Things I Miss About America When Abroad

Don’t get me wrong here. I know I’m a blessed little pumpkin to have been living abroad so long. I understand my passport and birthright afford me many opportunities (especially in Asia) to work and live abroad very comfortably. While I don’t take any of my blessings for granted, at the end of the day, there are certain things you miss about America when abroad.

But on the real, there’s no place like home and I truly missed America. It’s been 4 1/2 years since I’ve gone back, and this list is some things in I really value in my life.

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Shopping Hours

Oh dear lort, I sure miss the shopping hours in America. Need to run a quick errand? There are tons of 24/7 stores. Forgot the vegan dumplings? Run to the grocery store. Have a cold and need some Therflu to kick it in the rear? I guarantee there’s some pretty strong over the counter medicine to help you out there. I’m a morning person. I love getting my errands and things done before everyone else does. Even though I wake up early in Korea, I’m getting my errands started at 10am the way everyone else does… In Korea, shops open late and close late as well.

Open and Larger Space

I’ve lived in two countries that are much smaller than my own—Korea and Japan. And believe me when I tell you, I feel the size difference all the time. Sidewalks are smaller, cars are smaller, buildings are smaller. SHEET even the toilets are smaller. (Have you ever tried pulling your draws down in a tiny stall where you keep bouncing your elbows off the walls? Let me tell you, it’s not my idea of fun.)

I never appreciated how big America was until I blew my student’s minds when I informed them South Korea was the same size as Indiana.

Larger Everything

When I indulge… You best believe I want that extra large Jamba Juice mango smoothie. I want that super large cup of birthday cake remix from Cold Stone.

I’m not from Texas (proud Chicagoan here) but my family moved down there and everything is bigger… and better. I can definitely get behind that. I’m down with the bigger cars, bigger dogs, and bigger open areas.

In addition, I’m 5’7 (170 cm for the rest of the world). I’m a tall girl and I wear a US foot size 9. Even though I’m tall and plus size in America, I can find anything and everything I need. Most Asian women are much, much shorter and smaller than I. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with being a smaller human as a Korean in Korea. Products, places, and vehicles were made to accommodate the majority. I am not the majority and suffer accordingly. Lol.

Clean Air

Need I say more? This is my biggest complaint when living in Asia. While Japan never had air quality so bad I woke up hacking… Korea most certainly does. It’s the most depressing thing in the world to wake up to a dismally gray sky, and not because it’s winter, rainy, or cloudy, but because there’s a giant hovering cloud of shit above you.

Vegan Food

While I appreciate the emerging vegan food scene in Korea… It’s exactly that… Emerging.

Most Koreans are unnecessarily obsessed with pork and that’s not how I want to live my life. If you like pork, then you do you, boo. It’s so much easier to make health conscious options in America because there are more people with my body type. And I can read the back of the labels more efficiently and quickly than I can here. Genetically, many asian people are tinier and good for them! I wasn’t made of the same shit, so I like to be able to read my labels and know exactly what is in what I’m consuming. While eating rice every day doesn’t make them fat… It certainly makes me super fat.

Food in General

Have you ever had sweet sushi?

If that sounds disgusting, it’s because it is. The rice below the fish tastes sweet to me. I don’t know why Koreans make everything sweet. (Including their own food.) I can taste the sweetness of the gochujang 고추장 which is supposed to be a “spicy” paste. I’ve had it with sweet meats, sweet snacks that have no business being sweet, and sweet potato with corn on top of pizza.

I’m used to my food having a more savory taste. I want my food salty and my sweets sweet. For me, there should be a very clear distinction between dessert and a meal. Here, I feel like those two things walk on the same line. Hence I cook the majority of my food at home which is sad because I want to eat out and be lazy…

I even miss a good old fashioned loaded veggie sandwich from Scrubway. In Asia, they legit count the number of pickles they put on your sandwich. Are you crying yet?

And I have pulled my last damn straw with SUGAR being on top go garlic bread. Why the fuck is there sugar on top of the fucking garlic bread? (Can you tell I’m really offended by the sugar on top of garlic bread?) If that makes you want to die inside… I died a thousand deaths the first time I put it in my mouth.

Diversity

Living in mostly homogeneous countries, it makes it easy for me to stand out like a sore thumb. I hardly ever hear foreign languages unless I’m in Itaewon, and I tend to not congregate there because some of the foreign men are the most dodgy and creepy people I’ve ever encountered.

I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and was privy to people from all around the world. Heck, we even have divisions of the city like Little Italy, Little Poland, and even Chinatown. Most of my closest friends growing up were Asian.

I like hearing other languages and watching different people interact. It feels stifling when ads promoting one ideal of beauty for men and women.

I also loved seeing all the interracial couples while I was back home. Because guess what? If you were born and raised in America and your parents are a different race… Guess what? You’re still f*cking American.

Films

Oh the rage I had when I found out Star Wars and Little Women was not going to hit theaters in Korea at the same time as America. I miss independent films. The only time they screen is at festivals like the Busan International Film Festival.

I like foreign films and I like discovering new and upcoming Indie films two. Both scenes which are incredibly hidden or non-existent in Korea. I also like going to the movies and the overly salty buttery popcorn.

Fashion

While I do have the option of ordering jeans that fit me from the American Eagle curvy collection and having them shipped out… That’s about all I get. There are more unique and interesting pieces in America to choose from.

In Korea when something is on trend, everyone and their brother is wearing it. Which in turn makes me want to wear everything else. Most fashion in Korea involves very, very short bottoms and baggy, shapeless tops with a super high neckline. Neither of this clothing pieces fit my body type and I avoid most Korean clothing shops if I can help it.

Personal Space

Nothing makes me more uncomfortable than people not standing an arm’s length away from me. While most of the time Koreans do keep their space, sometimes my students and coworkers get a little too close and it makes me die inside.

Old People

The sense of entitlement from the ajhussi and ajhumma here in Korea can make anyone’s blood boil. I’ve had older grab my waist and move me to the side. Others have put their knuckles straight into my back.

I hate it. It’s rude. It’s ignorant. I wish it would stop.

And they’re also lucky this isn’t America because I probably would have turned around and drop kicked them the moment they touched my body inappropriately.

Less Racism

I’m gonna go with saying “less racism” because until everyone in my country is treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation, country, race, religion, or gender, then I’ll say America is a paradise. I also want to add, I grew up in a more tolerant place because I was surrounded by people from all over the world.

Unfortunately here in Korea, I’ve literally had people tell me to my face I can’t do certain things because I’m a foreigner. My jaw never dropped lower than the time I was told by my bank I’m not allowed to use my bank card to make online purchases or transfer money because I’m not Korean.

Pero, like… Last I checked in America, you got the money you can buy your shit. I guess that doesn’t matter much here in Korea.

I’ve also had people pick fights with me for no other reason than they could and because they know I can’t do much to defend myself. (Recently, some crazy lady literally grabbed my backpack making me think I was getting mugged and pulled me down the stairs.) Again, she was lucky I didn’t punch her in the face.

My Native Language is Everywhere

It’s so nice being able to do things simply and without a headache. Believe me when I tell you, there’s nothing like walking into a phone shop and being able to ask questions about a plan and not have anyone assist me.

I can do a lot in Korean, it just takes me a really long time. And I like to be efficient. Time is precious and time is money.

Watching Sports Games

They say Chicago is a drinking town with a sports problem. We love our sports teams no matter how bad they are. And that includes Da Bears.

I miss going to a sports bar. One of my favorite cliche hangouts was Buffalo Wild Wings. I loved wearing my jersey and watching the Blackhawks play.

Unpopular opinion. I like drinking shitty, ice cold, American Coors Light Beer. Sorry, European friends, but there’s nothing like the taste of sugary freedom that gets ya while watching an American football game.

American Media

After many years of telling the fashion industry and media what we want, I’m starting to see more and more diverse people. I miss seeing different kinds of beauty and what the latest shows are. I don’t care much for Kdramas and think it’s all the same. Besides, it’s super depressing they end after one season.

I’m tired of hearing the same Kpop songs on repeat in Korean stores. I don’t give a damn about BTS. I miss Pandora and I like different bands being suggested to me. It’s how I became a fan of Saving Abel.

The Holiday Season

Is it obnoxious af in America? You bet your ass it is, but I don’t care. I like the Christmas Carols, parties, and lights. I love wearing Santa hats, decorating the tree, making Italian Christmas cookies and Mexican tamales.

Everything that makes Christmas for me is just so not… here… Unless you’re in a big city, it’s good, but everywhere else is just plain depressing.

My Family

One of the biggest things I miss about being so far away from home is my family. I like living on my own and I consider myself to be very self-sufficient, but I’m incredibly lonely. You have no idea how many times I wished I had a helping hand when I needed it.

There have been times where I’ve been so sick with migraines or stomach viruses and I wished I had someone to go and bring me medicine or walk Honey. Even when I got hit by a car last year and I could barely walk…. That was also awful.

It’s also nice to call my mom at any time and not have to take the time difference into consideration. I like doing stuff with my brother too. It’s just become super painful for me to be this isolated.

The list of things I miss from America can go on and on. Living abroad is fun, but it’s not the roses and daisies everyone thinks it is. I’ve legit had people at customs hold onto my Flaming Hot Cheetos because they insisted I needed a foreign clearance number. And even when I gave them one… I never got my Cheetos.

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