Reminders

Example of short skirt, white legs, and heels. I would call this the typical Korean young woman.

This isn't my picture, because I wouldn't be able to find grass like this here, but this is the way all the middle/high school boys ride their bikes. I'm pretty sure I'd just tip over!

In every public bathroom, instead of soap dispensers, there is a bar of soap on a stick. Most of the time you have to get the toilet paper before you go into the stall. I've learned to carry a big thing of Kleenex in my purse, just in case I forget!

I recently got a newsletter from Mallary and her husband, who are teaching English in China. When I was an RA in college, she was my RD. She was and still is a mentor to me. I was reading through her letter and she was comparing one part of China to another. Her comments about China reminded me of my time there. I'd forgotten some of the things. I'd forgotten the toddlers wear split pants, so that they can go to the bathroom in public whenever needed. I'd forgotten that in the summer the men lift up their shirts for ventilation. I'd forgotten than couples wear "couples" matching t-shirts. Many things are the same in Korea, such as the loud spitting on the sidewalks, the smells, the traffic, the crowds....

I have gotten to used so seeing things here, that I forget they're picture worthy. There's a new teacher at our school this week, and in talking with her, I was reminded of all of the things she's seeing for the first time, that I used to think were strange. At lunch I went to the grocery store and was reminded how odd it is that the salespeople stand outside the store with a microphone telling the prices of the latest fruits and other random foods like an auctioneer. I'm not really sure why that's necessary, haha. When I was walking out of the grocery store, I spotted a really old woman carrying a huge bag of rice on her head! The cashier tried to convice her to put it in a bag, but she insisted on carrying on her head.

You'd think after being here for so long I would get over the short skirt factor, but for some reason I'm shocked every time! They are so short that the women carry their purse behind them when going up stairs, so you can see their underwear! Even working women where extremely mini skirts to work. What's funny is that this is acceptable, yet sleeveless shirts that show shoulder are seen as "sexy."

Even now that it's colder, the women still carry something to keep their skin from being exposed to the sun. Most of the parisols have now been replaced now with just a newspaper or purse. Whatever is in their hand, they use to shield their face from the sun.

All of these things have just become a common occurance on my walk to school each day. I need to take more pictures of the cultural differences before my time comes to and end!