Korea

Feels like writing something here. This one, I’m gonna talk a bit about Korea. I’ve been here for 5 months already, so almost halfway through the year. It’s been a good experience and as usual, I’ve been observing things and pondering my own thoughts.

One thing that’s truly impressive about this country is that sixty years ago, this country was completely ravaged by war, conflicted by ideologies (democracy vs. communists) and politics. It’s also been getting constant threats from different countries like Japan and then was occupied by it for 40 years. It doesn’t help when your peninsula is an in-between buffer between two zealous countries. It sent a wake-up call to Korea that it just can’t afford to stand peaceful and forced Korea to modernize like the rest of world has. Korea was fortunate to receive help from the U.S. and General MacArthur came abroad to Incheon, a port city where I was born in, to help ward off the Communists up north. Too bad they couldn’t really finish the war (General MacArthur had plans to use atomic bomb but U.S. President Truman wouldn’t approve of it) and the DMZ line was drawn up. From that point on, who knew Korea would go from a ravaged country to the country that will host G20 summit soon in two weeks and its GDP just reached one trillion dollars? and with companies like Samsung that supplies flat panel displays and in as many cellphones including the iPhone and iPad? Even Google and Samsung are co-developing a Google-specific smartphone. As for our not so friendly neighbor, North Korea, I’ve heard different opinions to the handling of the neighbor but by my own guts, North Korea will eventually collapse one day and it’d be up to S. Korea to shoulder the responsibility. In fact, the government has already started a tax funding for the reunification, so it’s really a matter of time. It’ll be historic, no doubts.

While I’m here, most of the time I’ve been thinking on was what if I was never adopted? what would have become of me? I know I wouldn’t have the same opportunity as I have, that’s for sure. So, it’s been an interesting thought process for myself and I’ve also been spending time with my family, all more remarkable that my sister is deaf too and is married to a deaf guy. Now that they have a child of their own, they’ve expressed an interest in moving to America, so that she would receive education and hopefully, some opportunities. That’s been something that’s on my mind.

It’s pretty weird that till 2002, I knew nothing of my family and birthplace and even asking myself if I really was born here. When I visited in 2002, I saw where I was from and from that point, I made a commitment to myself that I’d make the most of my life and opportunities that I may get. I had just finished my second year in college. And eight years later, I eventually did make my way back into Korea and got a chance to experience living here for a year. With that, I am starting to see my life all more clearly now.

It has only begun.