By Conor O’Reilly
I was invited to write this piece on foreigners living in Korea recently and jumped at the opportunity, being a chance to write, and I like writing, and also the chance someone outside my small circle would read it. Anyway, I suppose I should tell you a little of my experiences and my opinions on Korea and on being in Korea.
I’ve lived in Korea for over two years and have never looked back since arriving here, this was of course helped by the fact that I met a lot of people I got on with really well and also didn’t have that much of the bad luck that’s generally associated with living ``back home’’ such as crashing my car, getting robbed, fired, dumped or arrested.
Not that I usually end up in these situations, but coming from Ireland a lot of these things do happen especially if ones nose is not exactly spick and span.
In my two years in Korea, I’ve had many experiences, good and bad. I’ve been burgled, fallen in love, made a lot of money, spent a lot of money, been screwed by a boss and ran away from a potential boss that could have screwed me.
I’ve co-organized, presented, founded various artistic events, most notably the Haebangchon Music Festivals, and I can’t imagine finding such opportunities elsewhere.
I have found that the country itself is very accessible when you are willing to go out and look for what you want. Of course many find the language barrier a difficult obstacle, but within the past two years the resources and networks that originally were, for example, for teachers only.
Yet with more and more foreigners coming to live in Korea the community has spread and opened its arms allowing more than just specific castes to mix and share experiences.
Also of course the current craze in learning English in the country always makes it easier for a non-Korean speaking foreigner to blend into other circles outside of those currently at large.
Of course, the Korean attitude initially I have found is sometimes subdued and almost stand-offish, but like anyone, once they get to know you and once you are on speaking terms they are as warm, friendly and helpful as you are likely to find anywhere else in the world.
In fact it has often been remarked to me that visitors here are sometimes overwhelmed by Koreans hospitality, something I have been a welcome victim of on more than one occasion.
In ending, I would like to remark one more time on how great my experiences have been in Korea, and this has happened thanks to the input on one thing there is no shortage of in Korea, and that is people. Be they foreign or Korean, they have helped me to love a new home as much as my old and have helped me to embrace everything about life here on the peninsula.
I would urge anyone who has yet to experience Korea fully to take my advice and look for what you can’t apparently find, and before you know you will have a line of people only to willing to help.