Five Things That Helped Me Prepare for Life in Korea:
1. My inhaler.
2. I like rice and spicy food.
3. My trip to India helped me A) get over being stared at, B) get used to the shower-and-bathroom-in-one situation, C) not be bothered by squat toilets, D) get used to using a water boiler so that I can have a hot shower, and E) get used to unorthodox driving methods.
4. My dad's habit of carrying useful little knickknacks with him.
5. Not having any expectations.
Top Three Myths I've Heard About Korea, Busted:
1. Everyone speaks English. (FALSE FALSE FALSE!)
2. Kids in Korea live and breathe video games. (FALSE... as far as I can tell. I think the addiction develops in adolescence I have yet to see a Korean child attached at the thumbs to his Nintendo DS/Wii/XBox the way American kids are.)
3. It's cheap and healthy to eat out in Korea. (It is cheaper than in the US, but I still say FALSE - unless the only thing you eat is kimbap; the cheap stuff is the unhealthy stuff.)
Top Three Interesting Discussions at the Morning Class Lunch Table:
1. The existence of God.
2. Is China bigger than Russia?
3. The amount of rice that can fit in one's mouth.
Quote of the Month:
Shannon: "What kind of cake is it?"
Tonya: "... birthday."
Has anyone heard any myths about Korea they would like to share with the class?
I just read this post to Julia Galante. She laughed out loud at the part about old people being so multi-faceted (blind, sick, etc). Here's a myth she's heard: all Koreans are smart. True? Myth #2: Are all Korean women sweet and subservient (or is that Japanese?)? Julia's other one: all Korean women are good at painting nails (no joke, no offense meant either). OK. Educate us, Cally teacher!
ReplyDeleteJulia has one more based upon an experience she had with the Korean grandmother of her friend: do you have to bow the first time you meet someone you've never met before?
ReplyDelete