South Korea: This is my journal.
I only write what I see, but sometimes we see too much. I hope I have not
I just boarded a Boeing 787 from Atlanta to San Fransisco. What is my ultimate destination? To be honest, I don’t know but for now, I am going to South Korea to teach English at ECC Foreign Language Instituted in Pyeongtaek South Korea.
I am afraid, I am nervous, my hands are shaking. I don’t know what to expect. I have never been to an Asian country before. As humans, we are naturally afraid of what we don’t know. But I am aware of this fear although I cannot conquer it. Who can conquer fear? Only death. But I am relying on my former travels to help me in this transition. I have been here before, I have felt this before, but I also know this is different. I have traveled to Brazil; I came by myself to meet my parents from Cameroon to America and I was only 11 years old. I am scared but fear is natural. Sometimes fear helps us find ourselves. This journey will help me find myself…….I have been looking for so long.
I arrived in San Fransisco at 12:05 pm and my next flight leaves in two hours. From San Fransisco to Incheon South Korea. Who is waiting for me? Why am I on this plane? Where am I going? The answers are not that simple.
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{ 5 comments }
This is a very interesting entry. People do fear what they do not know. So wouldn’t a solution be to learn so you won’t fear?
It is a bit of a platitude but fear is often worth facing head on just so you can learn and turn your own predictable world on its head. I am an intensive care nurse by trade; which means I have the super power to work in any country anywhere in the world. Admittedly, I am not as brave as you and so far I am sticking to the former colonies (New Zealand, Oz with Canada in my sights). I am now totally addicted to this ever changing lifestyle and the cultural challenges and learnings it throws up … and now the only fear I have is that maybe I will never stop traveling!
I studied abroad in Korea two years ago. I’ve been drawn to this country since college and have made many Korean friends, and now that I’ve graduated I’m more scared and confused about the next step than any other time in my life. I have always had low self esteem and not much in the way of support or direction. Like, you, I also grew up in two different cultures and therefore technically shouldn’t be as weak minded and affected by transitions as I seem to be. Know that you’re not alone in your fears or uncertainties. You’ve made a huge leap by just deciding to embark on such a journey. People who do take the risk to face the unknown will find the true treasures in life. I know this, although I’m still doubting and searching for a way that will help me forward. I guess it’s a way of learning about adulthood and how the outside world really works. Maybe it will get easier.
Good luck on your adventure in Korea and hope you find yourself soon enough.
Roxana,
Sometimes just knowing that someone else has or is going through what one is experiencing reminds us that we are not alone and should not be afraid of the future as we often are when we are faced with change. We are all searching for a direction, peace of mind and a place to call home; sometimes when we find it, is not what we thought it was and our foundation gets shaken and fear finds itself in our hearts again. But fear, once experienced becomes a weaker emotion the next time around and it gets easier.
it is fascinating to see and here about your adventures there in South Korea.Life really is wonderful and we only find our selves at that peak when the opportunities come our way.I sincerely admire this and i will only conclude by making pronouncements that it is nice to be educated in order to travel and build up your mind for more challenges in life.
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