South Korea in general has a lot to offer and Seoul is very unique in that they have a significant international population. Because of my job, I've met instructors from Canada, France, Scotland, and South Africa; and students from Brazil, Japan, and Poland, as well as many other students who've had the opportunity to travel to endless places abroad. Most any ethnic group you can think of is represented here, so you're bound to hear German, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog and various other languages in the streets giving the city a very familiar feeling especially to someone from Chicago.
The difference, however, between here and most of the major cities in the US is the safety. Crime happens everywhere, but certain crimes seem to happen less often here. As a former, avid CTA rider in Chicago, I lost track of how many times I heard about people being robbed on trains, saw people selling illegal substances at train stations, and just generally felt unsafe in my surroundings. My biggest fear here is getting squished to death during rush hour! I say that only somewhat jokingly. The reality is that I often used to wander out of work after working a ten-hour shift, hop on the red line completely exhausted, and promptly fall asleep knowing that I couldn't miss my stop because it was at the end of the line. I never felt asleep enough to where I wouldn't realize that someone was stealing my purse or shoes, but every once in a while a kind voice would strongly suggest that I at least try to keep my eyes open for my own safety.
Here, everyone falls asleep on the train. If I had a dollar for every time I saw someone tucked into their coat on an early morning train or with their head cocked back, mouth wide open on an evening train, I could retire tomorrow. Men and women alike are guilty of this behavior. It's so common that the stranger sitting right next to you will frequently doze off and nod right onto your shoulder; and partly because of space and partly because of commonness, you just allow them to have their rest until you have to get up to leave.
That is merely one example of the safety factor which appears to permeate the entire city. The streets are also typically very clean and safe, I've never heard a gunshot, most of the police carry pepper spray instead of a firearm, and safety drills and videos are a regular part of life due to the constant threat of North Korea.Leaving here means giving up the life I've become comfortable living; and even taking a trip to the US means readjusting to the way things were and the things I don't miss about living there. It means going back to a culture that seems to have little value for the lives and safety of others. At the least, it means walking into a store or restaurant without being greeted by a gaggle of friendly voices, shopping without negotiating a fair price, leaving a store without being thanked with a kind word, a smile and a bow, or feeling obligated to tip the unpleasant waiter in a restaurant because you know that part of their attitude problem comes from being grossly underpaid.
The article made me think of one of my favorite songs from Wicked...
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...
I've learned that people can be inherently good and helpful and that a sense of family, community, and belonging is still alive in other countries. Living here has given me a perspective I otherwise never would have had.
Of course, I'll leave when the time comes, but I really think I'm going to miss the friend I've made in Seoul.
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