MK 1997
I first visited Korea in 1997 when I was hired to be an English private tutor to a Japanese-speaking three-year-old Korean boy. I was studying a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism and I had been studying Japanese for two years. I was to teach the boy English by speaking Japanese.
My employer belonged to a family that was extremely wealthy. He was the CEO in one of South Korea's conglomerate companies.
I was twenty-one years old then and I was extremely excited to go to Korea, my boyfriend's home country. My boyfriend was graduating university on June 1997. I was only a junior in college then. I decided to take a year off to work in Korea and spend time with my boyfriend.
My employer was keen on me arriving in Korea as soon as possible. I processed my working visa and flew to Korea on April 23, 1997. I was picked up at Gimpo International Airport by a man I called Mr. Han. He spoke English fluently.
It was around 7pm when I met Mr. Han.
"We will have dinner at Shilla Hotel and then I will take you to the CEO's house," Mr. Han said.
I felt the spring breeze for the first time when I stepped out of Gimpo Airport. Mr. Han and I waited for his driver to pick us up. The ride from the airport to Shilla Hotel was fascinating. The infrastructure along Han River was spectacular. The roads were wide and had no traffic. I had never seen so many bridges in one river before. I was so impressed when I saw trains crossing the bridges.
To be continued...
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My KOREAnization
Non-FictionI have been living in and out of Korea since 1999. I got my Korean citizenship in 2003 and it is embarrassing that after living in Korea for so long my fluency in Korean is stagnant at intermediate level. I have many friends who visit Korea three to...
