By riakkim
Something that I continue to find astonishing is how small South Korea is- in comparison to the US, it would fit between San Francisco and LA, about the size of Indiana. Yet there's so much history and culture to be found wherever I go; in this case, Daegu, the second largest city in the Kyungsangdo region in Southeast Korea.
As soon as we arrived, we could tell the feel of the city was more relaxed, people weren't as in a rush and preoccupied, and there was a sort of friendliness that isn't as commonly found in Seoul. People would help you if something dropped from your pockets, and if you bumped into someone, both parties usually apologized, unlike the subtle glares I feel I commonly received in Seoul. The sky was wider, roads bigger, and Daegu was a sort of peace from the overwhelming and slightly lonelier nature of Seoul.
This was the first place i experienced outside of Seoul, and needless to say, it helped me understand Korean culture a little bit more. I think that one of the most charming aspects of Daegu was their 사투리, "satoori", or accent. The have a very distinct accent, and they speak slower and emphasize the vowels more- but sometimes it can be a little difficult to understand. It's something I really never hear much of back home, since growing up most of us learn the standard Seoul Korean (which is also why sometimes I have trouble understanding my grandparents).
Talking with random strangers throughout the day, like with some of the street food vendors and such made it clear that Daegu wasn't much of a city for tourists, and that many of the people there were happy with Daegu and didn't have much of a desire to leave- a sentiment I began to feel as I left back for Seoul. It was full of young families and children, and a large amount of dogs as well. It felt really well-suited for a family life in the city- there were many large parks, and it was also quite bus-accessible. We interacted with many children, exchanging smiles, waves, and occasional hellos.
These interactions were always full of kindness and a sort of earnestness that was refreshing and filled me with energy despite my slight fatigue; one of my favorite moments was watching the lady who owned a 붕어빵 stand, or fish-shaped bread stand, make her initial batches to ensure quality, and was giving some as she cooked to a child nearby, asking if they were delicious like he had asked her to make it. After, she had asked me about myself and my group- where we were from, why we were in Daegu, and other small talk. After they finished cooking and she filled my bag, she proceeded to give me some "service", or free extras, for buying a decent amount of small breads from her and waiting as she opened up.
Sometimes I feel like I have a very stuck opinion of Koreans- growing up in a Korean church community that could be very gossipy and emulated certain behaviors of many Koreans I knew and interacted with, I forget that culture too will change and evolve, and that expectations of people are oftentimes unhealthy and only lead to disappointment. I don't consider myself really a glass-half empty type, but I think when it came to expectations of people of my own culture, I tended to find myself in a more pessimistic and disappointed disposition. Travel is the ultimate eye-opener, and constantly meeting new people from different backgrounds, areas, and understanding of the world has always been a humbling experience, and I'm thankful that my first travels around Korea have been exactly that- within every culture are subcultures, different mannerisms, and of course, individuality.
Growing up between the two cultures of America and Korea, reconciling beliefs, mannerisms, and social behaviours has been difficult, and I think I subconsciously began to try and hate one part of my culture in order to adapt better to the other, when in reality they've both profoundly affected me and that despite the good and bad things about each, that finding a balance and being more accepting is always the first step.
