We’ve been in South Korea for over two months, and it’s been incredible. The first two weeks in quarantine were obviously hell, but we’re settling into our home, our household goods are here, and we’re getting to explore a little bit here and there. I’d be lying, however, if I said that there weren’t things we miss in South Korea. There are definitely bouts of homesickness (even though we don’t know where home really is for us). A few people have asked what we miss the most though, so I thought I’d share it all for the world to see!
American Things We Miss in South Korea
1 // Target – Nope, not kidding. This bad boy tops my list of American things we miss in South Korea. I miss being able to just run to the local to target to grab a box of diapers or a huge box of wipes for Mieke. I miss being able to quickly find some holiday décor to dress our home up by the season. It’s a frivolous thing to miss, I know, but I miss it! One of these days, I’ll figure out how to have stuff delivered here.
2 // My Oven – Y’all. It took me two whole hours to figure out our microwave/oven hybrid yesterday to bake cookies for our realtor. Two hours. I’m okay not having a large oven, but I one hundred percent miss the ease of simply setting the temp, popping in a treat, and having it ready easily. It’s a little more labor intensive than that with our fun little contraption!
3 // Keyless Entry/Driving – Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love the little car we got here for the kids and myself, but there was something insanely simple about the keyless entry and driving with our old Honda Odyssey. More often than not, I find myself walking up to my car with my keys and waiting for it to unlock, but it never does haha!
4 // Short(er) Traffic Lights – Traffic lights in South Korea are long. On average, they take about 2-3 minutes to change, and it’s annoying AF. Honestly, it’s a small thing, but it’s something we’ve had to get used to when driving someplace because it significantly adds to our travel time.
5 // A Backyard – Okay. Now, to be fair, we knew this would happen. We specifically chose an apartment for the true Korean experience, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the simplicity of having my own backyard. I think it’ll just be that much sweeter when we go back to the states someday. Also, a great consolation prize are all the open spaces!
6 // Easy Drive-Thru/Takeout – Now, mind you, we didn’t do a ton of drive-thru meals, but takeout every now and again was a treat! Ordering food over the phone is kind of a no-go because I’m not that great at communicating much beyond the niceties right now, and we’ve yet to figure out takeout is hard because of a) our location and b) our lack of a resident number.
7 // Phone Calls in the Middle of the Day – I miss being able to call my mama anytime during the day! We talk every day, and now we’re relegated to mornings and evenings. I’ll take it, but I sure do miss being able to just pick up the phone.
8 // Known Photography Spots – Missy Moore Photography is slowly but surely getting up and running in South Korea, but I miss easy-access spots that we had in Washington State. I’m sure I’ll find the perfect haunts here, too, and I’ve already found a few, but I definitely miss those Rainier mountain views!
Here’s the best part of it all though. While there are a solid handful of American things we miss in South Korea, there are a lot of things we don’t miss. We’re incredible grateful to the selfless and wonderful Korean friends we’ve made, as well as the kindness and patience of our new neighbors. We knew it would be a challenge moving here, but we are beyond grateful to be here – even if we do miss those American creature comforts!
