Blogger is being a pain in the ass and it won't let me add more pictures to my last post so I'll just make a new one. EDIT: UGH! Blogger won't let me reorder these pictures so just enjoy.
This one only my parents will understand, but Guy Smiley made it to Korea as well.
Charlie and I in the shopping district across from Suwon Station.
Me being extremely foreign and taking pictures on the street.
Looking at it now this picture really don't do this intersection justice. I took this on the steps of Suwon Station and there is just so much going on constantly in this country and I often feel tired just being out and about.
Finally, I'll put up my first food picture. I plan on writing a really good food blog soon. This was delivered for about $8 and it is mainly steak stir-fry and rice. The side dishes are a brown broth, kimchee, and some pudding. The best part is when you're done eating you just put the plates outside your door and the delivery guy comes back by in an hour or so to pick them up. Talk about service.
When I first conceptulized this blog I wanted the first post to be written pre-Korea with my commitments for the trip. Basically I wanted to write down some ground rules for my experience. I forgot so I guess I'll do that now.
1. Try everything once. This includes everything from food to traveling. Basically I just always want to say, "Yes," when someone asks me to do something so I can make the most out of my year. So far I have done a great job--I've eaten tons of things without knowing what they were and I've only really been in my room when I've been sleeping. It is so nice that Charlie is new and we've become friends so quickly because he also enjoys exploring and we spend hours just wandering the streets (and getting lost!) If I ever feel bored I just knock on his door and we go exploring all corners of Suwon (found the Red Light District today. Not much happening at 2 pm on a Sunday but by the looks of it there will be a few hundred girls in the windows on a Friday night so we're planning on walking through and seeing the "sights" sometime)
2. Learn the language. I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this one. I think I'll amend it to "Learn as much Korean as I can" because the idea of becoming fluent in one year is laughable really. So far I know about 5 words or phrases and so far they've gotten me around pretty well. I really just point, nod, use hand gestures, and bow a lot. It seems to be working. When I want to buy something I just put hand them more than enough money and let them make change. This results in me constantly having all these small bills and coins because I just default to using 10,000won bills everytime.
3. Travel. Not only do I want to see all of Korea (not a huge task, the entire country is about the size of the state of Indiana) but I want to take advantage of being in Asia. I plan on seeing Thailand and China for sure but I would like to add Japan, Laos, and the Phillipines as well. I have a 12 month contract but I get paid for 13 so I'll probably take an extra month on the end to travel around SE Asia a bit. This one should be easy to follow through with because traveling and seeing the world was my main motivation for coming here. If anyone is interested in seeing any of these countries please let me know. I have paid vacation time so if you want to meet up it would be awesome!
4. Document the experience for myself and be honest with my reflections. I think an important aspect of a trip like this is self-reflection and personal growth and I would be doing myself a disservice to write a blog that is all smiles and sunshine. Trust me, Korea has plenty of both but a huge part of this journey will be overcoming obstacles and tackling the unknown. I'm sure there will be plenty of emo blogs and "Things I hate about Korea" in due time but for now I'll just keep writing and taking pictures. I really need to step my picture taking game.
5. Stay in touch with friends and family. I cannot express how much it has meant to me to hear from so many of you already. People I haven't talked to since high school (which is almost 6 years ago now, damnit I'm getting old) have written on my facebook wishing me well and that just means the world to me. My immediate and extended family have all been so incredibly supportive and that is what makes a trip and experience like this possible. If you like the blog, leave a comment. You can also contact me via email (kkushion@gmail.com) AIM (InKevinWeTrust) or Skype (kevinkushion).
One more thing: I'm not going to be proofreading or editing these blogs. I apologize for any spelling mistakes, typos, or grammar errors. Just deal with it. :)
Take it easy, but take it.
I have the same goals when I go to a new place - granted its a bit different since you are going to be in Korea for quite a long time, but you will definitely represent a disliked America pretty well. In general, when I went to Oktoberfest, I met a ton of foreigners when I was at the "English-speaking" tent. Irish, English, Kiwi, Aussie, Italian, etc etc.
ReplyDeleteI think Americans get a bad rep for a few reasons: 1) George Bush & the government (this was last year) 2) Americans aren't the most open minded travelers 3) They can be arrogant, disrespectful, etc
I am not sure this would be the same case in S. Korea, but that was the sentiment I felt in Munich and Prague when I visited. Regardless of the rep, I know with your friendliness and attitude, you will be perfectly fine. The fact that you even decided to embark on the journey says a lot about you.
I am glad I can at least read some of your priceless experience over the web - very entertaining thus far.