Day 222: The Top Ten: Worst Of Korea - Part 2

Here's the second part of the top ten things in Korea that drive me bonkers the most!

5) AIR POLLUTION:

Because of so many people living in such a small area, and with all the heavy industry that drives Korea's economy, the air pollution here is beyond disgusting. I used to think that LA had bad air....not anymore! They sky here is almost never blue - it's always a sorta greyish brownish blueish colour. For most of the year (at least in the warmer months) there's this giant brown and yellow cloud of smog that just SITS over top of Central Seoul and never ever goes away. The air pollution is literally choking this city to death! There are some beautiful mountains to the north of Ilsan but I only get to see them about two or three times a month if I'm lucky cause the rest of the time they're hidden behind an impermeable shroud of smog. And the oh-so lovely bonus of all of this air pollution is a condition that I call Perma-Phlegm. Your throat is permanately clogged with gross disgusting phlegm. I have to hack up like ten or more big fat juicy seething writhing gobs of gooey spit from the depths within cause of the air pollution. My mother would SO NOT be impressed by all the spitting I have to do, but it's either that or choke to death on my own phlegm! Mmmm...yummy!

4) SAYING GOODBYE:

As mentioned earlier in the Best of Korea list, as a negative side effect of the expat lifestyle here in Korea, is the fact that you're always having to say goodbye to people. Employment contracts are only on a one-year basis and so teachers come and go like the changing of the seasons. Some teachers do sign on for another year but most of them are only here for their 365 days and then they're off to their next adventure in life. It means that you meet such wonderful, friendly, kindred spirits, but your friendship (at least in person) automatically comes with an expiry date. I've made some truly amazing friends here but many have already come and gone in my seven months in Korea. It really, really sucks saying goodbye all the time but alas, it comes with the territory. And it never gets any easier though with each passing goodbye.

3) LACK OF FOREIGN FOOD:

One of the most difficult things for people to adjust to is Korean food. Korean food is actually quite delicious, but the hardest part about it is not having access to all your familiar, tasty, comfort foods from back home. Moving to a foreign country can be really stressful and exhausting and sometimes all you really want is to eat something you recognize and enjoy. Seoul, for a city its size, is quite limited in its availability of foreign foods (either in restaurants or in grocery stores) so it's really hard to find your favourite foods. And its weird that once you're removed from something, you get the worst cravings for it and want it SO BAD! For example, about a month or so after moving here I was craving peanut butter like you wouldn't believe. This is kinda strange considering that I hate peanut butter like maybe once or twice a year back home. But suddenly because I couldn't have it, and because it was familiar and comforting, I really, really had to have it. I did end up finding it eventually but there's still plenty of foods that I don't have access to that I so wish I did. I'd give away my left nut for some Mexican food, or some chicken shwarma, or some grilled salmon, or a huge Caesar salad, or a bg-ass sandwich that's not from Subway, or coffee from Delany's, or my Mom's homecooking! Oh, how strong and ruthless my stomach is!

2) EVIL HAGWONS:

Hagwaon is the Korean word for foreign language school, but it also doubles for Extreme Risk At Getting Fucked Over By A Greedy Korean Bastard. Now we all know the horror story that I went through with my old school (I still get shudders just thinking about it) but my experience is unfortunately not a unique one. Foreign teachers get screwed over all the time here in Korea. Korea is a unique chance to experience life abroad, explore a culture, and make a lot of money, but that's only if you end up at a good school. The majority of schools here are poorly managed by Koreans who often treat foreigners very badly. Teachers get promised certain hours or pay and then when they get here it's totally different. Or you get a shitty apartment. Or they pay you late or not at all and then hide your passport so you can't leave the country. Or they fire you one month before your contract's end so they don't have to pay you your severance. Shit like this happens more often than I care to admit. Just check out Dave's ESL Cafe online or englishspectrum.com and you can sample all the horror stories. I hate to let this discourage you, but trying to find a good school that won't screw you is a significant challenge for any foreigner who's thinking of coming to Korea.

1) THE KOREANS:

The Koreans embody all that is the best - and the worst - that is Korea. The vast majority of them are kind, friendly folk who are very helpful and curious about foreigners, but a significant chunk of them make you want to throw yourself into the Han River. Koreans are stubborn to a point of ridiculousness, and are naive and sheltered and know very little or nothing about the outside world. They only wanna see/do/eat/listen/read/purchase Korean stuff and anything else they have no interest in. They can be rude, loud, very crude, insensitive, and PUSHY. People here actually shove their way through crowds and butt in front of you in line (including sweet little old grannies!) Koreans make any attempt to learn their language extremely difficult as unless your pronounce it *exactly* right they'll have no idea what you're saying. They're whiney and complainers by heart and are very close-minded and prejudiced. They can be exclusive and cliquey and many will hate you just because you're Caucasian. You will get screamed at on the street for random, no apparent reasons. You will have drunks falling over onto you/puking on you on the streets and on transit. You will have people laugh at you and ask why you're too fat or too skinny or too tall or too short or too whatever. They can be very vain and shallow and image-conscious and obsessively materialistic. They will lie to your face just to make more money or to get a better deal for themselves. They can be just downright cold. Now like I said most of them are anything but like this, but there are quite a few that have a very effective way of making you feel not welcome in this country at all. You just have to have the confidence and will power to ignore them and remember that most Koreans are very sincere and honest and friendly.

***The cumulative weight of the Best of Korea FAR outweighs the Worst of Korea but I just wanted you to know that it's not all sunshine and rainbows here 24/7. There are many significant challenges to overcome here and staying for a full year is a true test in personal strength and endurance. But the wonders of this amazing little country will reward you a hundred times over for all the shit that you have to deal with. You just have to have some tenacity and a positive attitude. And that's Korea for ya.