Dear Korea,
You’ve helped me redefine my purpose. Living here through the cultural differences has shaped my perception of the world and how I fit into it. I no longer see myself only here to absorb and take Korean culture but how can I bring American culture to you? What questions can I answer or what experiences can I share with you?
Daily life has been interesting because everyone assumes I know the language so will speak to me in Korean at first. Embarrassed I always apologize and tell them in English that I can’t speak Korean which leaves them even more confused. However no one has made me feel uncomfortable and in fact many Koreans have spoken what English they do know and some have even apologized for not being able to speak English. Not knowing the language has been hard for me not just because of the little things like asking for directions or ordering food, but because I feel like I should know it. After all I AM Korean. I realized early on living here that fear kept me from putting myself in certain situations, like avoiding certain restaurants because the menu is only in Korean, getting groceries at local markets or hell even just shopping for clothes because I didn’t want anyone to know I couldn’t even carry on a conversation.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.
Nelson Mandela
When I first moved here learning the language was very important to me and then evolved into something that I didn’t see as a necessary part of my experience. I was homesick, frustrated and angry with living in Korea and being American made it easier for me to convince myself that I didn’t need to learn the language. Then I left for about a month for work and during my travels I learned about the fascinating world of interpreters. I met an interpreter in Shanghai who was just about to graduate from her university. She told me everything about her studies, what she learned, how she learned and even shared her aspirations to become an interpreter at international conferences. It made me think about language and how much of a barrier it can be to connect and truly understand cultural differences. This interpreter reminded me of my purpose, which I had determined earlier this year was to connect different cultures. I realized the only way I could connect with Korea on the level I really wanted to required me to learn the language. So now with a new perspective, I’ve reignited my passion to learn Korean in anticipation of what doors and new experiences may open because of it.
Love Letters to Korea 