Before I moved to Korea in June, 2011, I did everything I could to prepare myself for the adjustment to that culture. This preparation included reading a couple of memoir-type mini-books written by former ex-pats who had taught English in Korea. The thing I loved about them was that they were informative…but the thing I hated about them was that they were informative.

Here’s the thing. These books were written specifically for those who – like myself – were considering moving to Korea. They talked about how to find a place to work, what to pack in your suitcases, what Korean food would be like, how much things would cost, what the Korean work environment was like. It was useful information…in a very very strictly practical way.

But these narratives were for the most part unemotional. They talked about how it was “sad to leave family and friends” or “exciting to meet people from another country.” They even mentioned how some Americans couldn’t handle the shift from our culture to that one. But that was it. It was all stated like that very matter-of-factly.

The narratives all tended to have the word “kimchi” in the title, too. As if the only thing that distinguishes that country from others is their spicy, fermented cabbage side dish.

Ahem. Untrue.

I have for some time been considering writing about Korea and what living there meant to me. Here’s the problem, though. I wonder if there’s any sort of market for these types of books. I couldn’t ever find any that didn’t have a practical edge to them. Are there any?

I don’t want to write about how you should pack cold medicine and fitted sheets because those things are hard to come by in Korea. I don’t want to talk about how to negotiate a contract with your school. For the love of all things good I certainly don’t want to talk about how smelly kimchi is the first time you try it.

I want to write about how being overseas helps you become the person you always suspected you could be – this adventurous, open excited person. I’d want to talk about what it’s like to be stared at constantly, objectified by the men there. What it’s like to get your heart broken overseas.

But the question arises – who would want to read this? Would anyone care?

I might start to write a bit about this – while still working on my other book – but my goal is this. I want it to be something that anyone can read – even someone who doesn’t give a crap about Korea. (like people who asked me whether I was moving to North or South Korea back in 2011. I mean…really?) I want it to be a story of how I lived in Korea, rather than a Korea how-to guide.

Oh. And the title won’t have the word “Kimchi” in it.