Archive for the ‘ Cultural Do's and Dont's ’ Category
Korean dining is about as laid back as you can get. On a first date it would not be uncommon for your date to slurp up his or her noodles. Yelling across the restaurant to get the attention of a waiter or waitress is expected. Your cups and spoons don’t have to be in a specific [ READ MORE ]
If you click on the Cultural Do’s and Dont’s category running down the right hand side of this website, you’ll come across three articles by Stu and I on the garbage situation here in Korea. The first article pointed out how some foreigners were paying considerably less attention to their garbage duties than they [ READ MORE ]
Jjim jil bangs are Korean bath and sauna houses. They are becoming one of my favorite ways to relax in Korea. Jjim jil bangs are a great way to release stress and tension, as well as guarantee yourself a good night’s sleep. They’re also a fantastic way to release yourself from a mild hangover and [ READ MORE ]
On my way to a coffee shop I met three little boys in tae kwon do outfits (tae kwon do is the national sport of Korea, so this is very common). They greeted me with loud “hellos”, to which I responded with an even heartier “hello”, and a “how are you?”. They may not have understood this [ READ MORE ]
Shibal gae seki ya ? I just tore a strip off you, by the way. You had no idea. But give me a few minutes, and you’ll be able to reply with aplomb. Soon you’ll even be swearing with fluency at the Korean exchange student in your residence. Even if you’re not in such a [ READ MORE ]
Ya know, Korean food really doesn’t get much credit. A lot of people who come here turn up their nose at the majority of Korean culinary offerings. Still, generally foreigners here tend to like a lot of it, even if the consensus is that it doesn’t stack up to, say, Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese food. This [ READ MORE ]
I have just finished reading Stuart’s article about garbage below and the first thought that popped into my head was sanitation, or, more specifically, the whereabouts of rats in Korea. Personally speaking, rats are dirty, dangerous creatures, and the sight of one at home would normally send shivers down my spine. I vividly recall a [ READ MORE ]
So, given the previous post, let’s talk about the garbage and recycling situation in Korea. If you live here, you’re probably aware that it isn’t the most clean place in the world. There are rarely garbage cans to encourage proper garbage disposal. And the public generally seems content with just piling things up at the nearest [ READ MORE ]
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, a king from Tartarus, was given the most heinous punishment of having to roll a huge boulder up a hill for eternity. Sisyphus was known as a deceitful man, charged with murdering travelers, seducing his niece, taking his brother’s throne, and for calling out Zeus on his sexual conquests. It is [ READ MORE ]
Last night, some friends and I attended an apartment-warming dinner hosted by one of our Korean co-workers. It was a fantastic time that became slightly tarnished in the end. It seems we were a bit rude without knowing it. The situation at hand was an innocent one, from my perspective. But then again dear reader, [ READ MORE ]