Foreigners You Meet

I haven't talked as much about the expat community as I sometimes ought to, mostly because for the most part I simply don't care. In Korea especially many seem to feel that Korea is just a place to extend their frat boy lifestyles for another year, whether they are 25 or 35.

I feel that when you go abroad you are, whether you like it or not, a representative of your country or at least of your region (westerners, foreigners etc.). I don't think it is too much to ask that when you are abroad, especially in a country as outwardly conservative as Korea, that you behave (emphasis out outward, there is more gambling, prostitution and drinking here than in any western country, we just don't ever talk about it). The expectation that you will wear pants at all times when outside of your apartment is not unreasonable. If you can't not be hungover at work at least have the decency to have a shower before work and shut up about your hangover at work (it's what all your Korean coworkers who are hungover are doing). If you wouldn't dress like that at home don't do it here and if you were dressing like that at home perhaps you want to think about why you left (fled) in the first place. I am NOT saying you need to be a monk when abroad, but use common sense.


However, I am focusing on the negative. The fact is that Korea has exposed me to many of the most interesting people I have ever met. People who are outgoing, engaging and at times a bit eccentric, but never ridiculous and always entertaining. People who gave me great ideas, inspired people around them and who never got in a bar fight while wearing a cape and a mask in July. People who saw the expat life for what it was and knew what to do. Some I have met only for a day or two and I feel stupid listing them off, but several I have met I do hope to count among my lifetime friends. Even this blog, which exists only because of the time I spent with David in my first year of Korea (talk about a neat guy, I was disappointed when he stopped his blog). My exercise which now has me down 12 pounds and feeling great I owe largely to Mike and I think, at the risk of being conceited, that I repaid that with the idea of grad school, which we both ran (or are running) with. Talk about mutually beneficial. There have been many others who I shared a trip with, learned from and continue to get to know. It's hard to explain sometimes but when my friends back home are hanging out with their high school friends and I am at a Korean bar with a guy from Tampa Bay or a ball game with a guy from Texas, a guy from California, a guy from Vancouver and a girl from Taiwan it's fairly amazing. Some of them used Korea to grow and others used it to have a last hurrah before growing up, but the fact that they knew that was the case seemed to make them infinitely more interesting than the ones who were just washed up, and a lot of fun to be with.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to: Geoff Harrison, Mike Alpaugh, Kris Tsatsakis, Bobby Clauss, Angela Adair, Paul Christeller, Kris and Miranda Amon, Leanne Richards, Caroline Richards (no relation), David Boddington, Jarrod Clegg, Kurt Archer as well as the Korean friends I have made like Baek Hyunsim, Shin Kwangho and Lim Haemi.

I am sure I'll meet many more interesting people before I am done, but with grad school underway I feel like my time in Korea is suddenly entering the final lap. While that final lap may be two more years it does feel like Korea is winding down for me (though not the expat life necessarily, I really want to do a year in Taiwan). However, the people I have met have made the last four years an amazing adventure and I am excited to see who I will meet next.