You know that awkward feeling you sometimes get when walking toward someone in an empty hall or on a deserted street? Those thoughts of ‘Where should I look,’ or ‘Should I say hi’? Well multiply that by about 57 and you have what I like to call “Foreigner Crossing”.
In Korea there are two groups of people: Korean, and Waygook – Foreign. And of the foreigners in Korea, most of those belong to two groups: Military, and English teachers. So when you walk down the street and spot another foreigner there is an immediate affinity – it’s like being members of the same secret club (minus the handshake). This can be kind of cool. I know that as I look around, any foreigner in my view probably has the same job as I do and experiences many of the same things I do.
But it can also be really awkward. When passing a random foreigner on the street, do I smile? Say hello? Just because I can? I don’t know this person at all, but there’s an unspoken connection that creates a sense of obligation. Being the friendly person that I am, I usually opt for the “Look-away-and-pretend-you-didn’t-see-them” strategy.
The worst is when you’re alone in an elevator with another foreigner. Hard to pretend you don’t see them then… (headphones are really handy in these situations). And living in Seoul, the buildings can get pretty tall. You could be riding up to the 50th floor together. And as each number passes and the other person doesn’t get off you start to wonder things like, “What if we’re going to the same place? It’s going to be really awkward if we both walk up to the same door after ignoring each other for 50 floors.” I’ve had a few painful elevator conversations that I am sure where initiated by the other person simply to avoid this prospect. (“So… how long have you been in Korea?”… Seriously?!)
Now as I start thinking about going back to the US soon a thought crosses my mind – Will I feel an awkward obligation to greet every Korean I pass in the States?
