What are things that I need to know to be able to effectively cope in S.Korea?

Question

I won a slot in an exchange student program and I want to know even in broad strokes the things that I should be expecting. Knowing something in advance makes me feel more comfortable, more in control. Your answers would definitely help me to adjust in a new culture.
Thanks.

-I will be living in Daejeon-

Answer 1

i lived in daejeon for one year (10/05-10/06). its a great city. pretty good sized too. if u've never been there (or any other foreign country for that matter) be prepared for a lot of non-english signs, a lot of lights and different things to see than in the western part of the world.

first of all food. thats a big one. it can get really spicy. for me it was a different kind of spicy than say mexican food or something...korean spicy food seemed to give me the sniffles. oh well. hell even their pizza and burgers are different (ive seen a squid burger and a bulgogi...marinated meat type pizza.) if ur a chocolate eater, stick with the american brands that they carry. the korean brands to me were a little less sweet. (while the koreans that i knew said a snickers bar was too sweet for them). if u have any favorite snacks u cant live without bring some when u leave for korea. their snacks are a bit different too tehy might not carry it in korea. u can go to costco and get some western food if u like. its a a bit pricey though...as most western food is in korea.

also when ur walking around sometimes people will just bump into u for no apparent reason and not even apologize or act like they made contact with u. dont take it as a slight or disrespect. from what i was told its the culture and sometimes they see u coming and since they dont know u or u dont play any part in their life theyll just go thru like any other thing. i think my worker said it was some sort of confucianism thing. its annoying. ironically, the older, smaller women seem to bump their way thru people more than any others that ive seen. if that happens...but one of them for me! j/k

social interaction is a bit different also. its pretty common to see 2 girls or women walking hand in hand or arm in arm. thats not a sign of them being lesbian...its saying that theyre friends and thats how they express themselves. the guys on the other hand...i dont recall seeing them walk hand in hand...but i have seen guys walk around with a hand on the others shoulder while theyre walking. and also ive seen quite a few guys wear pink an awful lot. these things might sound petty, but if ur coming to korea from america (a pretty much homophobic society) itll take some time to get used to. and once u meet koreans there and they want to be friends with u...theyre respond to u in the same way that they do with their korean friends...their way of showing they want to include u in their group.

oh yeah...also the drving there is awful yet amusing at the same time. theres pretty much no rules when it comes to driving. people drive horribly there. really watch where u are going even if ur on the sidewalk b/c its pretty common to see a guy driving a moped whizzing by u and honking at u to get outta the way...even if ur on the sidewalk!

there is a lot of things to do in korea...and its all cheap to do. u can kareoake (noraebang), spa/sauna (jimgibang) go to to the mountains(gyerysan...i believe) or u can go to the beach (daechon beach...about 1.5 hrs away by bus) plus many other things...if u are not bringing a computer with u, just go into any place u see that says" PC" on it ...its a computer room. a dollar (about 1000 koren won) per hour.

u can also look in the yahoo! groups...there are a bunch of foreigner expats that live in daejeon and pretty much network together to get certain events arranged and just hang out. look that up...introduce urself to that group and im sure someone probably a few people would like to and wouldnt mind showing u around the city.

everything else...u'll find out on ur own and from what other tell u. hope u have a great stay!_

Answer 2

Koreans are very friendly people and are very helpful as well. I used to live in Daegu (many years ago) which is not too far from Daejon and I remember that it is just a completely different life than here in the U.S. It has changed a lot since I originally lived there, but a lot of the things have not changed - especially cultural things. They have a great respect for their history, more than Americans do. As someone else mentioned, elders have the utmost respect - although this is more of a cultural thing now than it is a religion thing. Buddhism is the primary religion in Korea, although many Koreans do not actively participate. Christianity is the second largest religion and there are churches everywhere.

One thing I have learned is that the different regions definitely have their own traditions. For example, the area where you will be living has a different "culture" than those who live in Seoul. In fact, some people from Daegu do not like people from Seoul and vice versa. I doubt that it is very prominent, but my step-mother is from Daegu and I believe her generation tends to feel more like this than younger people.

Be very willing to learn and experience everything you can while you are there. Many people go to Korea and don't really get to learn about it and they end up hating it. But if you immerse yourself in the culture and the language, you will learn to find Korea to be one of the most beautiful places on this planet.

First suggestion of places to visit is Kyongju - which is where a lot of the old royal tombs are. It's incredibly historic. Also, check out the Folk Village in Suwon and Haeinsa Temple.

Answer 3

I wouldn't really consider confucianism to be a religion per se, but it is true especially for the older generation that they follow confucian tradition. However most people under 30 speak at least as much english as most americans can speak spanish, and I find they generally do make eye contact with me(note: I mostly talk to people around my age). The food is a little different but it's so diverse you can definatly find at least a few things you like. Being a foreigner is a double edged sword. Sometimes you'll feel like a celebrity, and sometimes you'll feel like an outcast. I would suggest learning a little bit of korean before hand and at least be able to introduce yourself. Even if they speak english it will impress people to speak even a little korean. Another thing to note is that Koreans don't seem to have a concept of personal space like americans, so this will be an adjustment.

Answer 4

I live in Seoul, so I will not give you specific city advice, but here is my 2 cents: There is a REASON that Koreans act/do the things they do, and you will always find the answer in their history. So do not be annoyed that you are bumped aside, or someone jumps the queue at the ticket window, or that animals, or parts of animals foreign to you are eaten. Study up on their history and culture before you come so that you can better understand the differences, and you will better enjoy your time here.

Answer 5

Learn to like their food. Some are really spicy. Learn their culture and admire them for what they are. Learn to speak their language. Some South Koreans have a hard time conversing in English. Do not laugh at their accent. Learn to take the subway system and other public transportation other than a cab.

Answer 6

Learn about the region you are going to. Every region is slightly different from the other. Learn the basics, such as greeting, thankyou, please etc...Koreans are evolved people so it is not so difficult to get along with them.

Be prepared to get used to different food than you eat everyday. This is the big one. They eat a lot of sea food, not meat or beef. Their food mostly consists of pork in place of beef.

They, the Koreans, will adore you for your English. You will simply enjoy their company. They will want to spend a lot of time with you.

Their religion expects them to talk to elders with absolute respect. They do not sit at the same level as their elders.
They will not look straight in your eye when they talk. It is a mark of respect. They will have their head down, looking to the floor when they speak to you.

They are highly religious people. Respect it in every way. Not that you don't but there are some things they do, that you are not familiar with. If in doubt, ask.

You will make a lot of friends quickly. They are nice people. :-)