The Best and Worst Things About Living in Asia

I really enjoy living in Asia. Sometimes I really love it and there are other times it can be challenging. But overall, I'm thankful to God that be has brought me here. But if you're wondering what I think the best and worst things are about living in Asia, here's a very short list. Please feel free to post something below if you have a question or comment about my list. I would love to hear other people's opinions about living abroad. I would also like to help others who are considering living abroad. So here's my list without further ado:

The 5 Best Things about Living in Asia

1. You always feel like you're traveling. Even though, it's currently your home, you still find something new in your adopted homeland. Seoul is huge. I still find places that I haven't been to and I love taking pictures of these new discoveries.

2. Even though the nostalgia has faded, it's still pretty unique being a "foreigner" on the subway among a bunch of Asians. Even though the feeling is not as strong as it used to be, it sometimes still reminds me that I've been living abroad for almost 14 years. That astounds me!

3. Eating the local food is great. You'll never find Korean food this good anywhere else in the world. And the places which only the locals know are fantastic and cheap!

4. Thankfully, Japan and China are very close to Korea. I've also been able to travel to Southeast Asia at reasonably priced airfares. I appreciate that I've been able to experience different Asian cultures that are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Korea.

5. I've learned how Koreans act in certain situations compared to Americans. Sometimes I understand it and sometimes I don't. However, it has really educated me on the major differences between Western attitudes and how people think in the East.

The 5 Worst Things about Living in Asia

1. I hate not being able to see my family often. It's especially difficult that I can see my two nephews and niece growing up. That's definitely the most difficult thing to endure.

2. I think the time difference is a bit inconvenient. In order to catch my dad on the phone at a decent time. I need to call at 10am Seoul time (6:00pm in L.A.) which isn't so bad. Sometimes I'm tired after teaching my morning conversation classes. The last thing I want to do as an introvert is to talk on the phone. The only other opportunity is to call my dad at 1am Seoul time when it's 9:00am in L.A.

3. As I mentioned earlier, the Korean food in Seoul is great. Good food from other countries can be found in Seoul. However, it's either pretty good (not amazing) and/or it's expensive. I love On the Border but I can't go there often, since it's a bit pricey here. If you want really good Italian food, you'll have to pay for it but more competition is helping to make the prices more reasonable. I think Turkish kebabs are the best bang for your buck (won) in Seoul.

4. Some cultural aspects are just hard to overcome. I have to keep reminding myself that this is not L.A. I need to realize that. Specifically, people are always in a hurry in Seoul, which is the exact opposite of L.A. I also miss saying hello to strangers on the street. Sometimes I feel like I've become more repressive while in Asia, which is not a good thing.

5. A flight ticket back home isn't cheap and it's a long distance. If Asia was closer, I'm sure more family members would visit and I would go home more often. That's definitely a challenge.

Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)
Instagram: l.a.seoulguy