Despite growing tensions between North Korea and the United States, Escondido resident Sarah Edge says she’d return to South Korea to teach.
"I felt very safe there,” said Edge
She had planned to live in South Korea for only a year but she stayed for five years.
"Seoul is such a dynamic city,” said Edge. "It has a 24-hour nightlife. People are so friendly. I met so many people awesome there. I had so many unique opportunities that so many people wouldn't get in their lifetime."
While in South Korea, she occasionally saw the local news stations reporting on the situation in North Korea but she says it wasn't something she and her friends would talk about much.
"They go about their day to day activities every day never thinking what if North Korea attacks tomorrow. People there don't think about it,” added Edge.
She says since she returned to San Diego, she's actually become a bit more concerned for her friends because of what she sees on American TV.
"The way the media covers those kinds of topics you would think it's really urgent or dire situation," said Edge. "It's really different from the way it's covered in South Korea."
She has since been in touch with friends there to see if they've become more concerned after North Korea's ballistic missile tests.
"They feel that North Korea has made so many threats and said so many things over the years and not followed up with action," said Edge. "So they have a very casual approach to it."
She encouraged San Diegans to visit South Korea and not to dismiss it solely because of what's being reported about North Korea.
"I actually ironically feel safer in South Korea than I do in California," Edge said. "So I'm hoping I could go back."
