When I was packing for my time abroad in South Korea, I did not give too much of a thought to how my health would be impacted while abroad. Sure, I thought about all the new experiences, but never what kinds of adjustments I would need to make to my daily life in order to keep myself functioning. Over the past four months, I have needed to change my diet, my exercise routines, my sleep schedule and more to maintain my health while being outside of the U.S. for the first time.
In the month before I left for my time abroad, I started going to the gym again. In the U.S., while no one normally says anything to anyone, I was very self-conscious when I would try new exercises that someone would comment. In South Korea, I do not have that same fear. What are they going to do, speak to me? Something about my blonde hair and blue eyes is a mild indicator that I am not a native Korean speaker. Because I recognize this, I am less afraid of going to the gym even though I know I will be one of the maybe two women there.
However, there are some quirks with the gym I go to. It is located on my campus in one of the residence halls but is kind of small by my American standards. As I alluded to, the room is dominated mostly by men, except when one of the fitness clubs is training. With this environment, I think it is a bit weird to be playing K-Pop girl groups on all treadmills, but that is always the case. I go to the gym three times a week, and in my month of being here, I can count on one hand the amount of times boy bands have been featured.
There is nothing wrong with the music playing, but some of the videos have girls dressed in pretty “showy” clothes. Imagine if in the ShipRec the “Anaconda” music video was played on each TV, and you are the only woman in the building. It just feels a little weird. Also, South Korean beauty standards (the K-Pop industry included) emphasize being thin, which is a word I would never personally identify with. I love who I am, but being surrounded by media that promotes a certain body type is beginning to take a toll.
Outside of the gym environment, I also had to adjust to the different climate of South Korea. Within the first week of being here, I lost my voice. At first, I thought this was related to the 16-hour flight I had been on. However, one of the returning students told me I was probably reacting to the air quality. In Pennsylvania, I never worried about if the air around me was O.K. for me to be breathing.
South Korea, along with other East Asian countries, struggles with air pollution resulting from booming industrial plants. The fog I wake up to is not just low clouds like it is back home, but a sign that I might need to wear a mask outside so my throat does not hurt. In addition to checking the temperature every day, I look at the air quality index and take my iron supplements so I can function as usual.
Finally, and most obviously, I have changed my diet a descent amount in coming to South Korea. In the U.S., I like to eat fruit and vegetables with most meals. That simply is not an option here. Fruit is extremely dependent on the seasons, and the vegetables available are not the kind I would eat raw. Even when these foods are in season, like strawberries, they cost so much more than I am used to because they are a luxury.
Also, my university does not offer a meal plan. I pay for my meals as I eat them, and it is extremely common for students to get lunch or dinner at the convenience store. I absolutely love kimbap, which is sort of like a sushi roll, but the fillings are all cooked. Another super common meal is cup ramen, and there are so many options I have never seen before. My roommate really likes this one brand of ramen that is marketed as tasting like spaghetti.
Making such a big adjustment to my diet has been difficult, but like all these issues, has a work-around. While not as available in the U.S., I can get salads and certain fruits from convenience stores and have waited for others to come into season. At Korean barbeque, lettuce is used to wrap the cooked meat and is something I love to get when I need a vegetable in my life.
I was raised with the right mentalities about trying new things, and about developing good, healthy habits. Navigating changes is the biggest challenge of studying abroad, but I have found ways to handle them and be happy. I signed up for new experiences, so a new gym culture, new environment and new food have been exciting. I know there is so much more for me to encounter, and being my healthiest self through it will make this the happiest time of my life.
To follow along with the experiences in South Korea, follow my travel Instagram @eap_travels for weekly updates on Fridays at 8 a.m. EST.
