gil•chi

Korean: noun; a person who is useless with directions.

If you ask people who know me, they can all agree that I get lost very easily. Koreans use the term gilchi to describe someone like myself, who is directionally challenged. Some common qualities of gilchis are: finding night streets to be different from day streets, remembering places by vibes rather than qualities set in stone (like buildings or statures), the inability to trace their way back to where they started, and/or confusion if using different form of transportation to get there (walking vs. taking a car).

Your body suffers a lot if you are bad with directions. Especially in the summer or winter when you face extreme temperatures, you are either wet with sweat or frozen by the time you reach your destination. Often I'm late, not because I took too much time getting ready, but because I got really lost on the way, like ending up in a completely different section of the city. I'm grateful that most of my friends get worried before getting annoyed when I'm late, offering to come to pick me up where I am. (Though they're more likely thinking "I'LL COME TO YOU SO DON'T MOVE BECAUSE YOU'LL GET MORE LOST.") Being a gilchi is troubling to both my own body and the minds of those around me.

Though, I realized, it comes with advantages.

Gilchis are okay with being lost. We are rarely correct with our sense of direction that even with a tiny bit of doubt, we know to stop, search, and ask before continuing. Many people get nervous when they find themselves on an unknown path, but we are used to not knowing where we are. The fastest solution to find your way is to accept that you are lost and be okay with it. We can easily acknowledge that we are lost, confused, and slightly disoriented, all while remaining relaxed. While I start to get a little agitated if I think I'll be late, I know that its better if I stay calm if I'm going to wander anyway.

Gilchis can easily change their direction. It should be a choice to follow the wrong path, not an unsure belief that you are right. As a gilchi, I know that there are many paths and each and every one lead to the same place. Changing my direction once or twice, while it may take longer, does not change my ultimate destination. By doing so, I often discover new paths. People who are good with directions can walk straight to their destination in the fastest possible route, but I get lost and find new streets with undiscovered locations. When I have no solid plans, I don't mind getting lost and sometimes go into the unique places I find (because knowing me, I can't find it ever again).

Last week, I visited Japan for the first time in a long time. With my family, I started in Osaka and visited Kyoto, eventually traveling alone to Tokyo to join my friends. My parents worried a lot, being in a foreign country with a huge language barrier, which made me anxious. But when I got there, it wasn't too bad. My past years of being a gilchi really paid off. The ultimate goal of the trip was to explore Japan as it is. We had places we wanted to go but had no strict routes. By getting lost, we were able to discover more and appreciate our findings.

As you read you might say, "I prefer being able to find my way" or "I'm glad I can find directions easily." You might think all of the above might be my little excuses, and my mother would agree with you. But I sincerely think that being a gilchi has changed my perspectives in approaching life.

Society tries to convince us that there is a single path to the destinations of life. The most commonly heard route being receiving good grades, going to a good college, and getting a good job and a stable income. Especially within more conservative social circles (like that of Koreans), if one step goes awry, you are looked upon shamefully. They seem to say getting to the destination in the shortest and fastest way possible is the correct way while ignoring the many missed opportunities in the 'road less traveled.'

When you believe in society's destination and realize it is not your own, it's a long track back. By taking the fastest and quickest route to your destinations, you are blind to the hidden opportunities around you. But also, you know that creating your own paths and going down the uncommon way would be very risky and time-consuming. Perhaps the fear of getting lost comes from the high chance of not getting to the destination on time or at all. As a gilchi, I am more accepting of that fear. Living and wandering streets are quite similar. While I will definitely lose my way, I am more familar with that feeling. I think that it's often scarier not knowing than being certain that you're lost.

From experience, if you have a plan set in time and place, it's better to find the fastest way. But for something as uncertain as life, getting lost might be the only way to discover. While it may take longer, work your body harder, you will discover the opportunities that you would never have known. And if you like it, you can choose to take it, or if not, you can choose to miss it and wander again. Perhaps in those moments, you can find what you're looking for.