Review: Engaging and Illuminating
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2013
Traveling halfway around the world to live and work in another country, whether for the short term or longer is by no means an easy task. Some might do it out of a sense of adventure or variety is the spice of life thing; others might do it out of economy and necessity. Whatever the reason, it is the road less traveled in that famous Robert Frost poem.That's exactly what Alex Clermont did and what he eloquently describes in Eating Kimchi and Nodding Politely: Stories About Love, Life, Death and Discover from an American in South Korea. Clermont who came to Korea to teach English offers insights into a way of life which has become the norm for thousands of expatriates who have followed suit.Having lived and worked in Korea since 1990, I could identify with many of the trials and tribulations Clermont went through during his sojourn in Korea. There is something to be said about those who make a life-defining decision to travel halfway around the world to teach English. To be sure, when I decided to come to Korea in December 1990, that life-defining moment changed my life forever.The same can be said for Clermont and the experiences he describes in his book. From describing his first taste of Korea when he samples kimchi for the first time to his triumphs as an English teacher, the book is engaging and illuminating. Although this reads like a memoir, there is much more on a creative nonfiction feel to the stories. Instead of, "I did this" and then "I did that" there is a lot more creative freedom going on here. That's what I liked most about Clermont's book. If you are planning to take the road less traveled by coming to Korea to teach English, I highly recommend this book.Jeffrey Miller,Author of Waking Up in the Land of the Morning Calm