What will we complain about when we leave Korea?

[woman-king]

1) No Ondols (Seriously--heat rises!  They just make sense!)
2) Not being able to use one card on all buses/trains/subways
3) How expensive public transit is
4) The relative lack of places to shop (only malls as opposed to the endless stores everywhere you turn around)
5) I actually love how Koreans dress so well . . . so the relative lack of fashion.   :D

[gilbert.a.h]

MAXIM ICE COFFEE!!! I had to get my gf to bring me some while I was at my Uni during summer.

[ame]

That one time when we couldn't have alcohol at the GEPIK orientation.

[e72882]

Let's See,

1.) I love Korean food, so I wish I could find a Korean restaurant with an English alternative menu
2.) I wish my first two schools showed more support of their Foreign teachers as opposed to bending to the wills of the parents
3.) Lack of a liberal approach to ESL education
4.) The crazy ass weather in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do
5.) I wish there better places to meet other Foreigners instead of having to rely on bars
6.) Tiny Studio Apartments
7.) Being stared at like I'm a big white gorilla in a zoo (Cheongju & Suncheon)
8.) Students' lack of respect for Korean and Foreign teachers alike
9.) Agreeing to stay at a school with financial difficulties because I thought it was the right thing to do and received 1/2 a paycheck     
     for a few months while they recuperated
10.) Quality of living (Suncheon)

As for public transportation, I find the prices to be reasonable and even acceptable. 1,100 for a bus ride doesn't seen too bad, then again I have a plastic chip that allows me to ride for 1,000. Even though I have complained about 10 different things, I do like being in Korea, but I think I would be more suited for an international city like Seoul or Busan. More English as well as larger foreigner populations. I will miss living in Korea, but I think 4 - 5 years here will be more than enough. I look forward to getting back to the U.S.

[miaj33]

not having to pay for gas.
cheap soju
cheap clothes
cheap haircuts

[e72882]

Things I'll miss about Korea when I am back in the U.S.

1.) All foreigners are pretty much allies and most of them are friendly as they are in the same situation
2.) Cheap Public Transportation (I do miss doing my own driving though)
3.) Free apartments (yes i complained about living conditions and small size, but hey they're free)
4.) The food, I love Korean food (just not the spicy stuff)
5.) The friendliness of my Korean co-teachers
6.) My well-behaved students
7.) My pet rabbit
8.) Internet speeds
9.) Soju and So-maek
10.) Sightseeing in Korea
11.) All my friends that I made here (foreign and Korean)
12.) The beautiful women that I see daily (I think Korean women are some of the most beautiful in the world)
13.) Health and Dental (I have found a really good Dr. here in Suncheon)
14.) Korean alterations to American Fast Food
15.) My students and co-teachers enjoying my cooking of traditional American foods.

[oddrock]

Having to look for a job.

[infogoddess]

long handled spoons

[soupisgoodfood]

not having a job probably

[gumgei305]

Not being able to talk about whatever you want on public transportation knowing that it's unlikely anybody around you can understand.

Not having the restaurant service button.

Not having a Korean style BBQ down the road from your apartment.

Will have to make more of a effort with small talk to strangers. ~Because now they understand everything you say~

There are no more sports days at school, but it doesn't matter cuz you won't have a steady job at a school.

Easy access to traveling around Asia.

Not seeing hot Korean men everywhere.

Hongdae isn't a subway ride away.

No more pizza school.

[Ingrid.Bradfield]

ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 2 WEEKS, but can already say i'll miss the :
fast and cheap internet
cheap places to eat out
free apartment
great pay
easy living!!

[Brian]

Been back for two years, and feel like complaining about:

* Cable companies charge an arm and a leg for TV + internet packages that cost twice as much as they did in Korea, but don't offer any international channels.
* No good Korean food.  In Pittsburgh there are a few Korean restaurants, but they aren't anything special.  And they're overpriced.  $8 for kimbap?  If you're charging $8 for kimbap, you're not a real Korean.
* Customer service in the US is rotten.  It's easy to save money because I don't feel like going out and paying money to [expletive]s.
* I've dealt with long lines in Korea at the bank and at immigration, but those are nothing compared to the idiocy we find at the DMV, or the social security office, or even the post office here.
* It's very much a car culture here, so we don't have an efficient network of buses, trains, or subways, and you need to have a car if you want to get anywhere.  You have to drive 10 minutes if you want to get to a convenience store.
* Over-the-top patriotism and nationalism.  People act like this is an only-in-Korea thing, but here they celebrate fighting in wars.
* "Land of the free" but you can't go out at night alone.
* The economy sucks, and finding a job isn't as easy as googling "teach in Korea", choosing from among the hundreds of websites, and getting dozens of offers within a few hours.

There are pros and cons to living anywhere.  When we're in Korea it's easy to think about all the great stuff we miss back home (nature, libraries, watching college football on Saturday), and when we're back home  I, at least, tend to think about all the good stuff in Korea.  But it's never as good or as bad as we imagine.

[dmillika]

As much as I look forward to my contract being completed and going back home, I will miss the ease of life here.  I was fortunate to land in a good hagwon and everything runs smoothly.

This is my last "adventure" before settling down and finally establishing a career.  I feel I am going to miss not worrying about money or my job.

How inexpensive everything is will also be sorely missed - $2.00 cigarettes are a blessing (and a curse).

[tokixjam]

I'll complain about gas prices.  Probably a lot.

Having cheap, efficient public transportation here has spoiled me.

I don't look forward to going back home and either dealing with shittier public transportation or having to pay for a car and all the wonderful costs that come with it.  BLUGH.

[ch1can3]

I'm sure i'll complain and moan about everything already mentioned, but I'm quite excited to work on my new career back home, so I think those compaints will be lessened.

[riswyk]

The dreaded job search process.   :(

I also find myself complaining about how nosey/rude people are here in the US.

Korea was very good to me.   :)

[master pandemonium]

As someone who recently came back to Korea, I think I can chime in because the memories are still fresh of back home..

1) The job search. Okay, prepare for hell on that one. The job process sucks. There aren't many good jobs and even the simplest, crappiest minimum wage jobs have hundreds of applicants. You are just a number at an employment agency. They will tell you straight up that that is nothing out there. It is a terrible and humiliating process. Unless you have connections, be prepared to feel some pain and it will open your eyes up to how easy you've had it in Korea. I know because I experienced this pain up until a few weeks ago. You think about employment all the time back home. It consumes you. You feel like a loser. I got tired of it and left. And I don't plan to return to it.

2) Transportation. It sucks back home(US). There ain't much other than buses that run limited schedules and it is all very inconvenient. And, of course, the waiting time for the buses is ridiculous(and don't forget the waiting time while you have to transfer as well). If you don't have a car, you will definitely think back fondly to the Korean subway system because without a car in the US, you are screwed. 

3) Free apartment. Say bye bye to that. No freebies back home, unless you are living with family/friends.  And it is expensive as hell(especially if you want to live in a fairly decent place with a good climate). Throw in all the deposits(which you'll likely not get back anyway), first and last's month, utilities, etc. and it is very expensive. I rented a room back home for $400 a month(bare bones, the cheapest I could find).  It was all that I could afford. $400 for a small room in somebody's house(and it was a pretty crazy roommate situation).  You'll pay double or more for your own place.

These are just three things that you have to look forward to.

[chasmmi]

If it's 9pm on a Friday evening and you are still at home, there's basically no point in leaving the house.

[penguininkorea]

I am halfway there now. I know I will def. miss the efficient public transportation and the ease of getting around without a car. 
I work for a hagwon and one that is not the greatest, so free time at work? Breaks? What's that? I forgot  That I won't miss.
I do like Korean food, so I know I will miss that, not many Korean restaurants back in the US.
Cheap tofu
Some places in Korea, like Busan, I don't live there but I love to go there and visit.
Dirt cheap electricity bills
To name a few things

[bb]

I will actually miss cars not waiting for me to cross. I was back in the US visitting Santa Cruz and Portland OR and the cars waiting for you is such a mindfudge after having gotten used to just playing Frogger with oncoming cars...