Conclusions

Well, given that I have left the 38th Parallel, I suppose that it's time to wrap this blog up - for now. Nobody knows what the future holds.

I feel compelled to write some grand sweeping summary of my experiences, but as Anthony Bourdain might say, I'm not going to insult Korea and Koreans by reducing an entire culture to a one- or two-paragraph blurb. It's like anywhere else. Many people are lovely; some would be strong contenders for a gold medal in an Olympic Toolshed event. Koreans are like us with more kimchi. They eat at McDonald's; they wear Polo and Hilfiger; they watch the English Premier League.

In fact, the experience was often so eerily similar to living in Seattle that at times I found myself longing for a bygone era. In class we read A Passage to India (good) and The Secret Garden (bad) and as I read these books I found myself envying the European characters who lived on the subcontinent at the turn of the century. Everything would have been completely alien to them. Letters would have been their only form of communication with friends and family back home. Every day would have been a learning experience. I wonder what it was like for my grandpa back in 1944 or so when they told him he was getting shipped off to Tinian (Tini - what?). Nowadays he'd be able to watch a Discovery Channel program about the island then gamble his paycheck away in air-conditioned comfort if he was so inclined.

That's not to say I think other cultures should be forced to serve as living time capsules. For the idiots who rail against America's cultural imperialism, I dare you to take a trip to the Korean War museum and see what life was like before and what it's like now. The truth is that Western culture conquered the world because McDonald's tastes really good, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger make nice clothes, and the Premier League is awesome. What we've lost in diversity, we've gained in standard of living. That's really a good thing, on all levels except the sentimental.

As a result of all this I think it would be trite and forced to talk about how Korean "changed" me. I do have more sympathy now for immigrants to American struggling with the English language, though I remain committed to the idea of strictly controlled immigration. I completed the visa paperwork, I acquired the background check, I paid all the fees, so should everyone else. I mean, if you met some of the people who actually managed to PASS these controls and get jobs, you have to wonder what kind of people FAILED. But I've also learned that you can come to a totally different place and NOT change, because you'll be accepted for who you are. I'm still the same James: loyal to then end when you're on my side, and a vehement smart-ass when you're not.

Advice? If you're thinking about living abroad, do it, and that's coming from someone who got dealt a few crappy hands over there. People say "life is short" but these days it ain't. You're going to live, God willing, to the age of 80 or 90. If you don't travel now you can either wait to do it with your kids screaming on the airplane and moaning about peeing every 10 minutes, or wait until you're old and grey. I'm pretty happy that I went to Macau when I was young enough to walk the city and independent enough to stop wherever I wanted for however long I wanted.

I remember a time, years ago, when I was seething enviously over my high school classmates' whirlwind tour of Europe. My dad told me that if I was going to see Europe, he wanted me to do it while studying so I could really experience it. Having studied in Copenhagen and now worked in Korea, I can assure you he was right. When you're on vacation, you're stressed, you're trying to cram as much in as possible, and you're basically trying to execute every plan with military precision. That isn't "fun." When you live somewhere, you go with your friends to a museum then get to sit and have a beer with them and discuss it, then do it again somewhere else the next weekend.

Brenda and I used to joke that coming to Korea was like hitting the pause button on our lives. In a way, that's true. It's delayed me 18 months to 2 years in finding my real career. I know that when I go to the 10 year reunion next year - assuming I haven't f***ed off to another country - there will be classmates with nicer cars, better jobs, and families. But somehow, when people are showing me their baby pictures or talking about the big deal they just closed, the mental retort of "I went to the World Cup" will leave me perfectly satisfied.

That's about it I guess. Thanks to everyone who read this, here or on Facebook. To quote Duke Ellington, you're very beautiful, very sweet, and we do love you madly. I hope you'll continue to follow my other blog, Live From Soccer City, and I will rig Facebook to post those entries.

-James
Hong Kong, June 7, 2010