As I was preparing to move to Korea, one of the most common questions people asked me was “Are you going to be able to find gluten free options there?” The short answer is absolutely. But there is a long answer, too. Most traditional Korean meals are almost 100% gluten free. Which makes me extremely…
Category: Soliloquies
Living as a Foreigner 외국인으로 사는 것
I haven’t mentioned this since moving to Korea, but I thought I would share my experience of living as a foreigner here. I have spent my life in the U.S., where I would say that being Caucasian is one of the majorities, which meant that I was average and didn’t stand out of a crowd….
Minimalism: Living with Less
One thing about moving to Korea that was difficult for me was the fact that I could only take what fit in two suitcases and a carry on bag. Packing was a complete nightmare for me, and the day I was leaving, I realized that I was 40 pounds over the weight limit. Ultimately, I…
Hospitals (변원들) in Korea – The Curse of the Unlucky
I have come to a few realizations recently that A) I am actually an extremely clumsy – or unlucky – person, and B) I have a terrible relationship with fire and anything of a hot temperature. This past weekend, I accidentally gave myself a second degree burn. How is that possible, you might ask? Well,…
겨울 Winter Wonderland in South Korea
Although it isn’t officially winter until December 22nd, it is starting to feel a little bit like the winters back home. The Christmas lights and decorations were set up and lit the first weekend in December, and all of the coffee shops have holiday themed beverages and Christmas songs on their playlists. In fact, Starbucks…
And That’s a Wrap!
It’s been a busy few weeks, but today marks the end of my first semester teaching. I am happy for the experience, relieved that we have a break from teaching for a while, and sad that I won’t have the same students next semester. Overall, it was a great semester. I might have a few…
Another Week Has Passed, and 가을 (Fall) is Here!
This past week was busy and tiring, but there was still time to have fun and experience new things. I have been picking up some overtime at work as we are heading toward the end of the semester while also preparing for our winter camp. I know I will be sad to say goodbye to…
해피 할로윈! Happy Halloween!
This past week was Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. I have learned that people in Korea don’t celebrate Halloween like people in the U.S. do. While a lot of stores here will carry decorations, people don’t dress up in costumes. There was a Halloween party that was hosted by a group called Language Connection…
The Days of Travel that Never End
So as of right now, I am sitting in a restaurant in Busan, South Korea. I have just gotten off my third plane ride within the past 26 hours and I have one more bus ride and taxi trip to go. My trip back to Korea was the same as when I arrived. From Detroit…
생일 축하합니다
생일 축하합니다 means happy birthday. On October 14th, I turned 23. If you didn’t know, Koreans measure age differently than Americans do. Because babies are in the womb for 10 months, they just round it up to a year, so when you are born, you are already considered to be a year old. When January…
Sam's Scenes & Soliloquies 