Korean Job Discussion Forums

[whatever]

So, I've seen this for going on a couple of years now, but I still wonder...why do so many aging women scavenge through trash late at night? I understand people hunting around for large, semi-valuable items like old furniture or appliances, but...

Part of my question is why that's worthwhile to them and the other is why at night?

Another part of me is annoyed because of the way that many, at least in my neighborhood, take bagged or boxed trash and dump it loosely and carelessly on the street so they can take away the container or sift through the contents. It makes for a mess, and though it is quickly cleaned up by sanitation workers, it strikes me as disrespectful to those who have to work harder to do an already unpleasant job and to a certain extent, the neighbors in general. How many of us have been berated--rightly or wrongly--by some aging neighbor or passerby about something having to do with our trash?

Since they seem to roam around a bit and pull along rolling carts, I assume that they don't all live on my block. The late night nature of it all seems quite odd. Don't they desire sleep? Are they embarrassed? Don't their families care that they go to such lengths to gather trash? Is it their hobby? I've never seen one take something of much value, and I directly overlook two large drop-off points.

Are they stuck so far in the past mentally that they think it's necessary? I don't reside in a hard-luck area of my city. I know my grandmother at home, no matter how many times I told her, could never believe that long-distance calling was actually affordable or inclusive. So, she naturally and stubbornly kept phone call times to an absolute minimum, and still does to this day.

I'm stuck somewhere between being amused, feeling annoyed and pitying them. It's so widespread. What's your take?

[Juregen]

Let me tell you.

I once had a bunch of old trunks i had to get rid of. So i labeled them for the garbage (i had to pay tax for it, in Belgium). Since trunks can hold a lot of things i decided to make use of all that empty space.

I put in every type of junk that was too big for plastic bags, which is okay since i paid extra tax on the luggage.

Not half an hour layer, all the contents were sprayed around on the street. The trunks were gone.

I tried to file a report, but the police said that, the moment i label it as trash, anyone can pick it up a go away.

I explained to them that the content was all over the place and a danger for pedestrians and vehicles alike. Then they said that was my obligation to clean it up because it was my trash.

AAAARGGHH

So i spend 2 hours cleaning the street.

[kermo]

[Col.Brandon]

There's not much of a social welfare system here. They do it so that they can make a pittance from recycling to survive on. Perhaps they have no children to help support them in their old age. Why at night? Less traffic, and the stores and households have put all of the day's used packaging out on the street.

A pretty alien concept for those of us who've been brought up with white privilege


p.s. Damn Belgian adjummas!

[Scotticus]

[whatever]

[as-ian]

Thats just like some people i know who dumpster dive back in the States. They find interesting things, but none of it ever seems worthwhile to me.

But, to each his own, i suppose.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I've been told those old ladies have been abandoned by their families (unfilial children) and are living on like W50,000 a month.

[eamo]

While on a bus in a traffic jam in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, I was able to watch a transaction between a recycle center and the halmoni who arrived with a cart full of cardboard.
The halmoni had a full cart of cardboard. I don't know how long it took her to collect that. Maybe a full morning? Anyway, I distinctly saw the recycle center ajumma count her out 4000won.

A big portion of educated or connected Koreans are living well. The others are living hand to mouth. Lots of poor people subsist in Korea.

[blaseblasphemener]