Student Spotlight: Alexia Hosein in South Korea
What is the relationship to food that the people in your host country have? When do they eat? What kinds of foods and ingredients do they eat? Are meals usually with a group or alone? Are there any traditions or customs surrounding food that aid digestion?
“So far what I am able to see is that in Korea, restaurants tend to serve large portions of food because people often dine out in groups. Recently, I visited a small Chinese restaurant in the Myeondong shopping strip with some friends. We ordered a dish called "jjajangmyeon," which consists of noodles in black bean sauce, along with a side of fried dumplings each. The waitress seemed surprised by our order, as this dish is usually shared among a group of people. It was a bit embarrassing, but the food was fantastic. I've noticed that pickled radish is a traditional side dish in Korean cuisine; it almost acts as a palate cleanser. So far, I've received kimchi or pickled yellow rags with every meal that didn't include bread. I think in more traditional food there is always a warm broth, that you are given which I think is used to balance the meal out.”
What does daily movement look like in your host country? Do people mainly drive cars or use public transportation? Do they walk or bike? Do you see people exercising? Are exercise facilities available and accessible?"
“This is the first thing I noticed when I arrived in Korea. Unlike in my hometown of San Diego, a small majority of people rely on cars as their main mode of transportation. I'm also part of a language exchange program at my university, where I can practice my Korean with a local student. My partner for this semester is a third-year university student who has never traveled outside of Korea. When I asked her about it, she mentioned that although many people have a driver's license, not everyone owns a car because the subway is so convenient that there's hardly any need for it. The subway system is exceptionally clean and reliable. It seems that many people opt not to drive due to the extreme crowding on the subway trains, often likened to being "packed like sardines." Additionally, we observed that the cost of gas is significantly higher compared to other expenses. This might be another reason why people prefer walking or using the subway or buses. I haven't had the chance to visit a park yet due to the location of my dorm, but there are numerous walkways in Seoul that are designed for pedestrians rather than cars, unlike in California. I haven't come across many gyms either, but I believe that's mainly because I'm not very familiar with my university and the surrounding area.”
Is there a cadence or rest in your host country? Do people generally go home or start their work or school at a certain hour? Do they have periods of rest during the day? Is there urgency or relaxedness in your host culture?
“The work culture here is incredibly intense. While we have a lot of holidays, at least in the recent past, when I study in the cafes around my school, I would often stay until late hours, still studying. It made me realize how quickly I had adapted to the work habits of the students here. There are a few key reasons I ended up staying for so long. Firstly, there is a lot of independent work to do, especially considering I'm mostly taking general education classes. Secondly, there were so many students working the same way that thought it was a normal hour and I lost track of time. The way they study here is twice as much and long than that of my home university. Lastly, the cafes stay open until very late, sometimes even until 11 pm to accommodate for this. The culture doesn’t really allow for much rest; it's mostly about managing your responsibilities on your own time. As for whether or not they are urgent to get work done or more relaxed with it I feel like I could use a quote that my partner had said, “people care less about the quality and more about proficiency.”