I think it’s important to give some background info before beginning: I’M CLUMSY.
With that said, my goal in Korea is to remain alive, seriously! Since I’ve gotten here everyday is a struggle not to get run over by the many motorcyclists or moped drivers that cross the street with you and brush by you millimeters away. They zoom by without even looking back. It is your duty to make sure to move out of their way as they push their way through. If that wasn’t a danger enough, red lights, a suggestion to stop. The number of people who run red lights is astonishing. It’s not just one rebel driver but one after another after another. When they say look twice before crossing, you better! The green pedestrian sign may have turned out but it’s not safe to cross yet.. by any means! And if you think you’re gonna cross the street before it turns red, dont! It’s better to wait. I thought I could run across because it was still blinking but cars take that as the majority have crossed I can now run the red light. So yes I have stopped dead in my tracks infront of a couple cars!
However, traffic hasn’t been the only thing taunting to take my life. I’m just accident prone and very distracted. I’ll be wandering gazing up at the sky, lost in thought as my friends pull me aside from an oncoming motorcyclist. Well, I guess that counts as traffic too but if I’m not bumping into things I’m tripping by own shoes. Literally.!
I went hiking over the long weekend, which is the only holiday we get during the semester, and well let me tell you I thought I wouldn’t see home again. I was literally hiking with my hands and feet. I thought that going hiking meant bringing a lot of water and so I had three water bottles on me as well as my iPad for picture taking all adding up to a heavy backpack. At one point I was standing on the edge, lost my balance, and fell over. I kept sliding downwards and ended up stopping at a very dangerous edge. I scratched up my hands which resulted in me not being able to hold on to rocks and trees with my right hand because it stung. The higher we got up, the more frightened I became because if I fell this time I really wouldn’t be leaving the mountain. I’m glad to say I made it safely to and from and the view was gorgeous.
On a different occasion my friend asked me to go bike riding. (My past history with bike riding involves almost getting run over and a scar on my palm.) So my response was I know how to ride a bicycle but I wouldn’t say I’m the best bike rider. She looks at me confused and says, what do you mean? Well, I don’t have the best experience or much experience bike riding. I learned how to do it but that’s about it. But I’m still up for it. That’s the problem, I’m always “up for it” but it never results pleasantly. So we went bike riding and of course me being short I couldn’t reach the floor while the bike seat was at its lowest. So I was up to a rough and zig zag start and my friend just looks at me with the most worried expression on her face. We rode past signs that warned not to fall in to the river with your bicycle. Well lucky for me we didn’t take the route closest to the river (or else that would’ve been me) but upon returning on what seemed like a successful bike ride I was having trouble stopping and I couldn’t really reach the floor to stop it with my feet and well the bike suddenly became heavier and next thing you know we’re both sideways. 
I think this gives a good explanation as to why my goal has become to stay alive in Korea. I absolutely love it here and there is so much to do and explore but somehow I always end up in the danger zone. I think I have gotten used to it so it’s become my normal. I’m always up for the adventure and well it leads to fun stories to tell. I just hope I live to tell them.
