Sylvia Kim
Sylvia Kim: Seoul Searching
I grew up in a pretty small suburb. I didn’t have a lot of Korean (or Asian friends – for that matter) growing up. But I was lucky that my mom integrated Korean culture into my life as much as she did. She enrolled me in Korean school, brought me to Korean mass on Sundays, and most dinners would be delicious Korean home-cooking. But as I got older, I grew more into my Canadian roots and grew more out of my Korean roots. By the time I was in university, I was so out of touch with my Korean side. I still didn’t have many Korean friends, and I was losing the language by the day. My listening skills were elementary and I could barely put cohesive sentences together without stuttering or mispronouncing something.
After I graduated from university, I thought the next logical step was…. more school. I accepted enrolment into a post-grad program but last minute decided to withdraw. I didn’t feel 100% about my decision to go into that program so I decided to go to Korea to teach English for a year. I got my TEFL certification, found a job and set off.
Truthfully, I felt that if I didn’t go then, I wouldn’t get the opportunity to travel and more importantly, get in touch with and explore my roots. After post-grad, I thought I’d inevitably settle into a career, family etc. etc… so I went Seoul Searching instead. And it was the best decision I ever made.
However, my 1 year – turned into 5. Each year I was there, I felt more in my element. I was discovering more about myself and more about my culture. Korea felt like home to me. Being immersed in the culture and even formally studying the language, I felt the most Korean I have ever felt in my life. But of course, home was still Canada. I was torn between the two. Deep down, I knew that eventually I wanted to come back to Canada to settle down and start a family. It was a tough decision but I finally took the plunge to leave and move back.
I’ve been back in Canada for 4 years but I felt like I left a part of me back in Korea.
However, the one thing that I am truly grateful for is finding my footing back in Canada with KCAA (Korean Canadian Athletic Association). Through this organization, I was able to make lasting and meaningful friendships and still feel very much connected to my Korean roots. I had finally found that balance. I was living back home in Canada and still had a Korean community that I could actively be a part of.
I am Canadian. I am Korean. And I couldn’t be more proud to be both.