Okay, so far the bottom line is: YOU have to get your butts out here. Period. Adjectives fail me, seriously…a first person experience is the only justification for all the crazy-weird-wonderfulness that is Korea.
The thing that stands out to me most, and I don’t know if a tourist would quite get the full taste of this, is how the Korean people will almost literally bend over backwards for a foreigner. They will go miles out of their way to care for you, see that you are comfortable and welcome.
Case in point: Thursday was my first day spent in school (only after spending hours in the hospital for a required health check…a whole story in-and-of itself; remind me about it and I’ll tell of that weird experience). Classes are over by 3pm; teachers stay till 4:40pm and then promptly leave, even the principles. But this was my first day, so the standards are not known to me. 4:45pm roles around and I am still in my office, in rushed this little Korean man, somewhere in his mid-fifties, dressed very sharply as all Koreas do regardless of position of employment (city bus drivers wear ties, slacks and dress shoes - full business attire).
In he rushes, yammering in Korean, I can’t understand a word, finally he says, “you go, you go” motioning that I need to leave the room. He proceeds to demonstrate how to lock all windows and doors, then motions to me to shut-off the computer (which by the way is all in Korean too…yay! Korean Microsoft Windows XP!...and you thought your plain old Windows was bad).
Next blog: Korean Windows versus English Apple OSX – place your bets
...to be continued
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holy tons of blogs! it is sweet to hear about your guys' first impressions. soak it in, for sure.
ReplyDeletesteph, i identify very much with your bus story. glad you made it out alive, safe and sound, and probably much more confident for the next time the brown stuff hits the fan. keep it up.
and micah, good luck with korean windows haha. and when have you ever been one to stay at work too long? the winchester days are behind us it seems...
:) hope you guys are good. i am going out with about 20 HIV+ orphans at this orphanage we have ties with to do some touristy stuff for them. go to mcdonalds and go on a boat ride. just touching these kids, and hanging out with them, changes their lives. even some of the doctors don't touch or treat HIV+ patients. anyway, i won't say too much more to ruin y'allls day.
we should skype soon-ish, ya? we can have a conversation about how we have no idea to have a conversation about the things we have already seen and experienced :)
peace.