I met with Esther again this week to recap our semester spent getting to know each other. She said she expanded her knowledge of Chicago, like the signature deep-dish pizza!
We also talked about how our perceptions of each other and our cultures shifted throughout the semester. For example, people in Korea dress in business casual to go to class instead of shorts and oversized sweatshirts like here in the States. Similarly, students and alums in Korea do not wear university sweatshirts as we do here. Furthermore, we discussed the contrast between America’s individualistic ways and Korea’s collectivistic attitude. Esther explained that while Korea is historically collectivist, the younger generation (like Gen Z) is trying to stand out and break the status quo instead of trying to blend in. When her parents were growing up, it was vital for children to go to the right school and have the traditional rites of passage. In contrast, nowadays, children are taking gap years or not going to university all together.
In addition, we talked about how that shift to a more individualistic culture impacts Gen Z as they grow up. She said that in Seoul, people don’t get married until they are 40, at the earliest. This led us to discuss Hofstede’s Dimension of Masculine vs. Feminine cultures and the expectations of women in Korea in 2023. Women are waiting to get married and start a family because they have career aspirations they want to obtain before settling down. Also, in terms of the Long-Term Orientation Dimension, divorce is becoming more common in Korea. In the past, it was a sin to be avoided at all costs. For example, if an actor got divorced in Korea, they would have a hard time finding a job. However, now it is not as big of a deal because marriage is no longer a huge deal. In addition, it is still very important for a couple to get permission to marry. Without permission, they couple will not wed. With that, couples rarely move in together before they get married, and it is looked down upon if a couple has a baby out of wedlock.
We said that the best part was that we connected with each other over the culture shock we both experienced when coming to Auburn. We drew the conclusion that we are more alike than we are different. While Esther’s experience was obviously far more drastic than mine, we both can relate to the draw for familiarity. The baby heartaches we get when yet another thing is different from home. In turn, we both know how much more there is to explore in the world. For me, if a whole new world is just sitting there on the other side of my country is thrilling and inspires me to get to know more corners of America. Esther can relate to the wanderlust that comes with getting to know a new place, too. And she said her next stop on her travel bucket list is Chicago, and mine is Seoul!
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