~light of the world~

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Everytime I see someone, if they know I've been to Korea, they'll ask how it was, and I'll say how fun / excellent / great is was and how I want to go back.

I suppose then they'll think that I just went there to have fun (bar research) by sightseeing and having a good time with friends old and new.

But I think I can say that I may just have learnt something over there.

At least, I learnt not to judge people by what they look, or what you think they're like, because first impressions are usually lacking. People generally have a not-so-obvious depth to them that you don't know until you interact more with them.

For example, Person A seemed to be a normal, not noisy, slightly nerdy/smart person. But after interacting more with Person A, I found Person A to be a lot more interesting and funny and crazy than I initially thought the person was. Perhaps people are different at 11.45 pm.

Another one, Person B struck me as the kind who was popular, and with a somewhat lack of open friendliness that sometimes accompanies such popular people to people who aren't. But again, after a bit more interaction, Person B turned out to be a rather nice person, the kind who talks to you when you look bored / left out, and offers to carry stuff for you.

I had a similar impression of Person C as of Person B, but Person C also turned out to be unexpectedly nice to people who may not be in the same league as said person. And so on and so forth.

Also, I learnt that there probably more things that are shared across people of different nations than I realised before. And I am a person who believes strongly in the importance of verbal communication.

Well, that all goes kaput when you go to a country where language and talking becomes problematic.

Perhaps there exists a certain sort of mutual understanding between peers...

Like the idea of sneaking alcohol when teachers aren't there to stop you, and making sure they don't find out; the tiny rush of excitement when you dash across a road, only reaching the other side 3 seconds after the light turns red.

Or the way singing karaoke or playing billiards is something that students from Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia can enjoy; the love of having snacks at random hours; the fun in taking silly retarded photos or jump shots.

Most of all, the happiness in spending time with your friends, new and old, and the sadness in the final rite of saying goodbye to them for what seems to be forever.

Maybe we're not so different after all. And that makes all the difference in the world.

Thank God for everything,
The Xuan

Labels: ksa

xuan blogged at 12:01 AM

May your light shine...
in the darkness...