※ 아래 스크립트는 발표자의 발표내용을 그대로 표기하였으므로 구어체 표현이 포함되어있고,
New York, Paris, Tokyo, to even Nepal and Oman. I’ve traveled to a whole variety
of destinations, all the way from the Far East to the West. Undoubtedly, every one
of these trips was memorable in its own way, but of these, if I were to choose one
that remains the most crystal clear, it would neither be Oman that offered the
most exotic culture nor New York City that bustled with business, businessman's
passion. It would interestingly be a trip I took to Bangkok at the beginning of this
year – a city where I grew up.
We often think that novelty can only be found in novel places, that we can attain
new, meaningful insight only in places we have not been before.
But revisiting a city where I once called my home, I could notice things I had
previously overlooked. Not much had changed with the city itself over the three
years I had been away, yet now looking at it from an outsider’s point of view,
I could newly see its beauties, which I had previously taken for granted.
The tropical weather, which I used to detest, no longer felt sweltering but warm.
The local street food, which I did not even try a single time while living as a
resident, no longer seemed unhygienic, but absolutely mouthwatering. More than
anything else, the cheap price not just of the food but hotel, taxi, and more – took
me by pleasant surprise. This was likely a result of the new frugal lifestyle I was
forced to adopt since moving to Korea, living off of my parents' monthly
allowances. It wasn’t just these physical aspects, though, that took me by surprise.
Meeting my old high school friends who received undergraduate education in the
United States, I could come to see how differently our disparate environments had
shaped our outlooks on the world to be. Precisely, I could come to see how some
of the Korean might, Korean-minded out mentality that had stealthily begun to
settle inside of me.
For one, I could immediately notice that I had become much more modest.
It felt rather strange to hear my friends talk so overtly about their ambitious
dreams – how they one day dream of becoming a CEO of a company, how they
aspire to change certain policies of their countries’ constitutions – and especially
more so, with absolute certitude. For my Korean peers, whom I personally deem
much brighter, would think it unrealistic to have such grand dreams. They would
concern themselves only with finding an “okay” job that could sufficiently satisfy
their daily needs.
Such difference in the level of self-esteem by different nationalities is in fact
reflected through a research conducted by Bradley University. According to this
study, American countries like Mexico and the United States have the highest levels
of self-esteem while East Asian countries like South Korea and Japan have the
lowest.
You may be wondering at this point, “OK, why does this even matter? Why is this
girl talking about self-esteem in the middle of a travel speech? This topic matters.
In fact, it matters a lot because it holds critical implications. Studies carried out by
numerous scholars from Bandura to Campbell suggest that high self-esteem is
positively correlated with coping mechanisms, goals and expediencies, all of which
are necessary to achievement.
And as a matter of fact, I know that this is true. I am just beginning to see several
friends from high school blossoming even more post-college. From what I hear,
they were able to earn these achievements by persistently setting their goals high
and believing that they can do it.
Travelling to my old home and seeing my high school friends, I became cognizant of
how timid I had become. I at once was a girl full of ambition - certain that I
could rule the world – yet now I had turned into a complacent coward. I had once
regarded the entire globe to be my arena, yet now my perspective was confined
within the Korea border.
Though nothing about the trip to Bangkok was new, it was a new turning point for
me. It not only made me aware of the unnoticed beauties of the city, but also
made me re-check up on myself. It offered me a new outlook on life. Sometimes,
visiting the already-known may open doors to the unknown.