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Zenpickle
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Location: Anyang -- Bisan
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 Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:27 am Post subject: |
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| marista99 wrote: |
Posting about liking florr heating in July is quite odd, I must say. I have yet to experience it but I trust it will be cool....er, warm.
I've been in Korea for two days now. So far, what I like are the following:
 The fact that people can park wherever they want
The cheap stationery stores with lots of cute stuff
Korean Chinese food
People can leave bikes and even whole outdoor stalls full of merchandise unattended all night without anything being stolen.
Because crime isn't such a problem kids are able to walk around alone without worrying about being abducted or anything.
E-mart!
PC Bangs...incredibly cheap and only way to feed my net addiction until my connection at home is hooked up
My cute little apartment--yes it's small, but I don't really need much space, and I like having everything almost within arm's reach
I can walk two blocks or less and find everything I need on a daily basis, and the airport or Gimpo are only quick bus rides way if I'm craving McDonald's or something else western-like
So, in summary, so far I like Korea. There are things I don't like too but for now I'm focusing on the positive  |
Continue to focus on the positive. There are times now when it's hard to focus on the positive, but hearing the fresh observations of someone here for two days brings me back to that euphoric bewilderment I had when I first arrived. A wise man told me a long time ago, "No matter what, hold on to your idealism."
Anyway, things I like that may not have been mentioned:
 Undol heating, yes, granted, but have you tried sleeping on the floor on a yoh with undol in the winter? Cured my back problems.
I feel like I live in a neighborhood. I have my butcher, my Ajossi Mart guy, my BBQ guy, my local bartender/magician (Magic Castle in Ansan is cool), Song Mi at Family Mart -- everyone greets me as I go by. One time, I passed by BBQ, and the owner just tossed me a melon soda as I went by.
Taking a shower while being able to rinse down my bathroom and water my plants at the same time.
Korean is the fourth language I've tried to learn, and I like the absence of articles and floo-floo stuff we have in English. The language is very logical, IMHO, along with spellings (compared to French).
Being relatively out in the boonies but walking out at night into all the excitement and neon.
Walking by restaurant square at night and soaking in the aura of families and lovers enjoying their samgyapsal and kalbi with children playing amongst them. I also love how the area smells like BBQ after 7 PM.
Decent air conditioned public transportation.
Looking at exotic creatures swimming in an aquarium and then going inside to eat them.
Those styrofoam rings they serve at hofs. Taste like Bugles.
Spam and mayonnaise are considered delicacies, just like in the South. 
I haven't gotten as much flack about being an American as I have in Europe.
Finishing a meal and looking with satisfaction at the sea of plates on the table.
Korean women (duh!), or actually that my concept of beauty is different from the conventional Korean concept. So the girls they think are ugly are goddesses in my eyes. The girls they say are attractive are bland to me.
Walking down Beomgye on a Friday night.
Every day opens a new adventure. |
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Keepongoing
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 5:35 pm Post subject: more more more |
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i was chatting with my class today and tought of many more things
I like the 100 day birthday for couples, I think this is ingenious and I am always surprised when they tell me exactly how many days they have been dating.
I love the sidewalk vendors
I love how Koreans form and keep friendships. Kindergarten reunions-amazing, I can't even remember kindergarten
I find the Korean people to be extremely creative. I have been totally amazed by some of the things I have seen my students do.
The concept of membership training is intertesting
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: more more more |
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| MASH4077 wrote: |
| I like the 100 day birthday for couples, I think this is ingenious and I am always surprised when they tell me exactly how many days they have been dating. |
My good man, as much as I like the positive nature of the post and many of the things you've posted I agree with, I have to say that I believe Korean dating/couple rituals are innane. |
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Keepongoing
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject: Innane but cute |
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| my understanding is that the 100 days is a time to reflect and review the relationshp and to decide if it is to continue on. Perhaps it makes it easier to to save face if one party decides against it???? By the way, I did a survey in my class, actually it was a question in the book. The question was about a time you kissed. 3 of my students had never kissed, one was a senior. Amazing!!!! |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Innane but cute |
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| MASH4077 wrote: |
| my understanding is that the 100 days is a time to reflect and review the relationshp and to decide if it is to continue on. Perhaps it makes it easier to to save face if one party decides against it???? By the way, I did a survey in my class, actually it was a question in the book. The question was about a time you kissed. 3 of my students had never kissed, one was a senior. Amazing!!!! |
Trust me, the 100-day anniversary is a time to collect loot in the form of couple rings and copulations and the reflection thing would come from some student's twisted idealization of romance (which goes on a lot). |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:58 am Post subject: Re: more more more |
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| MASH4077 wrote: |
| I find the Korean people to be extremely creative. I have been totally amazed by some of the things I have seen my students do. |
Mash, can you elaborate on this?
It seems that most contributors to this think Koreans are devoid of creativity.
Maybe we need to be enlightened. |
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Zenpickle
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Location: Anyang -- Bisan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:54 am Post subject: Re: more more more |
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| tomato wrote: |
| MASH4077 wrote: |
It seems that most contributors to this think Koreans are devoid of creativity.
Maybe we need to be enlightened. |
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Maybe this could give some insight.
We had an awards day for our kindies last week. We do have some very creative kids in this school, so we gave them Creativity Awards.
Parents complain. They want their kids to get Intelligence Awards, not Creativity Awards. |
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yangtheman
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
Of course their are nice things here. I like the spicy food and the mountain-clad hillsides.
Now, lets continue with the ten million bad points, to being in Korea. |
Dude,
You seem to hate Korea....or have many more things you hate about Korea than ones you like. Why are you in Korea? Why don't get the hell out? I think all the hatred you have is not good for your health.
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yangtheman
Joined: 16 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| tomato wrote: |
 I wish Taco Bell would expand into Korea.
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Ewww! You want Taco H_ell in Korea? Maybe I should bring some Mexicans here in Kali and open an authentic Mexican restaurant in Korea. Since moving to Kali from the East Coast, I've never gone to Taco Bell. |
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Keepongoing
Joined: 13 Feb 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:40 pm Post subject: Creative Koreans |
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| Many times I have seen my students come up with amazing things. In our university we have presentations and talent shows and each time I am amazed. My own level one English class just did a fantastic power point presentation that showed a high degree of creativity. I have not seen such creativity before. I also facilitate a weekly newsletter for our department and I again see their creativity displayed. I am 100% convinced of their creativity. |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Creative Koreans |
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| MASH4077 wrote: |
| Many times I have seen my students come up with amazing things. In our university we have presentations and talent shows and each time I am amazed. My own level one English class just did a fantastic power point presentation that showed a high degree of creativity. I have not seen such creativity before. I also facilitate a weekly newsletter for our department and I again see their creativity displayed. I am 100% convinced of their creativity. |
Agreed. As I said in another thread in another forum, I don't see why Koreans get maligned for lack of creativity. |
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Zenpickle
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Location: Anyang -- Bisan
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:59 am Post subject: Re: Creative Koreans |
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| the_beaver wrote: |
| MASH4077 wrote: |
| Many times I have seen my students come up with amazing things. In our university we have presentations and talent shows and each time I am amazed. My own level one English class just did a fantastic power point presentation that showed a high degree of creativity. I have not seen such creativity before. I also facilitate a weekly newsletter for our department and I again see their creativity displayed. I am 100% convinced of their creativity. |
Agreed. As I said in another thread in another forum, I don't see why Koreans get maligned for lack of creativity. |
You ever go to the Modern Art Museum at Seoul Grand Park? It's my favorite museum so far, and I'm not that big of an art buff. The majority of works in there are Korean, and they're very creative. I think there's a creative banshee trying to get out of many that gets suppressed by social pressures. Too much of a generalization? |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:03 am Post subject: Re: Creative Koreans |
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| Zenpickle wrote: |
| Too much of a generalization? |
While I've never maintained that Koreans are more creative than the folks back home I've always said that I've seen no less creativity. |
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butter808fly
Joined: 09 May 2004
Location: Northern California, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 5:41 am Post subject: |
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Ive been here a week tomorrow:
cheap and tasty restaurants
how after a while of looking at Koreans, they DONT all look the same
Korean MTV in the morning - and actually liking the music!
me laughing at Koreans when they give me a blank stare when I speak to them, then when I blankly stare at a Korean when they try to speak to me
Kimbab yum!
using chopsticks and battling with my food
running into a foreign person like myself and feeling like Ive found an old friend who understands!
how my air conditioner beeps
some of the old fashioned values of the Korean culture
my being the only white woman in a pc room filled with young Korean men playing video games.. hehe
smoking cigs and eating in pc rooms
the neon lights at night, the blaring music from stores during the day, the endless amount of restraunts everywhere
the funny looking fish ponds that older Koreans sit at in their funny little booths .. hehe..
the public transportation
(i must say though the largest downfall thus far is the lack of swimming areas.. im used to rivers! but I suppose sacrafices must be made)
I dig it so far! |
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matthewwoodford
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Location: Location, location, location.
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| Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:03 am Post subject: |
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Sorry but I had to respond to some of these things you said.
| Zenpickle wrote: |
Korean is the fourth language I've tried to learn, and I like the absence of articles and floo-floo stuff we have in English. The language is very logical, IMHO, along with spellings (compared to French). |
If you think articles are 'floo-floo stuff' you don't understand English. Articles convey meaning (no, not all the time).
| Zenpickle wrote: |
| Those styrofoam rings they serve at hofs. Taste like Bugles. |
You said it yourself: styrofoam.
| Zenpickle wrote: |
| I haven't gotten as much flack about being an American as I have in Europe. |
I think the reason for that is Koreans are more reserved and less able to express themselves in English. Don't worry: there's plenty of other ex-pats more than willing to make up for the Koreans' shyness. 
| Zenpickle wrote: |
| Korean women (duh!), or actually that my concept of beauty is different from the conventional Korean concept. So the girls they think are ugly are goddesses in my eyes. The girls they say are attractive are bland to me. |
In time - hopefully - your taste in Korean women will improve. |
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