“You’re Living My Dream”: Afrikaner Teacher Vents About Car Culture Shock in South Korea, SA Wowed

• An Afrikaner woman working as an English teacher in South Korea has shared a lighthearted video detailing her cultural adjustments
• While navigating the ultra-modern streets, she admitted to experiencing homesickness for South Africa's distinct car culture
• Her amusing commentary sparked a massive debate among local viewers, split between envy over her lifestyle and puzzlement at her nostalgia

An Afrikaner woman teaching in South Korea has gone viral after venting about what she deeply misses about Mzansi's unique car and transit culture. The video, shared on Instagram by @sunaynay1 on 16 June 2026, gained massive traction from locals who found her homesickness relatable yet highly amusing.

The South African educator explained that she has been living in East Asia for nearly five years. While she loves her life abroad, she admitted that there is one element of South African life she still craves: the rugged automotive culture. She confessed to missing the presence of bakkies and heavy-duty 4x4 vehicles, which are an everyday norm across South Africa but non-existent in her new home.

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The Afrikaner woman said the roads are dominated by sleek, modern cars like Hyundais, Kias, and Genesis, with the occasional luxury Audi, BMW, or Porsche making an appearance. For a South African used to seeing tough Toyota Hiluxes or wobbly older vehicles packed with character, the flawless, uniform traffic felt almost uncanny. Instagram user @sunaynay1 added that she misses the sight of a beaten-up Ford Bantam breaking down on the side of the road or seeing commuters hanging out of taxi windows.

The efficiency of the Korean transit

According to urban transit data published by The Seoul Institute, South Korea's capital operates a precise, integrated transit network built for maximum daily volume. The system moves a daily average of over 6.8 million passengers across its primary metro lines alone, operating with strict scheduling and route alignment. Commuters move effortlessly between trains and expansive bus networks using automated, smart distance-based ticketing systems, providing a synchronised contrast to the chaotic daily travel conditions found in Mzansi.

Watch the Instagram reel below:

Mzansi reacts to the woman’s post

The entertaining clip struck a chord with social media users, leading to many reactions. Many viewers swooned over her video, pointing out how lucky she was to be teaching in such a beautiful environment. Some confessed that she was living their dream, stating they would trade places with her in a heartbeat to experience life in East Asia. Others jokingly said only a South African would miss wobbly cars and broken public systems while living in a flawless, first-world country.

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User @brpl2010 commented:

"Girl, as a South African, it is my dream to go to South Korea. Hulle kare is mwah (their kare is nice). "

User @milly_singh88 added:

"😂 I love your story times."

User @spikeydawson said:

"Your posts keep my understanding of Afrikaans alive 🇿🇦👌🏻."

User @mxniqueyong.lixx shared:

"Girl, jy lewe my droom (you're living my dream) 🥹😩💙."

User @peter.rudolph.160750 said:

"Love your Afrikaans."

User @jasongouws1 commented:

"Living in a first-world country where everything works, whilst missing you're third world country where everything is falling apart, and missing the parts where things are broken, is like missing your ex cause he beat you. Sho."

3 Briefly News articles about South Africans teaching abroad

• A local woman in South Korea shared a video explaining why she was quitting her teaching job 10 days after starting.
• After Kaizer Chiefs won the Nedbank Cup final, a local man teaching in China delivered a soccer lesson score to his learner, leaving Mzansi entertained.
• A South African teacher working in China shared an amusing video of her interaction with a young Chinese learner who kept repeating her exact words during an English "thank you" lesson.

Source: Briefly News