Interview series: Meet...Aisha B

Anyone that has met Aisha will tell you that she is a ball of energy and the life of the party. She is one of those people who instantly lights up any space she enters and her ability to tell a story with so much enthusiasm and detail will leave you feeling like you were there experiencing it with her.

She is well travelled and is a lover of life, people and cultures. You can find her sharing interesting fun facts on her Instagram stories, educating her followers about the culture of the places she travels to. As you can see from her pictures below, she has travelled to many different countries around the globe and has promised to visit South Africa in 2020. We will be waiting for you moghel!

Name: Aisha Bee

Instagram: misstravelbeee

Home country: USA

Countries you’ve visited: Indonesia, Malaysia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Cuba, Haiti, Canada,  Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, St. Marteen, Barbados, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia

Countries you’ve lived: South Korea

Duration of stay in the current country: 1 year

Why did you come to Korea to teach English? 

I came to teach English as a way to give back to the global community, while also pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Life was too complacent back home and a drastic change was needed.

   How has the experience of the country been?

   The first month felt surreal! I’ve always dreamed of living abroad, so finally being in Korea didn’t feel real at first. Once the “honeymoon” stage wore off, culture shock kicked in. Living in a homogenous society felt unfamiliar and had me feeling out of place. As of now, I’ve accepted Korea for what it is and found the beauty in this chapter of my life.

   How has the teaching experience been? 

   In the beginning teaching was challenging due to classroom management and behavioural issues. Once the students and I developed a rapport things got better. Especially, after bringing out “black auntie” a few times lol. Middle School students love to test teachers and they learned quickly that I’m not a pushover. 

   In terms of working with my Korean co-teachers, our relationships are fine. I work at two different schools and typically teach the entire lesson and the co-teacher assists me when necessary.

   How has it been adjusting to the new environment? 

   Adjusting to Korea was a lot harder than I expected. Coming from New York City, I’m accustomed to a melting pot of cultures. So, entering a completely homogenous society, where no one looks like me and constantly being labelled as the “foreigner” was a challenge.

   However, I’ve been so blessed to be placed within schools that ensure I feel welcomed. My co-teachers are always spoiling me with food and rides home. Those small gestures make a world of a difference and help strengthen the relationship between myself and locals.

  How is Korea different from your home country?

   Well, for one, Koreans value community whereas in America we place more value on the individual. Another difference is social etiquette. Back home we LOVE our personal space, that’s pretty much non-existent here lol!

   Also, Koreans like to ask personal questions such as age and relationship status within the first minute in meeting someone new. In the West, such questions are considered rude and intrusive.

   What do you miss from your home country? 

   Besides my family and friends, I miss diversity in food choices! Majority of the restaurants in my neighbourhood are Korean. Typically,  I have to travel outside the neighbourhood to grab Western-style food and even those choices are limited.

   What advice would you give someone  who is thinking of moving abroad but is afraid?

   My biggest advice would be to DO IT! Yes, stepping outside your comfort zone is scary, however, the reality of living abroad is NOWHERE as bad as the made-up fears in one's mind. Don’t let fear hinder you to live to your fullest potential.

   Always remember, God didn’t put us on this earth to live mediocre lives. You already have the tools necessary to succeed, step out of your own way and use the skills to live your fearless life!

  Favourites:

Food: Pajeon (Korean pancake), tteokboki (Spicy rice cakes), 

kimbap (Korean style sushi), bibimbap (rice and mix veggies), kimchi dumplings, pot bingsu (sweet red beans with creamy shaved ice).

Drink: Pomegranate Soju and Omija tea.

City: Seoul

Place in your city:  Gwangalli Beach

Restaurant: Vegenarang

Song: Boom Boom by Mamamoo 

Activity to do on weekends: Brunch and beach 

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