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SEOUL, South Korea - To say I was nervous would be an
understatement. This was not a short visit where I would simply
enjoy the sights and return promptly to the comforts of home. This
was a year in Korea; 365 days away from everything I had grown
accustomed to. New to the Army, I wondered how I would acclimate to
my newfound duties as a Soldier while living nearly 7,000 miles from
home.
A piece of wisdom I hear time and time again from
fellow service members is that Korea is what you make of it. I had
no choice but to make the best of my first assignment. Over the next
several months, I took the time to travel. I became submersed in the
culture and that's when things changed.I built confidence in myself
and began to appreciate the opportunity I had, even if I got lost a
few times along the way.
I was fortunate enough to have
someone explain the subway system to me the first time I ventured
out. In all honesty, it wasn't much different from any other
metropolis. To ride, all I needed was a reloadable metro card, which
I purchased from a local convenience store. Each subway car had a
map which laid out the route with each stop listed in English. The
buses weren't so straightforward. All stops were printed and
announced entirely in Hangul, the Korean language. I was determined
to make it work and began using applications on my phone as a guide.
Free from the fear of veering off course, I took to reading
blogs for inspiration on where to go and what to do next. I came
across an impressive photo of hikers perched atop a majestic
mountain overlooking Seoul. I knew immediately what I had to do
next, and a few weeks later I found myself navigating the metro
system on my way to the base of Mount Bukhansan. Ignoring my
crippling fear of heights, I climbed nearly 3,000 feet to Baegundae
Peak, where I learned that I had not climbed the same mountain as
the hikers I admired but rather the much higher mountain from which
that photo was taken. This feat became a highlight of my Korean
experience.
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U.S. Army Spc. Lauren Harrah takes in the view of Baegundae Peak,
Bukhansan National Park in the Republic of Korea through the lens of
her camera, March 7, 2015. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lauren Harrah)
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After taking a handful of memorable photos, I was eager
to make the descent. I chose to follow a shorter route down
the opposite side of the mountain. I was naive and
inexperienced, not identifying the snow-covered north face
for the strenuous route it was. Surely there would be less
snow toward the bottom I thought. The trail was covered with
snow and ice, indistinguishable in areas marked only by rope
handrails hastily tied between trees. Two Korean gentlemen
were also making the descent and offered what assistance
they could, guiding me through less treacherous terrain.
I made my way safely to the bottom only to be greeted by
a small coffee shop where no one spoke English and all
surrounding signage again read only in Hangul. I had lost my
bearing and could not find a bus stop. I also happened to be
in one of the few locations where my phone dropped Internet
connectivity. My safety net was gone. After some thinking, I
called a Korean Soldier from my unit to ask for help. He was
able to communicate my predicament to one of the gentlemen
who had helped me make the descent. My fellow hiker wasted
no time in guiding me nearly a mile to the bus stop. I was
very appreciative of this stranger's willingness to help
and, suddenly, our cultures didn't seem so different.
Korea is definitely what you make of it. This holds true
for almost anything the Army gives you. Our mission as
Soldiers is always to adapt and overcome.
When I got
orders to Korea, I felt the odds were stacked against me
but, over the course of my assignment, I learned how to make
the best of it. It wasn't watching movies and talking to
friends back home that made my time better, it was the
experiences I had when I focused more on opportunities
rather than challenges.
By U.S. Army Spc. Lauren Harrah
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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