“Which Korea is the Best Korea?” and other facepalm inducing questions
February 4, 2013 § 10 Comments
The cocktail-sipping, little-plate full of assorted cinnamony things balancing, small-talk over Christmas this year went a tad more tumultuously than normal.
“So what are your plans for after graduation?”
The answer, “Well, actually… I’m moving to Korea,” as far as I can tell, might as well have been:
Which, I suppose, is understandable.
It’s the follow-up question I did not see coming. “Oh wow. …Which one?”
North. Kim Jong Un and I go way back.
To be honest, though, I can’t point fingers too emphatically. My own cultural education is pretty shoddy and based more on the countries that catch my personal interest than anything. But still. This seems to be a bit of an epidemic.
Evidence #1
Seriously though. Which Korea IS the best Korea?
I don’t mean to keep being an America-downer of sorts, but it’s too much of a vacuum sealed mason jar up in here, perspective/awareness-wise. It’s odd though; I don’t think the problem comes from a “We’re better than the rest of the world” or even a “we don’t need the rest of the world” mentality as much as it is “Wait. There’s a rest of the world?”
Yes. Yes there is. And while we aren’t all called to soujourn as goats in Nepal, we probably should explore it to some extent.
Via Korea 
don’t worry! that kind of questioning is not limited to Americans…
haha, you will keep getting the ‘which korea’ question as well as, ‘how’s the japanese/ chinese food’ even after you’ve landed. Might as well make that face your facebook profile picture ;)
This whole thing had me laughing :) I love your writing style.
I expect my own declaration will result in similar responses, although at least most of my family and friends know I want to study abroad there…I don’t think they realize I intend to LIVE there. There being South Korea, of course. I’m not quite as buddy-buddy with Kim Jong Il as you ;)
Thanks for the follow and I can see I’ll really enjoy following you!
Haha. I’ll put in a good word with Jong-i for you.
Seriously, though– thanks! I’m really glad you enjoyed it.
About your blog– I’m so impressed that you know that you want to go and are already getting the language and everything down already. You’re going to be so ready when you do study/move! Good luck!
Hahaha, I haven’t come across something as ridiculous as that yet (probably because I’m very wary of mentioning my Korea/Japan/Asia obsession to anyone who I’m not close with, but it sort of reminds me of what happens every time I talk to my family.
My poor family, haha. Since I apparently have little to no life outside of the internet, I can’t help but to bring up Korea in some form or other every single time we talk. They’re good sports about me referencing things like eatyourkimchi experiences in normal conversation, but every time I do it, I just kind of realize what a dork I am.
Although, I don’t seem to have the same guilt toward my boyfriend, who I force to endure every aspect of my internet life and LIKE IT! Hehe =P
Haha. I can definitely sympathize with you. Our poor, poor acquaintances. I’m going to go ahead and award your boyfriend 20 man points for putting up with, I assume, more kpop than he had ever planned on encountering, and you 20 nasty points for the EYK reference. :)
Ahaha, my boyfriend appreciates the props ^^ He gets so few rewards for his patience, hehehe.
Do you know where you want to teach, or what age level you are shooting for?
Also, let me know if you need any help.
I’ve been accepted to teach with Chungdahm Learning, but I won’t know what branch they will place me at until about a month before departure. I requested to teach upper grade school / middle school kids. We’ll see! Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
And your blog is great, by the way.
I love your writing style truly enjoying this web site. “How helpless we are, like netted birds, when we are caught by desire” by Belva Plain.