Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DorkothyParker]

As I said in the DON'T LIKE thread, living in Korea has refreshed my perspective of my homeland. Where once all I saw was urban sprawl, self-indulged automatons, and terrible cinema, I now realize that yes, there were some pretty awesome things lodged between the Wal-mart megacenter and the cruddy old Olive Garden that no one ever goes to anymore.

So here it is, what do you like about the USA? A reminder: this is an America-positive thread, not a Canada/Korea/South Africa negative thread. Aight?

-80's Night

- Rollerderby

-Feminism and "grrl" culture

- Unlimited creativity. Many Americans just "don't give a damn because I am what I am." Sometimes this can be really really bad like people with mullets. Sometimes it can be totally awesome like Galactic War 2 preenactors with foam bat'leth and semi-ironic mullets. Or, you know, that pajama clad pillow fighting club that met up downtown on Tuesdays. Not to mention the best web-comics

- Nerds. Hey, when we have a good idea, we run with it. Normal Star Trek fans become trekkies. We host conventions, we write fan fic, we give the industries a reason to think someone would actually pay $600 for a light saber replica. And why? Because we are competitive jerks! But you know what, sometimes we use that competition for good stuff, like making the internet viable for the average consumer. You're welcome.

- Cafeteria culture. Know what I love? Being able to take a nice evening of yoga stretching and zazen meditation and then eating red meat and drinking whiskey. "But DP," you object, "aren't yoga and Zazen meditation related to the Buddhist traditions?" "Your point?" I ask. Your eyes flit back and forth as your fingers absently stroke your tie, "aren't Buddhist veggies and, err, sober folk?" I laugh. "Ho, ho, ho... I also celebrate Christmas, you see?" I say rather boldly, "and St. Patrick's Day. And Cinco de Mayo." See, we Americans like what we like. We don't care about all the little details that make something "authentic." We take the parts we like (breasts off chicken, claws off crabs) and leave the rest to whoever prefers the neck and back meat. Some might say we're cultural poachers. But we aren't just consumers, we're creators too. Ever here of a little thing called nachos? Yeah, all us. How about ranch dressing on spaghetti? Again, you're welcome.

These are just a few of my favorite thing. How about you? What do you like about the awesome and slightly awkward USA?

[beercanman]

I like all the great entertainment (movies, tv shows, music), the people I've met, the seriously great variety of culture and diversity, some of the products I can purchase, and I believe the overall decency of the majority there.

And I've never even spent a day in the damn place. Go figure.

[chris_J2]

* Some of the most stunning national parks on the planet: Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Yellowstone, Yosemite et al.
* the diversity of culture: Hispanic, European, native American Indian, Asian, African American, Creole etc
* the diversity of food. For the most part, great. I had a wonderful pizza in Mancos, CO
* the decent road system & orderly traffic that follows road rules
* rareness of public spitting
* generally clean public toilets
* the music, film, technology, arts, & tv programs / entertainment industries are often world leaders, & cutting edge
* the wide open spaces
* some of the people were very friendly, & had a great sense of humor
* the blue, blue, skies of AZ, CO & NM. Very rare in smoggy Seoul.
* the warm weather of Hawaii

[beercanman]

and some of the writers, thinkers, creators, inventors etc..who have come from there...spectacular!

[Koveras]

Small friendly towns.

[seonsengnimble]

* Stars. It's been so long since I've seen a sky filled with them.

* Food

*Driving, at least when I have a car

*Architecture

*Heterogeneity in people, ecology, architecture and activities

*Parks

*Quiet

*Beer. Screw you, Canadians. I'm not talking about Coors and Budweiser. I'm talking about the microbrews available at any grocery store.

*Public access television. I know there's youtube now, but public access has so much more heart.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Ice cream

[SHANE02]

Guns

porn


drugs

[chris_J2]

Here you go, Shane02:

http://videokeman.com/zz-top/gun-love-zz-top/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJjM9lr8nys&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJGvmBiNiDY&feature=related

[bixlerscott]

Clothing shopping for clothes that actually fit me and look good. Macy's sparkles in their selections for both men and women. 50% sales are also on now due to declining economy. A $60 pair of Dockers now runs a cool $29.99. An $80 button down long sleeve Polo runs $50. They have to come down on things in this economy as we're not partying to the bank like it's 1999 or 1969. Of course you will still pay more than full retail to buy anything like this in Korea in the tiny selection they might have, because their economy is smoking out tons of great companies and products. What we like is considered most highly exclusive and special over there. This makes you quite a special novelty over there.

I like how I don't get many stares and all this attention as if I were a celebrity. No such thing back home though I wouldn't doubt if tiny microphones and cams are way more common in the USA than in your Korean teaching apartuhs.

[PIGFACESOUPWITHRICE]

Arseless chaps, Robert deniro, Easy Rider and Rock and Roll baby.

[Loudog]

Micro-brews. I am from the northwest, home to the greatest beers in world.

[.38 Special]

Biker culture. Gun culture. The enormous diversity of cultures, period, from Appalachia, Montana Freemen (and women), to So-Cal.

My favorite thing about the United States, though, is the civility. Sure, lots of rude drunks if you cross their path late at night. But generally people hold doors open for people, people don't erupt into violent arguments over sports or politics, etc. It would be nearly impossible anywhere else in the world to put these three things together without total chaos erupting:

1. Massive political diversity with lots and lots of political disobedience and a very powerful distrust of government.

2. Very easy access to firearms.

3. Unending venues for debate, protest, and counter-protest.

To me that is great. Some folks say America is violent, I say it is massively free-form, diverse, and surprisingly polite.

But my favorite thing about America is tough people who stand for something (whatever that may be), live for it, and aren't afraid to fight and die for it. (I should add, that it is my favorite thing because most of those "somethings" are positive, good things, like liberty or honesty, etc.)

Thanks for the positive thread. My nationalism hasn't had such a great workout in a while

[Bloopity Bloop]

One thing I never truly appreciated about home, having been born and raised in the States, is just how transparent America is. People will call you out on BS and I think that's important. Obviously, this is an exaggeration, but there aren't fake smiles and all this impractical cultural BS (in my opinion) about saving face and other such things.

I just like the way people back home operate.

And the food! THE FOOD!

[madtownhustl]

I also will say Micro-Brews. Midwest has a few good ones.