[한경에세이] 터프한 한국인 .. 데이비드 루카스 (영어원문 첨부)

많은 외국인들은 한국사람들이 '터프'하다고 한다. 한국인은 교육열,엄격한 근로 윤리,여름과 겨울을 오가는 심한 기온차를 이겨내는 측면에서 '터프'하고 의지와 열정이 강하다. 내가 겪은 두가지 경험을 말해 볼까 한다. 진로발렌타인스 합작 법인을 설립하던 2000년 2월이었다. 많은 한국직원들을 외국계 기업에 편입시키는 일이 무척이나 힘들었다. 그래서 나는 사원들의 단합을 위해 야유회를 열기로 했다. 한국 친구들이 야유회에 대해 긍정적 측면과 부정적 측면 등 여러 얘기를 해 줬는데,나는 이런 행사가 사원들이 정체성과 소속감을 갖는데 도움이 될 것 같았다. 행사내용 중에 축구경기가 있었다. 예선에서는 리그 방식을,결선에서는 토너먼트 방식을 통해 경쟁했는데 결승전은 공장 대 본사팀이 붙게 됐다. 그 때까지 경기를 지켜보던 나는 직접 참가해 뛰어보기로 했다. 돌이켜 보면 평소 운동도 하지 않고,축구에 소질도 없는 내가 그런 결정을 내린 것은 어리석은 생각이었다. 어쨌거나 격렬한 경기는 시작됐고,내가 상대방의 태클에 걸려 넘어져 오른쪽 무릎이 크게 다쳤다. 참을 수 없는 통증 때문에 도저히 걸을 수 없어 차에 실려 병원까지 갔다. 진단 결과는 골절이었고,이 때문에 병원에서 3주를 보내야 했다. 3년 전 일이었다. 나는 아직도 다리 안에 철심을 박고 지낸다. 이 때문에 공항 검색대를 한번도 무사 통과한 적이 없다. 영어 밖에 못하는 나로서는 이유를 설명하기가 쉽지 않다. 두번째 경험은 한국의 생활방식과 관련이 있다. 나는 평소 건강과 운동의 중요성을 알고 있고 아내도 귀에 못이 박히도록 이를 강조하지만 실제로는 신경을 쓰지 못한다. 새벽부터 밤 늦게까지 일하고 술마실 일이 많은 데다 운동 부족까지 겹쳐 1년 전 요통으로 입원하게 됐다. 병명은 디스크(추간판 탈출증).병원에서 2주 동안 등뼈를 늘리는 '요추 견인 치료'를 받아야 했다. 한국에 오기 전에는 어렸을 때 한번쯤 부러뜨리기 마련인 팔·다리를 한번도 다친 적이 없을 뿐더러 하루도 병원신세를 진적이 없었다. 그러던 내가 한국에 와서는 두번이나 뼈가 잘 못 되고 입원까지 해야 했다. 이런 점에서 나는 한국의 터프함을 느꼈다. ............................................................................. I am aware that many foreigners believe Koreans to be 'tough' people, tough in the sense of their determination and commitment, particularly to education, their strong work ethic, and their ability to withstand many weather extremes with the temperature shifts between winter and summer. This strength of character has demonstrated itself in many ways but I would like to share two specific examples of how I have interpreted this from my own experience. The establishment of the joint venture in February 2000 was tough. Trying to blend a group of people into a foreign majority owned joint venture was not easy. Looking back I sometimes wonder what all the fuss was about, but at the time it was tough. One of the first things we did was to arrange a company outing. I had heard from many Koreans who have experienced these company events, some were positive, others not so. We decided though that this was an event that could give the company a clearer identity and bring some sense of belonging. One of the core events was soccer, a round robin tournament with each department who wanted to participate fielding their own team. The final match saw the factory paired against the head office team. I had decided to join in having watched everything else from the sidelines, again the power of hindsight would suggest that this was not a good idea for someone who does not exercise very much and does not have much soccer talent. The match progressed but I could feel that the game was going on far away from the part of the field where I was. So I decided to really join in. After my first tackle I ended up collapsed on the ground with significant pain in my right knee. Unable to walk I was carried to the car and taken to the local hospital, the conclusion, a fracture and three weeks in Samsung Kangbuk hospital ! I still have the steel plate in my leg that bonded the bones together and this happened three years ago. It always causes some trouble at an airport security check, trying to explain that the metal the detector has found is inside your leg, is not easy in a foreign language. The second example comes primarily from a lifestyle issue for me in Korea. As I mentioned, exercise and healthy living are not high on my priority list, although I am the first to accept that it should be and my wife constantly reminds me that it should be too. However, given the nature of my job, late nights, early mornings, too much drinking and my generally poor attitude to sticking to a balanced diet, all combine with the lack of exercise to lead to back problems. This is exactly what has happened. Just over one year ago I found myself in Yonsei Severance hospital for two weeks literally being stretched because I had pinched a nerve at the bottom of my back. The treatment from both hospitals was excellent and the nurses in both were superb at trying to help me as best they could given they could not speak too much English. The point of both examples and the relationship to the toughness of the Korean people is that prior to coming to Korea I had never broken anything in my body, even as a child when breaking an arm or a leg is not unusual. Nor had I ever spent any time, even one day, in a hospital as a patient, prior to coming to Korea. Now I have a claim to both during my time here !