Landing in Korea

I landed in Korea three weeks ago. It has been a random whirlwind of new experiences since my first step on Korean soil.

Life seemed easy compared to the beginning of my stay in London. I had an apartment and a job set up and ready for me. But the asian culture offered more surprises than the transition to Europe. The biggest hurdle is the language. I cannot read, or even begin to speak the words I see. This makes life difficult, but even more surprising is how easy it is to get by with the five Korean words I have picked up. You get the usual charades or walking away when you cannot communicate, but I have also been meet with perfect American accented English, or American mockery. All adding to the adventure.

The second bit that ceases to amaze me is the food Koreans eat. I have eaten most meals amongst the Koreans. Shoes off, sitting in the floor with your meal cooking in front of you and side dishes that cover the entire surface of the table. It is always a feast, and a guessing game.

My first meal in Korea, and as a non-vegetarian, was at Beomgye with six complete strangers that soon would be my colleagues. The pedestrian strip filled with neon lights, bars, restaurants, and shops is just 10 minutes from my apartment. Jason ordered the dish, I was going with it, until the server brought out a tray piled high with obscure meat, lettuce, and pigs feet. I tried it, and then confessed to Malcolm that this was my first bit of meat in a while and I wasn't quite ready for the pigs feet. A dish of spicy noodles was on its way...

I graced my new territory with jet lag and enthusiasm. We headed into Seoul on Saturday night for a DJ Festival. Two stages with acts on til 5 AM, tents with korean food and drink, neon lights, techno dancing koreans, and a full moon in the background. The energy was amazing and everyone was having a good time. The music was great, and when Dasha took the stage the Koreans enthusiasm offset his horrible taste in pop music.

My first weekend in South Korea was filled with the unexpected. The people I have meet so far are very cool and always up for adventure. It also seems customary when passing another foreigner, whether you know them or not, to smile and acknowledge our bond because we are living in this homogenous society.