2021 Jeonbuk LIFE! Summer Edition

Naomi
What brought you to Korea?
I had already thought about coming to Korea after
university, like so many others, to pay off student loans.
And since my parents had already come to Jeonju six
months before me, I figured it would be an easy transition.
Initially I had planned on staying for one year, but decided
to stay on longer for various reasons. I enjoyed teaching
and I had made a good group of friends. I did leave South
Korea twice, but ended up coming back. Obviously having
family here was a big factor in staying so long. Also some
of my closest friends, ones I made back in 2008, are still
here, so it’s really become home.
How do you like having your whole family together here?
Being here as a family is certainly a unique situation and
is probably the main reason for having stayed so long.
Even after all these years it’s still strange to think that
we’re all here.
Biggest struggle in Korea?
I would have to say communication, but that’s entirely
my fault. It’s unfortunately far too easy to get by with
minimal Korean, until it’s not!
Best or happiest memory in Korea?
Jeonbuk Life Magazine
Best memories...so many! Probably the entire first year
here when everything was so new and different. And
since then, building new relationships with people,
wonderful friends that I would never have had the
pleasure of meeting had I not come here. There was one
year when we had about 30 people over to our house
for Christmas; friends from many different countries all
brought together because at some point each person had
decided to come to Korea. It’s hard to imagine what life
would be like if I wasn’t here.
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