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My Life in Korea: ‘Thank You!’

It has been two and a half years since I came to Korea, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. When I first landed here, I couldn’t speak any Korean. I have since become fairly good at Korean, along with having received a black belt in taekwondo, reconnected with my Korean school friends, and made many new Korean and international friends. I can sincerely say that these years have provided such beautiful memories that I would like to share my wonderful experiences with others.
From the moment I landed at Incheon International Airport I felt excitement build up within me, and as we drove toward Seoul I was impressed by the magnificent bridges and smooth expressways. Our first stop was at Noryangjin Fish Market, certainly the biggest fish market I had ever seen, boasting a wide range of fish and sea food, such as octopus, eel, shrimp, and crab. When I stopped to buy some mackerel, the vendors looked at me and said that they thought I was Korean. I would hear this again and again since I am from the state of Mizoram, in the northeast area of India. My first meal in Seoul was samgyeopsal, pork barbecued right before my eyes, dipped in chili sauce or soybean paste, and then wrapped in greens. I took to it immediately and knew instinctively that I would be enjoying my tenure in Korea. I was rather bemused by the happy laughter of the people at the table next to us, who were enjoying each other’s company and drinking soju. Even at a later hour, there were fashionable young people out in the streets.
On my first Sunday, I decided to travel by the Seoul metro, armed with only a smattering of Korean phrases that I had memorized and a guidebook. I was touched by the kindness of people that stopped to help me find my way. Language did not pose a huge hurdle as some of the Korea people would even go 10 minutes out of their way to guide me to a subway station. My most joyful moment was when a Korean staff member of our Embassy located my Korean friends with whom I had attended St. Anne’s High School, in Mumbai, through the Internet. Ho Hyun and Ho jin had lived in India for two years because their father, a Hyundai company executive, had been assigned to work in India. When I called Ho Hyun, she screamed with delight.
We got together the following mountain end and spent a beautiful afternoon at Gyeongbok Palace, and walked hand-in-hand, as we did as students, along the artsy area of Samcheong-dong, all the while catching up on each other’s lives. On the day of her wedding, Ho Hyun’s father asked me to stand for the guests, while explaining that I used to attend school with his daughters in India. I attend most of Ho Hyun and Ho Jin’s important family gatherings, like the Lunar New Year’s and Chuseok holidays. They seem to have so graciously accepted me as part of their family!
I studied Korean language as a fellow of the Korea Foundation’s Korean Language and Culture Learning Program for Diplomats at the Language Institute of Seoul National University. I made friends with diplomatic staff from a variety of countries. Our teachers did not restrict the classes to the textbooks alone, but also updated us on the latest trends, films, dramas, songs news, and even shared extensively from their own life experiences. Our language learning was made all the more interesting as every semester we were paired with an SNU graduate student, who helped us to practice our Korean and introduced us to student life here. We also enjoyed various cultural experiences, field trips, and tours outside of Seoul. This included skiing at Phoenix Park Ski Resort, touring a traditional Korean village in Andong, and visiting Gyeongju, once the capital of the Silla dynasty. I also learned taekwondo as part of this program, and even earned my black belt within one year. One of my favorite pastimes was ‘noraebang,’ where I could belt out popular Korean numbers. The language instructors, as well as the diplomat participants who are posted in Seoul, continue to meet on a regular basis.
Since I come from a mountainous region in India, another of my favorite activities was hiking. On several occasions, members of our Embassy have joined temple stay programs during the weekend. Since Buddhist temples are often located on mountain slopes, I have seen much of Korea’s gorgeous landscape and natural scenery. I’ve also gone hiking at Mt.Seorak, Mt.Gwanak, and even Mt.Geumgang in North Korea. Every time out, I have felt a kindred spirit with the other mountain lovers. Many Koreans are avid mountain climbers and it is amazing how fit they are, irrespective of their age. Many times other climbers would lend me a helping hand as I attempted to surmount a treacherous mountain area.
I have been deeply touched by the kindness and affection of the Korean people during my time here. I have seen this in my teachers, who went above and beyond their call of duty, to make us feel at home. I often feel it in perfect strangers who sometimes go out of their way to help me, and I certainly experience it in the sincerity and warmth of my close Korean friends. I am struck by the fact that even in the process of modernization, Koreans have continued to embrace their traditional values, such as respect for elders, discipline, family relations, and impeccable hospitality for guests. Perhaps it is because Indians also value such traditions that I have never felt out of place in Korea.



I am presently in charge of the cultural affairs of the Embassy of India in Seoul. As a result of President Lee Myung-bak’s state visit to India earlier this year, our bilateral relations have been elevated to a Strategic Partnership. The need to further strengthen cultural exchange and people-to-people contacts between India and the Republic of Korea has been duly recognized with the designation of 2011 as the “Year of Korea” in India, and the “Year of India” in Korea. A memorandum of understanding between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Korea Foundation is slated to be concluded soon, to promote further cultural cooperation. It is my deepest desire to fulfill my role of bringing together the peoples and the cultures of our two countries. Just as I have enjoyed my time in Korea so tremendously, I would like the people of Korea to have a chance to experience the culture and people of India.

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