I’ve moved several times in my life to cultures quite different than mine. I’m originally from Romania. I’ve always oscillated between maintaining my cultural heritage and identity while engaging with local people and the wider society that I’m living in. In South Korea, for the first time in my life, I decided not to learn the language (for several reasons, but mainly because I liked being somewhere where I don’t understand what people say; it minimizes my anxiety level somehow.). Because of my decision, however, I have had some difficult…