I spent last year bouncing between Asian countries. Almost 6 months in Japan, a month in Korea, a month in Taiwan.
Then I tried living in the West for the first time: Sydney, since November.
It was more of a culture shock than I expected. Car-dependent, spread out, and after Asia where everything is walkable and within reach — genuinely inconvenient. Ordering food meant navigating a menu without photos, hoping you got what you wanted, and catching a staff member’s eye just to get water.
Then I came back to Seoul. Walked into a Twosome Place on day one, ordered in 30 seconds from a kiosk in English, and remembered exactly why I love Asia.