[Hancinema's Korea Diary] Korea VS. South Africa!

It's been four years since I've been back in my home country of South Africa. Now, after being home for a week, I thought it would be a good time, while thoughts of Korean life was still fresh, to put these two countries head-to-head in a number of different areas to see who trumps who! Before I came back home I anticipated some of the changes I would have to tackle as I re-immersed myself back into South African culture. This is what most foreigners will have to face when they eventually leave Korea and settling in back home. So here it is, Korea Vs. South Africa going at it for 8 rounds for the crown!

ROUND 1: Transportation - KOREA

Korea has an amazing public transportation system. From their reliable and extensive bus system, to their convenient subways and affordable cabs, Korea is an absolute pleasure to get around! Not owning a car in their big cities is not a problem at all, and it was actually quite refreshing to know that I could get by without having to brave their roads in car. Their "T-Money" card system will let you pay for all forms of transport, adding to the convenience factor and making travel all the more enjoyable.

In South Africa, owning a car is pretty much a must. Our public transport is seriously underdeveloped and most of the middle-class is left with no other choice than to purchase one. Cabs are slowly becoming more visible, but the cost of jumping in one is exorbitant, and a robust railway system just isn't in place to challenge Korea's metro system. That said, despite the need to own a car, being able to drive again brings a great amount of personal freedom. Peak traffic times aside, driving in South Africa is a pleasurable experience. The open roads, fresh air, and the big open sky make it really. In fact, it's pretty much one of the first things I do every time I come back here.

ROUND 2: Health Care – Korea

It is required in Korea to register for their public health care service. If I remember correctly, my boss was taking out around $40 for this a month, an incredibly low amount consider how efficient and convenient it is to go to a doctor in Korea. You are attended to in no time at all, and, by in large, their service delivery is top notch. However, many doctors in Korea tend over-react and under medicate at times. Relatively small health issues are sometimes approached with a hyper-cautiousness and they after care will have most foreigners scratching their heads. Medication, especially painkillers, is weak and doctors are reluctant to prescribe anything that might actually be strong enough to help with any pain you might be experiencing.

Just today I had a representative from Discovery Health come by to my house to show me some private health care packages. Although the national health system in South Africa, I am told, is getting better, it is still not good enough to inspire confidence. Hence, I will be forking out the extra cash to be apart of the private health care system. Korea is head and shoulders above SA in this department.

ROUND 3: Food – South Africa

One of Korea's biggest attractions is its food culture. Compared to most Western countries, Korea offers travelers a wide variety of unique local flavors and treats that are as delicious as they are alien. That is, if you are willing to dive in and embrace all that Korea cuisine has to offer. For those who are less adventurous, the lack of variety and choice will cause some tension and even be a deal breaker. Korean food is initially exciting and new, but it won't take long for you to reminisce about some of the flavors back home.

South Africa is a very diverse nation, and with that comes a good choice of food. Indian, Mediterranean, Italian, Mexican, European, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, they're all there along with some of South Africa's own specialties. It's not even just the restaurants that please, grocery stores are packed with an abundance of choice that, when compared to grocery shopping in Korea, makes us look like an international buffet!

ROUND 4: Friends – Tie

It's hard leaving behind all your friends and family to go live halfway round the world. The memories, experiences, and the love you have for them is put under pressure as your lives fork and you grow as a person in the process. Just as tough is making great friends in Korea and seeing them come and go like the season. If your lucky to have made a few friends here that are not on their way out in a couple months, it makes the whole process of saying good-bye all the more difficult. Many people struggle with this, and some even take personal measures to protect themselves from getting too close to people. So this one has to be a tie for me; as friends, both past and present, are still friends and saying good-bye or farewell to any of them is tough ask.

ROUND 5: Banking/Service Delivery –Korea

Although my final experience with Korea's banks was not a pleasant one, banking in Korea was excellent. Going into a branch and getting sometime sorted was generally hassle free – that is if you are able to bridge the language barrier if your Korean isn't strong enough. I recently walked into a bank in South Africa and saw everyone standing in a long line waiting to see the teller. Everyone was annoyed that they had to wait so long and the experience just isn't a pleasurable one. In Korea, instead of everyone standing in a line, you walk up and take a number and then sit and wait for it to be called. People are seated and relaxed, reading the news paper or buried in their phones – it's a much calmer atmosphere and much more efficient. Well done Korea!

ROUND 6: Housing – South Africa

My housing situation got better and better in Korea as the years rolled on. From my tiny first year apartment where I could almost touch all four walls at once, to an office-tell with a spacious loft, and then a comfortable three-room apartment. But despite my final dwelling be a godsend for my sanity, nothing can compare to the space you will find in South Africa. Having a garden and a swimming pool would blow most Korean's minds, but here it is quite common. Family members can have their own rooms, and there area enough bathrooms for all! I have seen a number of Korean apartments and I've see how families live in them. I feel almost guilty, and at the same time extremely grateful, for having the upbringing I did in comparison. This area is one-side bloodbath as Korea, even with some its most luxurious apartments, cannot compete with SA.

ROUND 7: Safety & Crime Rates – Korea

South Africa is famous for many things; unfortunately one of those things is crime. While my own personal experience in South Africa has yielded only but a few incidences of crime, it exists and is definitely something to be aware of while living here. My time in Korea has left me soft, as worry about things like theft and violent crime was almost completely off my radar. In Korea, I once heard a story through the grape vine of someone accidently leaving their bag on the subway, only to find it sitting on the vary seat they left it on while everyone stood around it – amazing. Petty and violent crime in Korea is nowhere near what South African's experiences, and while there is a fair amount of corporate crime in Korea, one's day-to-day existence in rarely affect by issues of personal safety and theft.

ROUND 8: The People – South Africa

I have often seen it be said that Koreans are an incredible polite and well-mannered bunch. Now, I am not saying that isn't the case, just that as a whole I found Koreans to handle foreigners, such as myself, will either kiddy-gloves or bear-knuckles. I have met many individuals in Korea that were nothing but a pleasure to be around, as well as the odd stranger who blew me away by their kindness and consideration. However, overall in my fours years I found them to be not as honestly welcoming as I had thought or as well mannered. While interacting with the average Korean, I found things to be a bit...artificial. There was the ever-present fact that I was not from here, and it dictated more interactions than I can say. There were also the small things like being bullied around the subway, having to put up with constant spitting, the stares because I was a foreigner, and a few other insulting experiences that where hard to swallow.

South African is a double-edge sword in this regard. Our cultural diversity makes daily life almost an adventure as I get to interact with so many different groups and races. I love having something to say to the petrol attendant, throwing a funny comment to the women in the bank lines, chatting to my neighbor, and even merging bar tables with strangers when I'm out for a drink. Of course, like most countries really, there are those groups of people whom I would rather not have to interact with, but I can't let a few bad apples stunt my general enthusiasm for wanting to interact with South Africa's diverse and, more often than not, friendly populace.

VERDICT...

Well there you have it! It looks like for now Korea has South Africa beat. It's only been a week since I've been back, but the memories of Korea are still fresh and seemingly in their favor. There are a number of other categories (such as sport, entertainment, life style, traveling, shopping, the environment, pollution) that may or may not have brought South Africa back into the fight, but for now it looks like Korea has a lot going for it as takes this narrow victory. Come on South Africa FIGHTING!!!

- C.J Wheeler (chriscjw@gmail.com)

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