By JURI KIM

With affection and concern from people around me, I left Korea a couple of months ago. I am going to spend six months on my own in a foreign country more than 9,577km away. Every moment I feel excited or grieved is something I have to deal with by myself. I recognized that reality on my way out of the airport while mixed with strangers.

While in the United States, living alone, and meeting people from all over the world, because everything is the first time here, I could throw my name away. Not just a university student who is majoring in creative writing, or a participant in the Korean WEST program under the government, I can be the person who likes to walk around the street, listen to pop songs, and say ‘hi’ to dogs.

One thing I knew about California was its bright and brilliant weather, but when I arrived, it was raining heavily. It was considered special because it was one of the few rainy days here.

Through the crystal clear air after the rain, I could sense something different. Sites, food, people, everything is plenty, enormous, intense – especially the price of things. An iced salted caramel latte was the first drink I had after arriving in the U.S. I bought it for about $8, including a tip. The cafeteria I used to work at in Korea sold it at about $2.50.

Also, the traffic system was a small shock. Clicking crosswalk or trolley buttons and moving autonomously was truly convenient. I adapted easier than I thought, and every day is exciting and unexpected.

With the blue and high sky, palm trees planted side by side, and foreign languages heard every step of the way, I realize that I am in the U.S. However, if I turn my eyes a little bit from there, I can see the homeless people, drugs, and cockroaches. Two months ago, when I arrived in the U.S., news broke that 10 people were killed in a mass shooting in Los Angeles. It felt like I was watching a movie with a different genre.

At the language school, I attended for two months, I made friends with various people regardless of nationality or age. Meeting new people is like meeting a new world, so I get a fresh impetus from them every time, even if I don’t do anything special. Every day is fun just going shopping together, cooking and eating, and chatting together at home.

Every time I hear a story about each country, I want to know more about it and its people. This month, most of my foreign friends left, and my Korean friends were scattered through areas of the U.S. This kind of encounter and separation will continue in the future.

As a stranger, and at the same time a new member of this society, I would like to walk, eat, surprise, and experience all of it and share my thoughts with you. I hope you look forward to the stories of my new life.

Juri Kim is an international intern from Korea who will be writing for San Diego Community Newspaper Group.