Squid Drying Under the Sun

Some years ago I packed my bags, boarded a plane with a visa to work in South Korea for a year, and took a leap of faith.  I didn’t speak the language.  I didn’t know anyone in the town where I was headed.  I’d eaten Korean food in Los Angeles on numerous occasions and liked it.  But, really I had no idea what to expect entering a culture so different from my own, and no idea how that journey would change me and change my life.

I had travelled to foreign countries before my time in Korea, but there had been other Americans around, and people also seemed to speak English whenever I needed assistance or was lost.  Korea was different, and unexpectedly so, as I was told I would be living and working with other foreign teachers.  This wasn’t the case.  I flew into Seoul, and caught another smaller plane to Masan.  I arrived with three other foreigners – one Canadian and two Americans.  As we were standing outside the school, a car drove up and I was instructed to get in.  I really didn’t want to, especially as the other three weren’t.  I was told that I would be taken to a branch of the school in another city, and other teachers were already onsite.  So, I got in the car.

I have to mention it was now around midnight so all the city lights were on and blazing.  As we drove, the lights slowly, but entirely disappeared.  Then there was just darkness, until some lights began to appear again, but not many.  The car stopped outside a three story office building on a dirt road. I couldn’t see much in the darkness except all the signs written of course in Korean, and some chickens crossing the road.  Where was I?

The driver didn’t speak English but pulled my bags out of the trunk so I assumed this was my stop.  He rang a door bell, and a man, woman and young boy appeared in the doorway.  They were all smiles and made me feel at ease… or at least a little at ease.  The man picked up my case and said “follow me” in English… and I felt even more at ease.  I bowed goodnight to his wife and child, after watching them treat me with the same courtesy.  And, up the stairs we went.

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