable of formulating an opinion, synthesizing ideas together, or taking a side on any issue. This is an indication of my overall dissatisfaction with the education system in general. There is an over emphasis on memorization of pointless facts and regurgitation of these, but when asked to think they all go deer-in-headlights.
Things I Will Miss
Food: Ironically enough, as much as I crave the occasional anything-cooked-in-an-oven, I know that leaving this country and its delicious food will be difficult. Everything is so cheap and accessible, but on top of that the food culture here is awesome. It's so oriented on sharing and community: often we eat from communal dishes in the middle of the table, it's unheard of to eat alone, and any social activity involves eating (be it sightseeing, karaoke, or bars).
Public Transportation: Some of the cheapest and most self-explanatory in the world, I haven't spent enough time raving about how much I love the PT here. For 80 cents to a dollar, I can get anywhere in the city and never have to worry about traffic or car accidents or driving at all. I can read or listen to music, be inebriated, even sleep and it's no problem at all. In addition, any transfer from subway to bus, subway to subway, or bus to subway is free of charge: you pay once up front and you're good to go until you reach your destination. I can even get to many locations on the outskirts of Seoul or in neighboring cities all with the Seoul Public Transportation service. It is so convenient and cheap, and unlike these Cali Kyopo girls I don't miss a car. What I will miss is a society where you don't need one.
Well, those are my brief musings about the world I'm leaving behind shortly. I guess I'll do a 3/4's review too, but by then it'll be way to real. For now it's back to what (seems like) will always be my life.
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