So, when I decided that I needed a bit of a break, I bought my train ticket and headed towards the smoggy Emerald City of my Korean Oz. Redemption was there. Opportunity awaited. A Yellow Brick Road. Oh, that was just the yellow dust?
I've been to Seoul more times than I can count, but I had this revelation on this visit. Something that shook me up good. I was sitting at a restaurant looking over the menu, and something was off. I couldn't tell what it was. The waitress came and took our order. After she left, I sat there, wondering what was wrong. I stared at the menu. I looked at my friend. He stared back with a puzzled look of his own although, he was more puzzled by my behavior. I looked at the Korean couple next to us. I looked at the menu. And then I saw what was wrong. The menu was in English. Entirely. No Hangul to be seen. The Korean couple had to get the help of the waitress to decipher the menu. Everywhere I looked I saw English, and not the Konglish or Engrish I see everywhere else in Korea. Honest to goodness proper English.
It'd been happening all weekend, this feeling like I'd stepped out of Korea and just walked into Korea Town in LA or Atlanta. Many Seoul expats that I've met barely know any Korean. And why should they? Seoul is extremely accommodating when it comes to English speakers. The older woman helping us at the bakery spoke to us in English, the guy at the 7-11 seemed surprised when I showed off my tiny Korean skills and said," 친차? "
When I went to my friend's new church I met loads of new people. We did the usual, "where are you from, where do you live?" routine. Usually, when I'm asked where I live in Korea I don't say the city name. Nobody has ever heard of Naju, so I usually go with the province name, Jeollonamdo. This time, people just assumed I was from Seoul.
-What neighborhood do you live in?
-Oh, I don't live in Seoul.
-Really?!
(shocking that any foreigner lives outside of Seoul?) -Ha, yeah, I live in Jeollanamdo. Near Gwangju.
-Sorry, where is that?
My friend would step in here and tell them it was in the south. A long ways away. And that was that.
But I'm always a bit thrown off when foreigners only know the 7 major cities in Korea. Some of these people have been here much longer than I have, and they can't name or recognize any of the nine provinces here. Same goes for natives too. My hairdresser had no idea where Jeollanamdo was. It's like a New Yorker not knowing where North Dakota is. 흩. A lot of the people I've met who live in Seoul have only been to Busan or stayed in Seoul the entire time they live in Korea. It's so sad! There's so much Korea has to offer, yet those lights, sights, and vibrant pulse of city life keep people there.
Now, let's be clear. This does not encompass EVERY foreigner living in Seoul, so, calm down you who are fluent in Korean and offended by my words. Also, this does not necessarily mean that life is easier in Seoul. I'm know it has it's difficulties as well.
But, I for one, wouldn't trade living in my country province or small town. I feel like I can handle Korea because I'm in up to my neck all the time. People know zero English here. Especially my students. (Sigh. That's another post.) My menu's are in 한늘 and my Korean country accent is understood here. (Remind me to tell you the story of how I confused the hell out of the taxi driver this weekend. Poor guy. Jeollanamdo is known for having a terrible dialect.) In America, they say if you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere. I feel it's the opposite in Korea. If you can make it in the sticks, you can make it anywhere.
So, I wouldn't want to live in your concrete jungle, but I will drool over your food, your endless list of entertainment options, your hairdressers that speak English, your bookstores that sell more than five English books, and the corner stores that sell cheese.
Cheese. I miss you.
But Seoul, I love you.
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