A memory from Canada
I always get a bit philosophical before returning home.
I reflect on where I was and what I was doing a year ago and wonder if I'm better off or worse. I thought and compared myself to a year ago - new glasses, I ran 10k for the first time, still little to no Korean, maybe a better teacher?
I went into my desk drawer and I took out my collection of money. I have a few hundred dollars in various currencies, leftovers from vacations that I keep around either to sell to friends or to keep on hand for passing through airports. I took out my Canadian money and held the coins in my hand feeling way to sentimental about holding caribou, beavers, loons and maple leaves in my hands.
When I had finally arrived in Canada, I celebrated with sleep - it was like a 20 hour journey after all. I woke up and I remember looking at a bottle of hand cream. I hadn't seen something in English and in French for a long time. I thought about how cool it was. They didn't use a foreign language as an accent, or to make something look classy. It was an honest true product description in 2 languages in order to serve twice as many people. I hadn't realised how depressed Korea's use of 'accent English' made me until that moment.
I reflect on where I was and what I was doing a year ago and wonder if I'm better off or worse. I thought and compared myself to a year ago - new glasses, I ran 10k for the first time, still little to no Korean, maybe a better teacher?
I went into my desk drawer and I took out my collection of money. I have a few hundred dollars in various currencies, leftovers from vacations that I keep around either to sell to friends or to keep on hand for passing through airports. I took out my Canadian money and held the coins in my hand feeling way to sentimental about holding caribou, beavers, loons and maple leaves in my hands.
When I had finally arrived in Canada, I celebrated with sleep - it was like a 20 hour journey after all. I woke up and I remember looking at a bottle of hand cream. I hadn't seen something in English and in French for a long time. I thought about how cool it was. They didn't use a foreign language as an accent, or to make something look classy. It was an honest true product description in 2 languages in order to serve twice as many people. I hadn't realised how depressed Korea's use of 'accent English' made me until that moment.