Top Ten
observations I made here so far:
1) Korean fried chicken places are ubiquitous.
Still have yet to try it though. Can’t wait to consume all that glorious saturated fat. yum.
2) School guys still like to hold hands.
It’s called cheong, the ever so difficult to word to translate to English. It’s that loyal, unconditional, uninhibited affection and love you have for your friends and enables guys to hug each other.
3) A lot more international people here.
And speak Korean fluently. They often make appearances in dramas, talk shows, and documentaries. It was interesting to see Europeans speaking Korean, along with Indians and Latinos. It often sounds like this guy. (Doesn’t he remind you of Bethany speaking in Korean?) Today alone I met a Pakistani student peddling necklaces and a Peruvian who spoke a good amount of Korean. (I also got a free ring from him by speaking a good amount of Spanish lol)
4) You do NOT have the right of way.
I repeat, pedestrians do not have the right of way.
5) Money bills have changed.
They’re smaller and the color changed too.
6) People don’t wash their hands after using bathroom.
Not even the women.
7) I have a small face.
It’s often the second comment I get from people I just met…and that I don’t look thirty. People also say that I look Indian (from India) and like Pocahontas. Go figure.
8) They sell a lot more stuff than candybars on the subways. Folding mesh laundry baskets, magnet hooks to hang towels or keys, flashlights, etc. And if you happen to have craving for squid, they’re still roasting them by the subway entrances too.
9) Technology is more advanced than the states.
You can chew on squid while watching TV on your PDA or cell phone while riding the subway. It’s real-time broadcasting; not downloaded videos. I’d be happy if our cell phones worked on the subways.
10) If clothes are cheaper in the US cause they’re made in Korea, then they’re that much cheaper here. I just bought a nice $5 short-sleeve turtleneck at Kangnam station and bought $15 pants at another subway station. You can’t get any cheaper or more convenient than that.
=) bday es!
Crazy Hannah! Sounds like you’re having crazy fun. Wish I could visit you in Korea.
The chicken is excellent. I spent many a evening with fellow Korean graduate students drinking OB and Cass while downing the unwholesome greasy goodness.
The technology is an interesting mixed bag. There was a good article in the Economist I believe that talked about the Koreans, their video cell phones, and what was unique about the Korean situation that allowed the broadcasting of video to phones to work.
i can’t believe no one commented on the non washing of hands after the bathroom!…i hope you have retained your US etiquette haha