I can’t believe I’m home already. I wish I had more time in Korea! I don’t think I can decide what I’ll miss the most. The food, transportation, sights, people and experiences were all amazing. The rice bagel from Tous les Jours, the gym at Hana Square, the Seolleongtang restaurant down the street, the walk to class through the science campus, the Han River, the sound of students roaming the streets at night, tiny metal cups, umbrella dryers, kalguksu, Anam Station and Starbuck’s milk tea are just a few things I can name off the top of my head. On my last full day in Korea, I went to Lotte World Tower and gazed down at Seoul. I could see Namsan Tower in the distance and the mountain I hiked down after a temple stay. It’s easy to forget how big Seoul is because I’d take the subway from Anam and emerge at a completely different part, oblivious to how far I’d traveled. I know it’s big, but it didn’t always feel like I was living in one of the biggest urban areas in the world. Everything I needed for daily life was within walking distance, which is a luxury in the U.S. New York is the only city I can think of where you could easily walk everywhere.

Now that I’ve added another country to my ‘visited’ list, I’ve been reflecting on the differences between the United States and the places I’ve been to. I’ve made a couple conflicting observations while traveling internationally. On one hand, it seems to be that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, no matter which side you’re on. Americans fantasize about leaving depressing buildings and concrete jungles for Europe, with its beautiful architecture and charm. People I’ve met from various countries express desire and excitement about visiting the U.S. because of its size. There is so much to see that not even an American will see it in their lifetime. I counted all the states I’ve been to besides Missouri and Kansas, and it’s only 17 out of the remaining 48. There are several famous and large cities — Los Angeles, Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia to name a few — that I’ve never been to. The counter observation to “the grass is always greener” is that so many people, including myself, are relieved to be home after even just a week or two of international travel. I’ve had a great time in every country that I’ve visited (Italy, the U.K., Kenya, Mexico, South Korea), but there’s something comforting about coming home to my country, despite its problems (some which become more noticeable after going abroad) and the amazing experience I had abroad. I think one reason is that there is no longer a language or cultural barrier once you get home. I loved Korea, and I embraced the challenge of speaking in Korean when I was in public, but it is very nice to be able to say whatever I’d like without worrying that the other person wouldn’t understand me.

I think there must be some kind of balance between my two observations, and it’s different depending on your personality and experiences. Some people don’t want to leave their home country, while others leave it behind entirely. For me, I’d prefer to stay in the States but remember all of the things I’ve learned from other countries and encourage them here. Laws designed to reduce plastic waste, food waste recycling, public transportation, healthcare, safety and various cultural values (particularly collectivism versus individualism). There are certain things I can do already, like voting for politicians who are willing to implement and improve those things, but that’s just the minimum. Forming a community is much more efficient to make a change. Imagine if every customer at the Starbucks in Memorial Union opted for a reusable cup to be returned to the store after use, instead of entirely plastic ones (this is the law in Korea). So much waste (and money) would be saved in the long run. Now, what if every sit-in cafe customer in the country used a reusable cup? If we decide we want to make a change, as a community, it will be effective at something, even if the impact is ultimately small. Ultimately that is better than nothing. I hope people in other countries think the same way, and that as countries we can learn from each other’s strengths and improve life for humanity as a whole.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Korea University