Well... I just got word that I don't have an extra class today. This means that I have two free hours on my Wednesday.
Honestly, it took me awhile to realize that I could do this. Sit and write. I have felt a bit overwhelmed with my own schedule and the pace my weeks were flying by. I had thoughts like "When am I ever going to have time to do _______?" Now I have the time and it took me 15 minutes to actually do anything besides sit dumbfounded on my couch.
The list of things I want to do is on random pieces of paper floating around literally and also in my head.
Anyway, I am enjoying my third year in Korea. Busy as it is I really enjoy it. The weeks ahead have some exciting plans, including a visit from my mother!! How amazing. It is so hard to put into words what life in Korea is like, so I am excited to show off my home away from America.
Some differences I was thinking about recently:
In Germany people stopped at the red man on the crosswalk because that is the best way to train children to be safe. In America, we do whatever we please because we have the right to harm ourselves...so we are a bit less controlled. In Korea I think they stop at the red man because that is the rule. And in Korea you don't question the rules... Korea is set up in a very particular way. I was talking to a Korean friend who explained that Koreans generally have addictive personalities. Cigarettes are cheap here, everyone smokes, soju is cheap, everyone drinks. It is against the law for Korean to gamble. Casinos here are only for foreigners... He explained that there was/is one in Seoul but that many many Koreans lost sooo much money that it became a big problem and it was stopped or socially frowned upon. Hard drugs/guns are just banned. Its as if the government doesn't trust its people...but the people are ok with that because they don't trust themselves... The students also reflect this. They complain about the long hours and the frustrations of their busy and difficult lives but there is no movement, no rebellion to stop it or to take control. They know their place, they just bear the burden because that is the rule. This is of course only my opinion based on my experiences which differ from others and is seen through the lens of an outsider who does not speak the language, so who am I to reach any conclusions...
Well.... perhaps later on in this vast amount of free time I will think of something else I have been wanting to write... until then... Ciao for now!
Honestly, it took me awhile to realize that I could do this. Sit and write. I have felt a bit overwhelmed with my own schedule and the pace my weeks were flying by. I had thoughts like "When am I ever going to have time to do _______?" Now I have the time and it took me 15 minutes to actually do anything besides sit dumbfounded on my couch.
The list of things I want to do is on random pieces of paper floating around literally and also in my head.
Anyway, I am enjoying my third year in Korea. Busy as it is I really enjoy it. The weeks ahead have some exciting plans, including a visit from my mother!! How amazing. It is so hard to put into words what life in Korea is like, so I am excited to show off my home away from America.
Some differences I was thinking about recently:
In Germany people stopped at the red man on the crosswalk because that is the best way to train children to be safe. In America, we do whatever we please because we have the right to harm ourselves...so we are a bit less controlled. In Korea I think they stop at the red man because that is the rule. And in Korea you don't question the rules... Korea is set up in a very particular way. I was talking to a Korean friend who explained that Koreans generally have addictive personalities. Cigarettes are cheap here, everyone smokes, soju is cheap, everyone drinks. It is against the law for Korean to gamble. Casinos here are only for foreigners... He explained that there was/is one in Seoul but that many many Koreans lost sooo much money that it became a big problem and it was stopped or socially frowned upon. Hard drugs/guns are just banned. Its as if the government doesn't trust its people...but the people are ok with that because they don't trust themselves... The students also reflect this. They complain about the long hours and the frustrations of their busy and difficult lives but there is no movement, no rebellion to stop it or to take control. They know their place, they just bear the burden because that is the rule. This is of course only my opinion based on my experiences which differ from others and is seen through the lens of an outsider who does not speak the language, so who am I to reach any conclusions...
Well.... perhaps later on in this vast amount of free time I will think of something else I have been wanting to write... until then... Ciao for now!