Good Morning Korea

Stumbling off my bed onto the heated wooden floorboards. My vision is blurred without the help of my contact lenses or plastic frame glasses. Waking up in Seoul, I feel a similar sensation as my predictable daily Minnesota world is thousands of kilometers away. I close my eyes only to discover that a scooter or car has decided to take a spin on the sidewalk past a group of stylish girls strolling through the streets in their high heels, leggings and colorful sweaters. Food venders fill every street corner with rice cakes, kimbop, fruit and various items covered in chili paste. I keep my hands by the side as I decline to take advertisements from individuals practically shoving pieces of paper into my face and turn my head to one of the food venders.

I can feel my leg muscles tighten as I learn to speed walk through the crowded streets, my stomach beg to enter Red Mango and the various restaurants and my ears strain to understand the KPop music playing from cell phone and clothing stores. My definition of personal space has transformed or rather become nonexistent, as it is rare to have more than a few inches of breathing space between myself and the person in front of me. But despite all the people, I feel extremely safe among the crowds as long as I watch my step as my foot enters the pavement. Crosswalks do not guarantee your safety. I confidently stick my sneakers into the road and move with the mass of people.

Girls and guys alike are definitely up on the latest fashion. My clothing and lack of makeup most likely marks me as someone who has not lived in Seoul for an extended period of time, but my face permits me to blend in to an extent. Being a Korean-American (Kyopo), people will often speak to me in Korean, but the minute I open my mouth my nationality becomes apparent. Even when I use my short phrases and small vocabulary I am sure that my pronunciation could use a great deal of improvement. The need to study hard in my language class has increased (at least in my eyes). Luckily I am learning to navigate my way around the Yonsei campus in a speedy fashion, so library here I come! Or at least that's where I intend to go until I am distracted a number of other attractions. And I keep telling myself this is only the beginning, but time is escaping me.