After almost 4 months the Koreanisms are making a comeback. Here are some of the weird, unusual and completely Korean oddities that are seen by yours truly on a regular basis.
#160. In Korea, there are specific approved trash bags we are supposed to use for garbage collection. In America we can use whatever bag we deem fit due to the fact that our trash is contained in garbage cans. Walmart bags. Hefty bags. A brown paper bag from yesterdays lunch. Not in Korea. Here, we are supposed to buy (this is one rule I don't exactly follow) approved trash bags from your local market. The bags vary in size (the larger sizes come with a hefty price) and are difficult to find. I'm definitely guilty of not using these Pohang pre-approved bags. You caught me. I am one of the many foreigners (trust me guys, i've seen it happen) that quickly drops the bag of garbage in whatever plastic bag is handy at the moment at the "corner trash spot" and take off on a brisk walk for fear of being verbally attacked by the local ajumma trash bag nazi. Okay, sometimes I run.
#161. In America there are many delivery services. Dry cleaning. Pizza. Flowers. You name it, America has it. Or do they? Here in Korea, there is coffee delivery. Sounds pretty ordinary. It's just coffee. Or is it? Let's say you're jonesing for that cuppa joe and you want a little female companionship to go with it. Call one of the 24 hour coffee shops. The "coffee shop" is known here as a Da bang and provides coffee and female companionship to that lonely cafine-deprived individual. A scantily clad coffee girl will bring you the desired cuppa joe and do more than just chat for the right price.
#162. After one of my favorite kids lost her tooth and didn't understand what the tooth fairy was, I realized it was time to ask questions. What did I learn? The tooth fairy is non-existant in Korea. Not only is it non-existent but my explanation of what it is actually drew laughter. Hysterical, high pitched laughter. The kids don't put their newly lost tooth under their pillow and anxiously wait until morning for their hard earned money. Here, they do it differently. They throw it over their house. Or attempt to. The idea is to throw the tooth as high up in the air as possible. The lore is that the higher it goes, the more that person wants a replacement tooth. You couldn't throw it very high because your FIVE YEARS OLD and have arms that barely have the strength to push in your chair? Obviously you don't want another tooth.
After more than 14 months of living in Korea there are still an abundance of Koreanisms yet to be shared. Next on the list are the following: the abundance of penis sculptures everywhere, dancing girls for business openings, blood type denoting the kind of person you are and the curse of red ink.
Stay tuned.
#160. In Korea, there are specific approved trash bags we are supposed to use for garbage collection. In America we can use whatever bag we deem fit due to the fact that our trash is contained in garbage cans. Walmart bags. Hefty bags. A brown paper bag from yesterdays lunch. Not in Korea. Here, we are supposed to buy (this is one rule I don't exactly follow) approved trash bags from your local market. The bags vary in size (the larger sizes come with a hefty price) and are difficult to find. I'm definitely guilty of not using these Pohang pre-approved bags. You caught me. I am one of the many foreigners (trust me guys, i've seen it happen) that quickly drops the bag of garbage in whatever plastic bag is handy at the moment at the "corner trash spot" and take off on a brisk walk for fear of being verbally attacked by the local ajumma trash bag nazi. Okay, sometimes I run.
#161. In America there are many delivery services. Dry cleaning. Pizza. Flowers. You name it, America has it. Or do they? Here in Korea, there is coffee delivery. Sounds pretty ordinary. It's just coffee. Or is it? Let's say you're jonesing for that cuppa joe and you want a little female companionship to go with it. Call one of the 24 hour coffee shops. The "coffee shop" is known here as a Da bang and provides coffee and female companionship to that lonely cafine-deprived individual. A scantily clad coffee girl will bring you the desired cuppa joe and do more than just chat for the right price.
#162. After one of my favorite kids lost her tooth and didn't understand what the tooth fairy was, I realized it was time to ask questions. What did I learn? The tooth fairy is non-existant in Korea. Not only is it non-existent but my explanation of what it is actually drew laughter. Hysterical, high pitched laughter. The kids don't put their newly lost tooth under their pillow and anxiously wait until morning for their hard earned money. Here, they do it differently. They throw it over their house. Or attempt to. The idea is to throw the tooth as high up in the air as possible. The lore is that the higher it goes, the more that person wants a replacement tooth. You couldn't throw it very high because your FIVE YEARS OLD and have arms that barely have the strength to push in your chair? Obviously you don't want another tooth.
After more than 14 months of living in Korea there are still an abundance of Koreanisms yet to be shared. Next on the list are the following: the abundance of penis sculptures everywhere, dancing girls for business openings, blood type denoting the kind of person you are and the curse of red ink.
Stay tuned.
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