15 THINGS THAT SURPRISED ME ABOUT LIFE IN SOUTH KOREA

Before arriving back in February, I spent months researching my new home. I wanted to be as prepared as possible for life in South Korea. I pride myself on my due diligence because transitioning into life in South Korea has, honestly, been rather seamless.

Thanks to fellow ESL teacher, travel blogger, and now friend of mine, Brittany of Life of Brit, I was able to anticipate a different aspects of my new life in South Korea.  For example, I knew the majority of typical savory foods are covered in sugary coating here in Korea {sweet glazed pizza, caramel Pringles, etc.}. I also understood {to an extent} the level of respect this country has for the elderly. I knew I would be bowing on a daily basis. My suitcase was filled of tampons, foundation {that didn’t include skin lightening chemicals}, and bras.

Even when I felt the most prepared, I have moved abroad enough to know you can never prepare yourself for every cultural difference. I am still surprised by things in Korea on a daily basis, even three months later. I figured I would share some of those things that initially surprised me about life in South Korea.

Most of these came from notes on my phone as I would write them down when they popped into my head, so this list is in no particular order. Some of the items on this list I was aware of, but didn’t realize to what extent they would impact my life in South Korea. Let’s get to it, shall we?

1. The air quality

The first thing I {literally} noticed about South Korea was the air quality. Flying into Inchoeon International Airport, I looked out the window for views of my new home. I don’t think I’ll every forget the scene from above. The closer we got to land, the thicker the air was around us. It almost looked as though a blanket of fog was covering the city. Unfortunately, this wasn’t fog. The hazy scene only got worse once I physically stepped foot in the country.

My skin, hair, and health has all been compromised due to the air quality here in South Korea. I find that I am sick more often than not. The texture of my skin is horrendous, and my hair is constantly dry. The worst aspect of the air quality includes yellow dust. Microscopic dust particles fly around the air and are highly toxic. It gets so bad that I will walk with my phone out and find a thin layer of dust settled on my phone screen. This requires me to wipe it away with my hand or clothing, neither of which are hygienically healthy.

I have invested in face masks, but overall I am genuinely surprised by how much of an impact the air quality has on my quality of life in South Korea. It makes me truly appreciate the air quality back home in California. Of course, not every day is horrendous in terms of air quality. For example, today there are blue skies and the air quality is in the green zone. I know this thanks for one of the five necessary apps that I use to navigate my life in South Korea. Still, it’s one of the reasons I do not plan on staying in South Korea for a second year.

2. Koreans obsession with plastic surgery

This was something I read up on before moving to Korea, however the extent of it surprised me upon arrival. Most Korean women, and plenty of men, have received some kind of plastic surgery. Why you may ask? Well, firstly it’s cheap and secondly there is no social stigma attached to it. I’ve been asked multiple times if I plan on having any work done — of which I do not take any offense to. It’s such a norm here and casually dropped into daily conversation. I mean, operations are commonly gifted to graduates for their hard work. It’s a big thing over here guys.

3. English levels

There are many opposing opinions on the matter of Koreans level of English generally. Personally, I am impressed with the level of English I hear on a daily basis here in Korea. And keep in mind I live in a rural area of South Korea {2.5 hours away from Seoul}. Nearly everyone speaks English in Seoul, however the further away you are from large metropolitan cities, the less English you’ll hear. Even so, most Koreans’ are able to speak and understand a few words in English. And many of them speak enough to hold a conversation.

I don’t expect anyone here in South Korea to speak English. Not because I think they are incapable, but simply because that is not the spoken language of the country. I am a foreigner and a guest in their country — if anything I should be the one learning Korean {and I am trying…}. But as Americans, we tend to expect visitors of our country to speak English. And I’m realizing more and more how insane that is.

4. A lack of toilet paper in public {and private} restrooms

This is one of my biggest pet peeves about life in South Korea. There have been multiple times that I need to use the restroom, but have to hold it due to lack of toilet paper in public restrooms. But it’s not just public restrooms — there have been multiple instances in my own workplace where they simply do not provide toilet paper. This is a luxury I am used to, coming from America, so it is going to take some getting used to. And I might need a bigger bag if I’m expected to start bringing my own roll of toilet paper out…

5. A surplus of Korean surprises

Anyone that has worked as an ESL teacher in Korea will vouch for me on this. Even though I went into this entire process with an open mind and expecting a level of adaptability, nothing could prepare me for the reality of Korean surprises. There hasn’t been a week since I started my job in which I complete a ‘normal’ week. Schedule changes are inevitable, school functions and outings will be presented to you five minutes prior to the event taking place, and new challenges will greet you daily.

The most recent example of this was a staff badminton lesson at the end of an afternoon {of which I had put aside for lesson planning}. I was unaware of the event so did not bring appropriate shoes or clothing to change into. Therefore, I found myself surrounded by my coworkers in Adidas and athletic wear while I was in slippers and jeans. Top it off with the fact that I had to work on my lesson plan after hours upon arriving home, and you can see begin to see the small frustrations that build around Korean surprises.

That being said, sometimes you’ll receive a delightful Korean surprise. For example, once afternoon I had all six of my classes cancelled! My only advice would be to take a deep breath and accept the fact that you will never be fully prepared for, well, anything.

6. One of the highest suicide rates in the world

For a country with such welcoming, charming, and simply incredible humans, this statistic shocked me. Korea has one of the worlds fastest growing economies, and for a country so small, this is ridiculously impressive. That being said, the pressure to succeed weighs very heavy on the people residing in this amazing country. At the moment, the country is ranked 4th in the world when it comes to suicide. It simply breaks my heart. To do my {itty bitty} part, I constantly remind myself that I have no idea what someone might be dealing with behind closed doors. This includes my students. Therefore, when one of my sixth graders is driving me crazy, I take a moment to consider the impacts my reaction might have on a Korean child growing up.

7. Westernization

Prior to moving abroad this year, I pictured life in South Korea much differently. For starters, the country is a lot more westernized than I had expected — and not just in Seoul. You’ll find plenty of western stores throughout major cities {like Daegu}: H&M, The Body Shop, Zara, and even Costco to name a few. You can also find restaurants serving every type of cuisine found in westernized countries. Mexican, hamburgers, pizza, Starbucks, fast food {McDonalds, etc.}, salads, and BRUNCH {avocado toast and all}. No exaggeration, there is a Paris Baguette on every corner. Don’t get it twisted, the culture shock is real, but these little pieces of home remind me that I’m not on a different planet — just a different country.

8. A plethora of stray animals roaming the streets

Ugh. I see way too many stray cats in my neighborhood and it takes everything in me not to take them home, give them a proper bath, and fill their bellies with whatever their hearts’ desire. If I were to adopt every stray animal in Korea however, I would most likely be kicked out of my studio apartment and unable to bring them back home with me. It also kills me when I see puppies in the window and immediate want to ask how much they are {how clichè Korea}. Not because I believe in paying ridiculous amounts of money for these caged creatures, but simply so they could have a life outside of a tiny glass box.

9. It’s not as crowded as I anticipated

For a country of nearly 50,000,000 residing on a piece of land 20% the size of California, you would think it would be impossible to bat an eyelash without touching someone. Honestly, I find it completely manageable when it comes to personal space. Sure, the subway can be overcrowded during rush hour and festivals are impossible to maneuver without wanting to scream. But I lived in New York City and find Korea much less congested in comparison.

10 . Business hours

This specifically refers to morning business hours. All businesses generally open around 10:00 AM. That means you best enjoy that beauty sleep while you have the chance. For a country so fast paced and economically successful, it surprises me that I can’t go to the gym in the mornings before work or go beat the shopping crowds downtown by arriving early. Of course there are exceptions, but this was an observation of mine early on.

11. An abundance of coffee shops

This kind of ties in to number seven, but I felt it deserved its own category. Typically when I think of Asia, I think of tea. Being an avid tea drinker, this was one of the aspects of life in South Korea that I was anticipating most. There are certainly plenty of places to sip on tea, but damn are there are lot of coffee shops. It feels as though coffee is just as important to Koreans as it is to Americans back home. They might not all be Starbucks, but you can definitely find them on every corner.

12.  Everyday is a staring contest

This is something about life in South Korea that I will never get used to. I knew prior to arriving in Korea that I would stand out quite a bit as a foreigner. But the response I receive on a daily basis, for simply existing, is absurd. It’s especially noticeable on the subway. It’s such an uncomfortable sensation to feel countless pairs of eyes on you at all times. It almost feels like a invasion of privacy.

Of course, a majority of the time it’s harmless. However I have had elderly men and women look at me with disgust and purposefully make unwavering eye contact. I’ve reached a point where I can somewhat ignore it, but I now have the smallest glimpse of what it must feel for celebrities on a daily basis.

13. My faith in humanity has been restored

Koreans are some of the kindest, most generous, helpful humans on the planet. Coming from New York City where frankly, my dear, no one gave a shit, life in South Korea has required some adjusting. People are simply the best. I have only been in the country for three months, but already I have multiple examples of Koreans restoring my faith in humanity. The first one includes leaving all my most important documents on a bus, only to have the bus driver return them to me personally later on that day.

Another example includes two of my friends losing their phones on different occasions. The first lost it on night out and had no way of finding it {pass-code on, dead battery}, but somehow the recipient that found her phone charged it, and managed to contact her in order to return the phone safe and sound — requiring nothing in return. The second left hers in taxi {also with a pass-code and no charger}. The taxi driver brought it straight to the police station where my friend was able to pick it up.

I have had multiple instances where women take me under their wing to help me get to a destination, including physically taking my hand to lead me there themselves. Overall, I consider myself lucky to be surrounded by such outstanding individuals.

14. Teaching is a highly respected occupation

That’s right, the people {and more importantly the government} of this country actually appreciate the people that educate their children. Everyone wants to be a teacher in Korea. Teachers are said to be on the same level as kings in Korea, though we all know this is an exaggeration. Regardless, you still get the royal treatment. Society holds teachers very high on the hierarchy of occupations in the country, and students are raised to respect their teachers {though from personal experience and some unruly sixth graders, this is debatable in my mind..}

Jokes aside, it feels good to work in an environment that reaps the deserved benefits of the job. It’s one of the least stressful, but still high paying, jobs in the country. Teachers in America do not get nearly as much credit {or monaaay} as they should. We could all take a page out of South Korea’s book on this one.

15. And finally… the size of the ants

Okay, so this may not be the sexiest of topics in regards to my life in South Korea. But guys, the ants in this country — ginormous. I was extremely surprised when I came across my first ant roaming the grounds of my elementary school. I initially assumed this was a rare ant — we sometimes have large red ants back home in California. NOPE. These insects can be found all over the country, and they are all huge. I have no idea if they are threatening in any way {like fire ants back home} or if they are simply ants on steroids.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy reading about my arrival to this amazing country, here. I cannot wait to share more of life in South Korea over the next couple of months. If you have any specific requests or questions about, well anything, please comment them below.