Update: Life in South
Korea
Pohang, South Korea
October 1, 2004
Life in South Korea as an English Teacher is a lot different
than hiking around the globe. There isn't the constant
sensory/ethnic barrage that comes with meeting new people
and discovering new places. Traveling is an education,
it's expanding, strengthening and humbling. Traveling
is also difficult because I have no home, family or
familiar surroundings that give peace, joy and love.
I've learned to find these things internally.
So it's nice to take a break and return to a sort of
regular routine of domestic life. Life in South Korea
becomes relatively domestic after the first few months.
It's a very domestic place. In some ways urban life
is a mirror image of the USA without the crime, drugs
and poverty, from what I've seen. Mind you I don't live
in Seoul. Commercialism and consumerism is a bit of
an eyesore but then that's the way of the world right
now.
I've been living here almost a year now without any
major problems. Sure I get tired of the food, the language
barrier and the different cultural perspectives. I get
tired of Canadian things too. What makes the difference
is the people. Koreans are very friendly towards foreigners.
Many go out of their way to be helpful. There are very
few foreigners in Korea other than marines and English
teachers. In Canada everybody is a foreigner.
 What else can I say? Korea is taking great efforts
to preserve its culture and history but the effects
of globalization are evident. Everybody likes technology
and new clothes. Kids love computer games and adults
love new cars. Visually Korea is strikingly beautiful
with endless coastlines and low-cropped mountains. Green
is everywhere. It is always green, even in the winter
but especially and extravagantly in the the spring and
summer.
So this is where I am now. I am writing and playing
some good music these days. Some plans are in the works
but that's another story. There are some new
pictures on the web page from a trip to Pusan, last
year's king crab adventure, a trip to Oasa and the Korean
national soccer championship game which Pohang won.
Also check out "Postcards
From the Edge" for pictures of people. Follow
your spirit.
randy
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