You Guessed It! More Korean Culture

Hi again!

OK, so you're probably thinking, "Ew, what the heck is this post about? Toilets and hairy food?" Well, yes it is. :) I've been making more observations about surprising and different things I am encountering here in Korea. So I'mma just go ahead and get to it.

1. Koreans drive like maniacs. They're as bad (or perhaps worse) than New Yorkers. Whenever I get into a taxi I fear for my life. People zoom through intersections and drive REALLY close to other cars. People even drive through red lights on a regular basis. Waiting at a red light, it's not uncommon to see a car slow down, the driver look to see if there is anyone coming in the opposite traffic direction, and zoom through the red light, spastically honking their horn. It's INSANE.

2. Regular toilets are a rare siting. Squatting toilets, as seen in the photo, are what you'll find about 70% of the time. These definitely get some getting used to. I'll be the first to admit that I avoid them at all costs, only using them if my bladder is about to burst and there is no toilet in the bathroom I'm in. And when I must use it, it's difficult. It takes some practice. If I don't pay attention, I end up peeing on my shoe, followed by me usually cursing and wiping my shoe furiously. Then I feel ridiculous. There is usually at least one regular toilet if you need to go ....erm... "number two," but otherwise you gotta use a squat toilet if the real one is occupied. Luckily at Sannam the teachers' bathroom has one regular toilet which I use whenever I can. Oh, by the way, the toilet seat is heated in the winter. So instead of that moment of wincing you have when you first sit down on the cold porcelain toilet seat, you sit and get a warm surprise. It's sort of nice. And in a school where the halls aren't heated (only the classrooms), you sort of want to stay there. Ok, enough bathroom talk.

3. There is no Korean equivalent to "bless you". Koreans don't say anything after you sneeze. It might not sound so bizarre, but after being accustomed to hearing someone say something after you sneeze for your whole life, being in a silent office (because everyone is hard at work... most of the time) and sneezing and it remaining silent is REALLY strange. I'm still not used to it!

5. In the winter, to keep warm outside people wear face masks. I was confused at first but I guess breathing warm air keeps you warm. It makes sense. I've gotten used to seeing people walking around looking like burglars or surgeons or gangsters but I was shocked when I first saw it. Even in the summer I saw people wearing them, which I don't understand really...


I swear I had so many I wanted to talk about but now as I sit down to blog I'm forgetting them! Oh well, I'll write about them later when I remember. In other news, I've been introduced to new, exotic fruits. A lychee and a hairy lychee (I'm sure you can figure out which is which) is a South East Asian fruit. The first time I encountered the lychee was at a dinner out with some fellow teachers from my school. It was a buffet dinner and upon seeing them I asked Nam Teacher, "What the heck is that?!" She laughed and explained that it was a fruit from South East Asia. With her instruction, I peeled the lychee (a somewhat difficult task) and popped the soft, rubbery center into my mouth. It tasted citrus-y and sweet. I liked it so much I even went up to get more from the buffet. Tonight I went to another dinner out with teachers at another buffet-style restaurant and what was there?! My favorite new exotic fruit. I was excited. I also saw snails at the buffet which I didn't have the guts to try. Octopus tentacles are enough for me at this point. Ick!

That's all, folks!

Love,
Mel