Life Experience in Korea

Taking Korean Air Line flight about 5 hours directed from Cambodia to Republic of Korea, I first arrived conveniently at Incheon international airport located 70 Km away from Seoul the capital of Korea in late August 2010. Landing safety, I was very shocked with the airport’s structures and decorations to which related my field of Civil Engineering closely. Taking on by bus moved forward to my destination about 4 hours in duration, I could see many modern and standard infrastructures along the way including transportations, high rise buildings, building condominiums, high ways, bridges, tunnels, super centers, houses and so on. I immediately recognized that Korea is the right place to further my study in field of construction. Then I arrived at Konyang University by which Korean’s administration division located in Nonsan, a city of Chungcheongnam-do Province. I was served enthusiastically by university staffs for dormitory stay and class of Korean language. Two days later as on 1^st of September I started Korean language class with mix of foreign students mostly Chinese and Japanese. It is the fact that I am old in age but young in living life in Korea which gives me many experiences such as weather of four seasons, hot and spicy foods, shopping packaging, sharing room with Korean students in dormitory and studying Korean language. I have found my Lifein Korea is really interesting and challenging.

First of all, I would like to share my experience of getting new season. Because it was autumn the weather is same as one in Cambodia so that I easily adapt it. However nowadays winter is coming soon compels temperature sometimes fluctuates. To me, people used to live in a country consists of two seasons of spring and summer which the temperature is between 25 to 37 degrees Celsius, it is extremely cold some days. Certainly it surprises me when the temperature reaches to 0 degrees Celsius. To protect myself from this low temperature I was advised to have some necessary things such as winter clothes body lotion and have exercise schedule. Winter in Korea must be one of my new challenge and favorite season that I have never met.

I would like to keep my report goes on by describing Korean foods or, my personal calling, spicy foods. Living here I am not only face with weather but also foods. I cannot forget my first lunch which surprised me because I just ordered one but I got lots of side dishes. I try eating 김치,a well known in Korea but everywhere serves Korean cuisine, because I wanted to taste to find out why every meal time Korean people eat 김치. I cannot answer immediately I just found that it was a little bit pungent. My first unexpected Korean food was 된장찌개 the most pungent food that I ever eat. I wondered why Korean people eat such hot food like this, as Iknow eating many of hot foods affect stomach but I see Koreanpeople are healthy, beauty and handsome. Moreover, because it was autumn and I ate hot food I felt very abnormal both inside and outside of my body. Without knowing Korean language Iused to order foods that I could not eat at that time. It was when I did not know the name and kind of food and just try ordering. However the time passes day by day and Imust eat those of foods I can adapt Korean food very well because I know the name and taste of each food and not all Korean foods contain many spicy.I have found my favorite foods such as 비빔밥, 돈가스, 된장찌개 and 참치찌개.

Other thing to be shared is my funny of paying for plastic bag. Before I came to Korea I used to think that there must be have many differences such as weather, food, living style, culture and so on. But there is one thing that Ihave never thought ispackaging. I cannot forget a funny story of my first buying snacks. After seller checked bill I got only those snacks. I wanted a plastic bag but I could not speak this in Korean so I went nearby and pointed it. She understood my gesture and took one for me. I handed the bag and she said 20 won. I was shock with funny after giving her 20 won. I wonder why they sell such this small goods which is generally free when we buy goods that need it to carry in my country. After that day I used plastic bag very efficient that habit maybe the reason why plastic bag is not free.

I would like to further my description with my life of living in dormitory with Korean students. My dormitory life experience is one of much enjoyment and frustration.t is my first time of moving away from my parent’s home. Because of different culture, previous unknown, different habit especially that I could not speak Korean to my roommate made my living really not easy at the beginning. At our first meeting I could not tell him and he could understand what I wanted to say. We used computer anddictionary to translate word by word to reach the meaning and sometime we miss understood. But nowadays my roommate and I have recognized each other and we live happily. In addition life in dormitory is sometimes made me homesick. It is experience that joining outside or school activities and realizing environment has brought me a ways of feeling homesick. Moreover I have found my living in dormitory inconvenience when I am not allowed to cook and have my clothes ironed. If cooking is available I will I surely make Cambodia food and eat with my family through video chatting. But that is just thinking when cooking is not allowed is the dormitory rule.

Starting Korean language class is one of my unforgettable experiences. I study Korean language at Konyang University which is one of leading universities in Korea. I am here with helpful of university staffs, helper, teachers and friends. Most of problems have been solved by university staffs who work day and night, weekday and weekend. On the other hand, I met a Korean student coincidently and letter by arrangement of university he become my helper. It is my luck to know 이모찬 who warms me although I am far away from home. I cannot express my feeling about him by just writing. I just know this guy help me a lot. One day he told me "Lymei when you unhappy pleasecall to me because I understand your feeling as I use to be far away from home the same as you are now." It is not just the words but actions. This guy teaches me Korean language and tells me Korean culture and guides me through everything in Korean. I think that it is very helpful for foreign students to have helper. Similarly Ihave learned politeness and respectful culture of Korean expressed whenever and wherever in their living. Couple with my class, I learn Korean language uneasily because Cambodia language and Korean language are far similar however I am taught by pedagogy native Korean teacher who are very kind and helpful. My Korean is starting from nothing to a little and I hope it becomes better and better. I am in classroom with foreign students. Actually because of different languages we are difficult to communicate but it is good that we can practice ourlittle known Korean. We, also, share our cultures and customs and we found activities in class very friendly and actively. It is the university’s principle creation ofstudy tour activities to cultural sites which allow us to study about Korean culture and compare to ours. I get more interest on Korean culture while I found it has some part similarly to my cultures of my friends and mine. From my point of view the more we share about culture and more we get close. Therefore please teach and share me Koreanculture and other cultures and share you back mine and we will found something very fantastic.

All things mentioned above are my two months experience which can be shorted as protection from weather, recognition of hot and spicy food, paying of small plastic bag, life in dormitory and environment of Korean class. Without Korean language foreign students are very difficult to communicate; therefore we must enjoy study Korean both in and out class. Day by day my living is changing from good to better.