6 month itch

With the first 6 months of Korea behind us all its easy to feel we know what we are doing but now and again something small will throw us back into the confusion and chaos that we found in our first few weeks.

The hardest thing I’m finding about my new semester is that my teachers are a lot less forgiven. Here are some of the problems with being a non new waygook.

Language

By now the expect me to know Korean. The polite English they know has run out. There are only so many times you can ask someone where they are from after all.

I feel bad that I can’t talk to them more. So much so that I’m stepping up my level of Korean learning. Now that my Korean lessons are over I am only self learning which is harder than it sounds. I have found an incredible website called:

www.memrise.com

It is fantastic. In one week I have picked up more Korean words (as well as German and Japanese) that I have in a few months.

Its hard to sit on a table of people you respect and not be able to talk so I’ve decided to bite the bullet and just try. Since the winter semester has started I’ve made sure that my lessons have gone from 2% Korean to 60% Korean.

Its all broken and just words not sentences but they seem receptive.

Food

The last few months I have tried to expand my food knowledge but unfortunately I normally fall at the first hurdle. I get hungry and pop in Kim Pasa (big orange restaurants open 24 hours and on every corner of Korea) and leave with Kim Bap and Bimbim Bap.

If I’m feeling even lazier I end up going for western food such as Mc’ds or pizza.

This seemed like it was working until I gained a lot of weight and realized I know nothing about real Korean culture.

So I have downloaded a list of 40 Korean food to try and I’m making my way through the list. I have also got a few boxes of do it yourself Pad Thai to occupy my evenings.

So far my experience of the list has been fantastic as well as spicy! Its an experiment but its been fun.

Exersice

Korea takes you down a peg or two. For blokes they seem to lose weight in the first 6 months. They are eating smaller meals and they seem to thrive on the Korean lifestyle. It’s not strange for a bloke to lose 10 pounds without trying.

Women on the other hand get a quick slap in the face. Although you may not have bread and pasta to entice you we girls do have piles of starchy rice and beer. Buckets and buckets of beer.

I have never really started drinking beer. I’m more of a wine or spirits kind of girl but in Korea it’s so cheap that it’s hard not to drink beer.

I have gained almost a stone since coming to Korea so its time for a plan of action. Despite the horrendous weather that makes even walking down the road hard I have joined a local gym (which is a weird experience on its own) and I’m trying to set myself small goals.

The fact that all holidays here involve the beach is definitely inspiring me plus the fact that I have a very important wedding to be a bridesmaid in soon. Come on weight gain, bring it on!

Friends

The saddest thing about being in Korea for 6 months is that it means a lot of people are leaving. All of the people that we meet when we arrived are getting ready to head home. Luckily for us a few people are staying but its going to be extremely sad to see them leave.

It does mean that lots of new people are on their way and we are now in the position of helping them find their way around Daegu but even though I know my way around downtown and that I recognize a few subway stops that people live at (you normally just smile, nod and pretend you’ve heard of it) I don’t feel ready to show new people everything.

Well its been an exciting 6 months and I can’t wait to see what the next 6 months hold but whether good or bad I’m sure they will be interesting.

Happy 6 months in Korea everyone.