I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m home already. I wish I had more time in Korea! I don\u2019t think I can decide what I\u2019ll 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\u2019s 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\u2019s easy to forget how big Seoul is because I\u2019d take the subway from Anam and emerge at a completely different part, oblivious to how far I\u2019d traveled. I know it\u2019s big, but it didn\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now that I\u2019ve added another country to my \u2018visited\u2019 list, I\u2019ve been reflecting on the differences between the United States and the places I\u2019ve been to. I\u2019ve 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\u2019re on. Americans fantasize about leaving depressing buildings and concrete jungles for Europe, with its beautiful architecture and charm. People I\u2019ve 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\u2019ve been to besides Missouri and Kansas, and it\u2019s only 17 out of the remaining 48. There are several famous and large cities \u2014 Los Angeles, Boston, New Orleans, Philadelphia to name a few \u2014 that I\u2019ve never been to. The counter observation to \u201cthe grass is always greener\u201d is that so many people, including myself, are relieved to be home after even just a week or two of international travel. I\u2019ve had a great time in every country that I\u2019ve visited (Italy, the U.K., Kenya, Mexico, South Korea), but there\u2019s 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\u2019d like without worrying that the other person wouldn\u2019t understand me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think there must be some kind of balance between my two observations, and it\u2019s different depending on your personality and experiences. Some people don\u2019t want to leave their home country, while others leave it behind entirely. For me, I\u2019d prefer to stay in the States but remember all of the things I\u2019ve 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\u2019s 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\u2019s strengths and improve life for humanity as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n