8 Comments
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Kevin Hockmuth's avatar

True story: on multiple occasions upon telling a fellow United Staesian that I lived in Korea I was met with the wholly earnest inquiry: North or South?

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Chris Tharp's avatar

Less common these days, but I've gotten it a million times. Not just fellow Yankees: Euros too, in the day.

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McExpat's avatar

Nice post. Living as an expat in the Middle East and now Korea definitely gives you new eyes with which to analyze the West.

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Chris Tharp's avatar

Yeah, cheers for the comment. It's definitely not perfect, but does lay bare the things about our home countries that are lacking.

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Skylar Renslow's avatar

I just got back from a little over a year abroad and being back in the US feels oddly ”heavy” - all the problems you listed out plus the news cycle makes it a pretty grim place to be in some ways

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Chris Tharp's avatar

Ah man, I can't imagine. Sometimes I feel the pull of home but overall I am grateful to have made it out alive, haha.

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Kevan Hudson's avatar

Yes, loved the fact that over 15 years I found that Korean society has guardrails and standards. And yes, besides the odd drunk man and the occasional religious cult folks nobody bothered me. Though if kids said “Hi” I would reply and smile.

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Jan Bergman's avatar

It is so sad just how bad things have got in America.

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