ROK #5

There are a number of things that I could place on here. Alas, I don't feel they are up to snuff.....yet. I mean they do love their fair height pale faces over here. I get a lot of free lunches. Today was no exception (Vietnamese-Korean homemade).

At the same time there are a lot of bad things that I haven't posted because I haven't fully experienced them. For example, the 'Yellow Dust.' I know the name inspires some sort of innuendo in your mind. I assure you it's not the dust that gives you the 'Yellow Fever.' But my lungs will experience all it's annoyance come April.

So, what is the fifth best thing about Korea? I'll give you a hint. Ignorance is bliss.


It's not having to listen to other people's obnoxious conversations because you can't understand them. When you are on the bus, you know that guy who is having an obnoxiously loud conversation about politics or religion? You can't understand him or her.

'This Healthcare reform is a great idea. How can you be against it?!' They have no idea what they are talking about. Then they confirm it, 'The reason why it's a terrible idea is because Obama hates babies.' .....

or

'The Lord made Eve directly from Adam's rib!' Then a religious crusade ensues over the literal versus figurative meaning of the passage. And it ends with, 'You never go to church! How would you know about the book of Genesis!?'

 The great part is you don't understand a word comin' out of tair mouf. Better yet he or she won't pass you the pamphlet that she is holding because you are a foreigner. I've seen these situations go down not just in America. I was privy to one of these joyous occasions two months back.

We were riding the subway back from Seoul one evening. When we boarded the train a group of ajumas were sitting in the Ajuma/Handicap reserved area. One held an ornate Bible with green embroidery. The other was holding pamphlets. It was the looks on their faces and the faces of all those around on the subway car that made the situation evident to us. They were sternly speaking at each other with grave faces. The rest of the train sat there annoyed. They were either staring at them like, 'This is not the place for this conversation!' or they were staring into blank space trying but failing to ignore the conversation. My foreign friends and I were standing in the aisle with smiles on our faces. We were relaxed. There was not a worry on our mind as the one Ajuma went back with the other. We looked around and discussed openly what was going on in the car. All the while we were smiling that blissful ignorance of not being dragged into this awkward situation by shared space and language. Maybe this is what makes Korea so often relaxing.....