~Marita in the world~: november 2011

søndag 20. november 2011

Being foreigner in Korea.

Anonymous asked:

koreanere er mot utlendinger? (How does Koreans threat foreigners?)

I just want to start off by saying that what I write now is my experiences being foreigner and "different" in Korea. And other people might have different experience than I do.

I remember my first day in Korea. After arriving in Korea I stayed the first days at my friends home because I could not move into my dorm-room before some days after arriving. My friend did not live in Seoul, so I stayed the first day in Gimpo. Not to far from Seoul, but outside Seoul.

I remember we went to the store to buy some foods I could eat, to try to make me feel more like home and find foods I could enjoy. When we went inside the store all the people there had to greet my saying "Hallo" in english, school girls giggeling when greeting me. When we came back home the first thing my friend said to me was "You are like a celebrity!" I guess it was not everyday they could see a weird viking women like me..

The day after me and my friend had his coworkers coming over to his house, because they wanted to see me. Something that I found quite weird. Why did they want to see me?

Here in Norway I'm not used to get many compliments about my look. But from his coworkers all told me how pretty I looked, that my eyes looked like the sea. Because I was not used to hear such things, I really had a hard time saying "thanks" because It kinda felt like they were lying or something loool

My experiences throughout my whole stay,and later travels in Korea has been the same.

Being in Korea has made me feel better about myself because of many people telling me I look good, something I never hear here back home in Norway.

I have had people give me discounts when I go shopping because Im pretty, guys working at shops wanting to give me hugs,people on the street giving me complements.

But the thing I felt was most weird was taking the subway.

It have happen 30392 times that people on the subway has been touching my face, and my hair.I think the combination of being blond,having blue eyes, and curly hair is something that they find super exotic. I mostly had problem with older females touching my face on the subway. The first times I thought WTF are they doing??? But after a while I did not really care, because Im sure they are just curious.

But I do remember the first time I took the subway with a friend of mine who is dark skinned. While waiting for the train we were just standing there talking when it came 3 older females touching my friends skin, beliving it was not real.

My first semester at school, my teacher start to call me Doll. And many of my Korean friends call me doll also. Strangers also say I look like a doll...I guess for Koreans a doll is blond? Because I can't really understand why they think I look like one. Because I don't.

Its also very normal that people wanna talk with you. Because they are curious, and want to try to speak english. If you go to a coffeshop/subway or something by yourself, its not unusual for someone to come talking with you,wanting to try out speaking english. Its not everyday people have the opportunity to talk english, so many people,mostly young adults, collage students are very talkative. So if you go alone to Korea, you can easily get friends. I have Korean friends I have met at different coffeeshops etc when I have been alone. Coming over wanting to talk with me, and ending up hanging out later.

Many Koreans are really curious about foreigners.So don't think people are weird wanting to talk with you, they are just curious when they see foreigners. Its not like here in Norway, where we think people are psycho if someone talk with a stranger on the street.

Now it sound like its only positive being a white foreigner in Korea. But I have had negative experiences also. Like people yelling at me, telling me to get out of their store. Older people at the subway talking bad things about me, thinking I dont understand what they are saying. And older people saying many bad things if I hang out with Korean boys, and even worse if its my boyfriend etc that I hold hands with. Have happen that my Korean friends say "lets go, they are saying mean things about you!".

But honestly, I don't care.Its my choice going to a country where its few foreigners, I did know before going things like this would happen. I can't expect everybody to be nice to me when I go somewhere they are not used to see foreigners everyday.

But if any of you wanna go to Korea, do it! Instead of being afraid of those stupid people saying bad things about you, be happy everytime someone gives you a compliment! Being In Korea has for me been mostly positive, and I don't let those negative experiences get to me.

But I do got one advice for people going to Korea. Try to blend in! I don't mean you should try to look Korean or something. But if you wanna be liked, and not having people talk bad about you. Don't dress different, like some alternative fashion. Don't have facial piercings,or crazy hair colors. If you are a foreigner and have some crazy alternative fashion you will likely get more problems fitting in. If you dress like Kpop stars like 2NE1 or something, they will look weirdly at you. So dress normal,have natural hair color, they will mostly likely like you! Korea is not the place to dress to impress, fitting in with the crowd is the way to go!

So my tips are:

*Be natural

*Blend in

*Don't be shy

*learn basic korean

* Try to talk Korean with koreans (they will think you are supersmart)

*Don't care if people are rude or mean against you

lørdag 12. november 2011

Bored and empty for ideas!

Don't want this blog to die..

So im just wondering if anyone have something they want me to write about?

Im not shy, so I can write about whatever you wanna know about being a foreigner in korea, from dating to everyday stuff. BE CRAZY AND ASK ME SOME CRAZY STUFF GUYS.

lørdag 5. november 2011

Sorry people!

I most say sorry to everybody! (or just to myself really, because Im the only one who probly read my blog lol). I didnt have time to write about being in Korea when I was there on a vacation some months ago. I had so many plans about what to write and everything. But I never did, and now I feel bad two months after for not doing it. I wish I could write about everyday in Korea right now, but I dont remember. Hmmm.

But I still have many pictures I have not shown yet!

I can start by showing some??

This picture is from a shoppingmall in Dongdaemun, Dongdaemun was almost my second home while I were in Seoul. Because of cheap shopping ofcourse lol. I LOVE CHEAP CRAPPY CLOTHES <3

When I saw this store I almost died. Im a very girly girl, and when I see bling I almost die of excitment. I can never get enough of sparkeling things.

Also at Dongdaemun. I went shopping at night. All shoppingmalls are open to 4 in the morning, so good for people like me who likes both night and shopping.

pretty much what a shopping mall looks like in Dongdaemun, many floors with alot of shops.

Walking at night again I guess?

Oh yeah, one of my favourite underwear brands in Seoul. All their shops are sooo cool decorated.

On a walk close to my guesthouse at night. Many office buildnings that looks kinda cool at nighttime, but poor people working there so late lool suckers.

Almost where the office buildnings are,just behind them is a long fake man-made river with many lights. Mostly its only cuddling couples walking there holding hands, well because it is kinda romantic there. But because Im white they probly think I walk alone because I dont know better, and dont know that this place is mostly for lovebirds.

Last day shopping in Dongdaemun. I bought so many things. But most of the stuff was not for me! Im such an lovely person and bought stuff for my family and friends back in Norway

streetsign?

One of my favorite places in Seoul. I really enjoy walking here alone, its peaceful, and I really like traditional things, like houses etc.

At Insadong. Insadong is like a traditional street in Seoul where its alot of tourists buying korean stuff. My guesthouse was right beside this street, so it was very noisy in the morning because off all tourists walking around making alof of annoying noises when I tried to sleep lol not smart.