Minelli’s Journals

September 2, 2024

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Arrival

안녕하세요! I can't believe I have been living in Korea for almost a month now, it feels like just yesterday I was getting lost in the airport. This has truly been one of the toughest yet most rewarding experiences I've had, and I wouldn't change a thing. I've had multiple people ask me why I did youth exchange. Why would you leave for a year? Aren't you going to miss us? (Of course I do guys) To me, people were always asking the wrong questions. It wasn't about what I was leaving behind, it was where I was headed and what was out there for me. Why stay when you have a chance to experience more? I would've never felt contentment if I didn't take that chance. Yet, after months of research, language classes, and orientations, I thought I was well-prepared. How wrong I was.  

I hadn’t even stepped foot in the country, and I managed to eat Korean food incorrectly on the plane. (Side note: Bibimbap is a rice dish, not soup. I should’ve known when the lady next to me was looking at me like I was crazy.) I landed at Incheon Airport on August 10 after a 15-hour flight. My host mother, the Rotary chairman, YEO, and a few other Rotary members greeted me. We drove on the Incheon bridge with a beautiful view of the ocean and through Seoul which is a huge city with skyscrapers. Eventually, the skyscrapers turned into mountains, and the sea became farmland. I knew then I was in the countryside. The town of Seocheon (서전)  has a notably large elderly population, a beach close by, and the most crowded place in town is the Friday bus afterschool. Going from Atlanta to Seocheon was a huge change. I no longer had a city skyline, long highways with heavy traffic or cars waking me up in the middle of the night blasting music.  The only thing that kept me up now was jet lag. Luckily, I had a week before school started to get used to the time.

Settling in

On my second day, I met my host grandparents, uncle, aunt, and cousin. We sat on the floor, legs crossed, eating and chatting. Eating on the floor is common here and, in the homes, I’ve been in, there are rarely any chairs. I’ve learned to always stretch in the morning because sitting crisscrossed every day can take a toll on your hips. Having conversation in a country where you barely know the language is truly an interesting thing. It's like being left out but knowing you're the topic of conversation or laughing when everyone else is laughing but you don't understand the joke. Every once in a while, you will chime in when they ask you your age, where you are from, and your favorite Korean food. Everyone I have met has asked me favorite food (and how old they look). Sitting in the circle with my host family was certainly a surreal experience and a good reminder of how crucial it is to learn your language.  After I went to the aquarium with my host Uncle’s family. We took a stroll through a flower garden and then we ate with the entire family at a restaurant. For some restaurants, you have to take your shoes off and they actually have places where you can keep them. There we ate Bulgogi, noodles, galbi, and so many other foods!

A few days past and my host parents took me to Cheonan (저난), where I met my older host sister. We hit up a karaoke room (노래방), the mall, and Seoul Tower. The next day my older sister and older brother took me to a theme park called Everland (It’s like six flags). We went on the T-express (like the Goliath) and multiple rides after, it was super fun.  Having older siblings for the first time was nice too. I got a chance to see how it would feel to be the youngest. At the end of the day, we went out for Korean Barbecue. (I’ve been to so many Korean Barbecues, I got to be a pro by now). We ate with my older sister's friend and the friends' daughter. As A gift, they gave me this Korean drum called a Jangku (장 구) that the daughter made and a few toys of from a Korean kids show. After the barbecue we ate Bingsu (빙수) which is almost like a shaved ice, but usually has cornflakes and sweetener, and maybe fruit. I got a mango one, it had cornflakes, mangoes, mango juice, and on top a small cheesecake. It was sooo good.

School

About a week later, school began, and it’s a whole new world. I was issued a uniform, textbooks, and school slippers. When you get to school, you have to take your outside shoes off, put them in a locker and put on inside shoes. Most wear crocs or slides. Students also bring blankets and stuffed animals; I assume to stay comfortable during the long hours. Classes run from Monday to Friday, 8:40 to 4:40 (4:20 on Fridays), and if you sign up for an extra class, it extends to 5:40. With seven 50-minute periods (eight with the extra class). The classes change every day, and you have a 10-minute break in between. Instead of the students switching classes, the teacher switches classes. There is even a set time for just cleaning up the classroom. The first day I gave an introduction in front of the class, and I was greeted by so many students. Everyone is so kind here, but the schoolwork is very difficult. I get by with the help of friends, but nothing can prepare you for a probability and statistics class in another language.  Besides the work, I’ve joined a band that's performing at a festival in December (Bruno mars is very popular here). The school lunch is fantastic, and I take Korean language classes every Wednesday and Saturday with Alex, the exchange student from Taiwan. I mostly get around using the bus. Most children are pretty independent here, and once you figure out the bus schedule, the city is very easy to navigate. Every afternoon you can see many students walking home by themselves. During the weekends, it isn't uncommon for teens to go to other nearby towns or cities alone like Gunsan (군산). 

Daily life

During the week I wake up at 7 and leave the house at 8 for school. At lunch, I eat and go to the band room to practice for the festival. when school ends, I take the bus at 5 to get home by 5:30. Dinner at 6 and after that I do some studying, then I go to sleep. Saturday is my free day, and Sundays I go to a nearby church. When I'm not exploring, studying, or visiting extended family, it’s just me and my host parents in our apartment in Seocheon. Life here moves at a slower pace, and now that I have a routine everyday its almost predictable. Not that that's a bad thing. I’ve come to savor the little things. Weekly terracotta sessions with my host mom, occasional café visits, and at the end of each day I can trust that there will be a breathtaking sunset by dinner. It has made me appreciate this peaceful lifestyle more than I ever thought possible. I used to think that there needed to be some exciting event in everyday to be special. Rather, there is something special in everyday and it is easy to miss when you move too fast.  Overall, I think those are the experiences that make the exchange worth it. I've learned so much in a small time already.