Road Master

Road Master
Crossing The Desert of Misconception and Arriving at the Oasis of Understanding

Moving to a new country is daunting in itself. Add in various cultural, social and religious differences, it becomes even harder. Growing up in a particular society, surrounded by people from the same socio-ethnic backgrounds, certain stereotypes or notions are ingrained in us towards people from a culture different to ours. When moving abroad, we carry these perceptions with us, and more often than not, are surprised or even shocked when these perceptions prove to be false. This was the case with Jay Hong as well – when he moved to the Middle East from South Korea, he carried with him all these ideas of what life here would be and what the people are like. However, over the course of his journey in the region, his experiences corrected many of these notions.

In Road Master, he has collated all these experiences and the lessons he learned with the aim of helping others. This book will serve as a “Road Master” or guide that helps us remove preconceived notions and racial stereotypes as it tells Jay’s personal story about his process of trying to understand Arabs and an unfamiliar Middle Eastern culture from a foreign perspective. It will aid in breaking down walls around ourselves, our neighbours and the world, which in turn will lead us to view the world from a different perspective.

Road Master was first published in Korean in 2019 in South Korea.