Frances Says.

Julie and I were standing in the courtyard of our boarding house.  1978

At my boarding house, in front of kimchee pots, with a university student that also lived there.  I punched him once for belching at the table.  I know it was part of the culture, but it was one of those days when the honeymoon phase was long gone.  I was not being culturally sensitive AT ALL.  Shame on me.

Mrs Park (Dr. Kim Hack Seung's wife),  Frances, Julie, Dr. Ahn, having bulgogi in a restaurant.  I had dinner with Dr. Ahn and Dr. Kim this last week.  Again, sitting on the floor, sharing food.  Of course, none of us have changed a bit.

Last night I started meeting early arrivers for the Peace Corps Re-Visit reunion.  Since I have already been on one Re-Visit, I am an unofficial guest.  It was fun to meet the new people.  So far, all that I have met are from much earlier groups.  We gathered and went to a restaurant in the In Sa Dong area.  Some were fighting jet lag, but this morning, they were all having breakfast and were ready to go out and meet the world. 

We talked a little about the times we were in Peace Corps here.  At that time, the country could easily be identified as Third World.  Now it is thriving Economically and has very little to compare it to the early days.

When we were volunteers, we lived on the economy.  There was no PX for us, army base facilities were limited and we did not have the funds to visit Western style hotels.  So, for most of us, sitting at a table, using regular silverware or a sit down toilet were things we only accessed occasionally.   During the honeymoon stage of our stays, a lot of the Peace Corps people scorned these things and said they would never need them again.  I did not experience this phase.  It was also called the "Arrirang Phase" after the very popular folk song, Arrirang. 

There was an R&R hotel in Seoul run by the US Army that often let us in, but not always.  One day, some US Embassy staff was going in and we asked them to edcort us in, which was an acceptable way to be there.  A young woman from the embassy staff,  with clean shoes, a hairdo that spoke of access to a blow dryer, and lovely pressed clothing said in a very arrogant manner that she had thought the point of Peace Corps was to become part of the culture.  I told her that a visit to an American facility (we were only going for breakfast!) would help us get on our way toward the next few weeks.  What an insensitive woman.  I was older than her, had an advanced degree and had left a good job in the US to live on a sleeping mat, boil my drinking water, and walk along rutted roads to teach small blind children.  At that time, the term "Bite Me" had not been invented.  I hadn't thought of this encounter in years, but if you meet a Peace Corps person in your travels, offer them Oreos, or a pillow, or a meal at your house.   Do not criticize them for taking a small culture break. 

As my life has gone on, and I am no longer 33, I am more tolerant.  Scratch that.  No, I am not.  But maybe I have more perspective. 

Since being here on this trip, I did not spend any time with other Americans until yesterday.  And I did not miss them because I have such wonderful friends who are Korean.  In the past, I felt isolated by this.  Oh, I forgot, Sallie is American, and we were together 24/7.  But we functioned in a completely Korean social group and had a wonderful time.  Two or three things have happened.  One, I am older, and have managed to become a little more emotionally mature.  Two, the young Korean generation is very sophisticated, and Three, I have running water, a sit down toilet, and a bed.