서울 메이트가 되다: 서울 여행기

홈스테이 가족들과 동네 음식점에서 냉면을 맛보고 종로구 북촌한옥마을을 여행하는 모습.파울리네 라플러 제공

외국살이 서울살이’는 서울살이를 하는 외국인들이 겪는 여러 가지 이야기를 진솔하게 터놓는 열린 발언대입니다. seoul01@hani.co.kr로 투고 환영합니다. 편집자주

2022년 열여섯 살이던 저는 한국어를 배우고 새로운 경험을 쌓아 자신을 강하게 만들어보고자 3주간 서울로 어학연수를 떠나왔습니다. 제가 살던 독일의 작은 마을에서 약 9천㎞ 떨어진 서울에서 저는 전통과 첨단 기술이 조화롭게 어우러진 새로운 세상을 경험하게 됐습니다.

서울은 처음부터 저를 매료시켰습니다. 경복궁과 북촌 한옥마을 방문은 마치 과거로 떠난 시간 여행과 같았고 한복을 입으니 제가 공주가 된 것 같은 기분이었습니다. 버스, 지하철, 택시를 쉽게 이용할 수 있었는데 혼잡한 시간에도 사람들이 질서 있게 줄 서서 다음 열차를 기다리는 모습은 매우 인상 깊었습니다. 독일에서는 흔히 볼 수 없는 장면이기 때문입니다.

서울은 잠들지 않는 도시였고, 매일매일 할 수 있는 일이 넘쳐났습니다. 올해 여름 세 번째 서울을 방문했지만 여전히 해보고 싶은 일이 많습니다. 귀여운 가게와 카페들이 즐비한 거리를 매일 걸으며 명동, 홍대, 성수동의 끊임없는 쇼핑 거리를 지나다보면 옷이나 액세서리, 화장품에 많은 돈을 쓰게 됩니다. 매운 음식에 익숙하지 않았던 제가 이제는 김밥, 한국식 바비큐, 치킨 등은 매일 먹어도 질리지 않을 것 같다고 생각합니다.

한국 사람들은 미의 기준이 높은데 많은 사람이 이 기준에 맞추기 위해 애쓰는 모습을 볼 수 있었습니다.

한국 문화를 더욱 깊이 이해하기 위해 저는 한국 가정에서 살기로 했는데 이 선택은 제가 한 가장 좋은 결정이었습니다. 따뜻한 마음을 가진 호스트 언니와 남동생을 만났고, 다른 외국인 친구들과 함께 우리는 작은 공동체가 됐습니다. 한번은 저와 친구들 사이에 약간의 갈등이 생겼는데 어떻게 해결해야 할지 몰라 스트레스를 받던 저에게 호스트 언니가 다가와 제 마음을 들어주셨습니다. 그녀는 진심으로 위로해주며 갈등이 해결됐는지 계속해서 확인해주셨습니다. 그들은 나에게 두 번째 가족이자 좋은 친구가 돼줬습니다.

호스트 언니는 저와 친구들에게 케이(K)팝 콘서트 티켓을 선물했는데, 정말 꿈이 이루어진 순간이었습니다. 2022년 서울 페스타에서 좋아하는 아티스트들을 직접 볼 수 있었던 그 경험은 잊을 수 없습니다.

그해 어느 날 저와 친구들이 거리에서 아이스크림을 먹고 있는데 한 한국 남성이 이상한 행동을 하며 우리를 불편하게 하고 달아났습니다. 호스트 가족에게 연락했더니 급히 달려와 경찰 신고를 하도록 통역해줬고 호스트 남동생은 새벽 4시에 우리를 집으로 데려다주면서 우리를 끝까지 보호해줬습니다. 며칠 뒤 경찰이 남성을 잡았다는 소식을 듣고 안도감을 느꼈습니다. 호스트 가족의 헌신과 따뜻한 도움으로 저는 깊은 안심과 위로를 느낄 수 있었습니다.

그들과 작별 인사를 할 때 매우 슬펐고 곧 다시 돌아오겠다는 결심을 했습니다. 그들이 있었기에 저는 2023년 4월, 그리고 2024년 7월 다시 한국을 찾았고 앞으로도 계속 방문할 것입니다. 서울에서 지낸 모든 날이 소중하며 호스트 가족과 친구들을 다시 만날 수 있다는 것이 기쁩니다. 곧 다시 만나요! 독일에서

글·사진 파울리네 라플러 pauline.raffler31@gmail.com

번역 지은진(홈스테이 매니저)

[기고 원문]

From Strangers to Seoul Mates: Travelling to Seoul

About 9000km far away from a small German village I found myself in a new city full of traditions, harmony, technology and contrast. In the year 2022 I suddenly decided to go on a 3-week language trip to Seoul, South Korea when I was only 16 years old. I wanted to start learning Korean, get new experiences and improve myself to get stronger. That’s how I found my Soul back in Seoul.

Seoul combines the old with the new in a way that captivated me from the first moment. High skyscrapers and magnificent palaces were something I wasn’t familiar with in my small town. A visit to the Gyeongbokgung Palace or the Bukchon Hanok Village in the heart of the city made me feel like I was taking a trip back in time. While wearing a traditional Hanbok, I felt like a princess and fully enjoyed my trip. While keeping the traditions I could notice the high standard of technology. No matter where I wanted to go, it was easy to use the bus, subway or taxi. I´m proud to say that after a few days of staying in Seoul I didn’t have any problems to find cafes, restaurants or other popular places. With the help of the public transportation system, I could travel comfortable. Also, during rush-hour time, everyone was waiting in line to get the next train, a phenomenon I rarely see in other cities. I miss the high reliability of public transportation here in Germany.

Seoul is a city that never sleeps and there are so many things to do. Even after visiting Seoul for the third time this year in summer, there are still many things, I want to do. Walking through all the streets with cute shops or cafes was something I did every single day. Between the endless shopping streets in Myeongdong, Hongdae and Seongsu it’s easy to spend a lot of money on clothes, accessories and skincare. That’s the reason why I usually pack my baggage very lightly, when coming to Korea. At the end of a long day of walking over 10.000 steps, it was time to eat. I wasn’t used to spicy food but still I fell in love with Korean food and street food. Kimbap, Korean bbq and chicken is something I could eat every single day. Not to forget all the cafes with a variety of cake, pancakes or beverages. However, between all the food I noticed that Korean people often try to stay as healthy as possible. The second thing I saw after looking at food was probably the number of calories which made me think twice if I really want to eat this. I noticed the high beauty standards in the society. I may not fit into these beauty standards as a foreigner, but I could see that many people have a hard time to fit into these beauty standards. There are over 100 of beauty clinics in Gangnam and I often asked myself too if I`m pretty enough for society.

In order to fully discover the culture of South Korea, I chose to live together with a Korean family, which was the best decision I could make. I had the chance to meet a young, warmhearted Korean woman and her brother. While living together I developed a strong feeling towards them, like a second family. Whenever I needed help, I knew I could count on them.

From the very first moment, my host family made me feel truly welcome, turning a foreign place into a home. I shared the house with a few other international girls, and together, we became like a small community. There was one time when some tension arose between me, a friend and another girl. I was unsure about how to handle it and felt quite stressed, not knowing who to turn to. Noticing my worry, my host mom reached out and encouraged me to share my feelings with her. She offered genuine comfort, repeatedly checked if I´m okay and if the conflict was solved. In that moment, I realized then even though I´m far from my own family, I wasn’t alone. They became not just a second family but also one of my best friends.

To make my trip more memorable and light up my mood, my host mom surprised me and the other girls with tickets for a K-Pop concert – a dream came true! Watching our favorite artists perform live at Seoul Festa 2022 was an experience beyond words, and I will never forget it. At the same time her brother took me and friends to a delicious restaurant and buying each of us a cute ring as a keepsake of the day. I was moved by his effort while he always cared about me. Even with the occasional language barrier he became my family too.

But one incident stands out the most in my mind. One evening, my friends and I went outside enjoying some Ice cream when a strange Korean man approached us and began acting weird and touching my friends inappropriately. Frightened and unsure of what to do, I immediately called my host family. They rushed to our side, taking us to the police station to file a report. Just seeing them arrive brought an overwhelming sense of relief and safety. Navigating the police progress would have been difficult alone but my host family stayed by our side, translating everything and ensuring we felt protected. My host brother patiently waited with us, even driving us home in the middle of the night, when it was 4am. A few days later, we got the news that the police had found the man, lifting a huge weight off our shoulders. Through all of this, my host family’s dedication, kindness and support gave me a sense of safety and comfort that I will forever cherish. They didn’t just provide me a place to stay; they gave me a true home.

Saying goodbye to them made me feel very sad and I knew I wanted to come back as soon as possible. They are the reason why I came back 2023 in April and 2024 in July and I will always come back again. I´ve had the chance to meet so many wonderful people and made Korean friends. Even when I´m in Germany I stay in contact with them, and we exchange our lifestyle’s.

Each time, I returned to Germany with a smile and at the same time with a feeling of wanderlust, to come back again. I´m happy about every day that I was able to spend in Seoul knowing, that I could see my host family and friends again.

See you soon!

Pauline, 18, from Germany

편집자주) 번역글은 맥락 이해를 위해 의역 및 설명 내용 추가했음.

서울살이 길라잡이 서울앤(www.seouland.com) 취재팀 편집