Random Korean-isms

* Ok, this post will be a hodgepodge of different little comments that I’ve been meaning to share with everyone. My first short story reveals the mystery of “Girl Poops.” So, if that’s kinda gross and you don’t want to hear about it, then just got right ahead on to the next * story. So, when I moved offices, Chin informed me that I no longer get to take my 2:30pm skype break to talk to my family. While I was working in close proximity to her, she had been holding me to U.S. law. So, I used to get a 10 minute break for every 4 hours I worked. Well, she said because I was moving into an area where there are other employees, I need to follow Korean law. Korean law apparently states, “work hard, work hard, work hard.” They are not given 10 minute breaks; in fact, Koreans are not supposed to take breaks at all! And now I too am not allowed to take breaks!
So, what’s the secret; how is it possible to work all day continuously without taking a break you may ask. Well, you can’t. And I don’t say this because you’re most likely not Korean; I say this because Koreans do take breaks. Hence the mystery of the ‘girl poop’ is revealed to me at last!
As a girl, before coming to Korea, I could never imagine a culture where girls sit on the toilet and read news papers, use the bidet, or talk on their cell phones while pooping in a public place. Now that I know Koreans are not allowed to take 10 minute breaks every 4 hours like I used to be allowed, I understand why girls take poop breaks at work. Though I still don’t think I will ever be able to do that.
* Lucas and I were wondering why, when we were in Japan, we saw so many girls walking with their feet turned in. I told him that girls in Korea do it too. I theorized that maybe walking that way made your butt look smaller. Because it’s not a genetic deformity, they choose to walk this way. I saw girls who would climb stairs with their feet faced forward like normal, and as soon as they are on level ground again they turn their feet back in. So I knew it was by choice, but I didn’t know why they chose to do this.
Turns out, Japanese Geishas walk this way. So, to be a more like a subservient, meek, geisha-esk girl, they walk with their feet turned in. Geishas do it to take smaller steps so that look dainty. Asides from looking retarded, I think some Korea girls do it took look like they need assistance. Maybe it will get the guy they are with to hold on to their arm and steady them as they walk like a duck in 4 inch heels. Who knows! That’s one girl mystery here I’m still working on understanding.
* Another interesting Korean-ism I learned about while living here is the importance of titles. There are some Korean-isms I’m not going to do, and one of them is always calling people by formal titles. Apparently, because I’m younger than Chin, I’m not supposed to call her by her name. I’m supposed to call her ‘sajanim.’ When I refer to her to other Koreans, I will use this title; only because it makes them visibly uncomfortable if I don’t, but when I am talking to her or emailing her, I use her name.
The other day, my two friends Dasom and Hui Kyung were told not to call each other by name because Hui Kyung is a year older then Dasom, so it’s unprofessional. HA! These girls went to grad school together, are good friends outside of work, and sit next to each other at the office, and they are not allowed to be on a first name bases with each other?!?!!? WOW!
Actually, it was even more Korean then that! They weren’t told directly not to call each other by their first names. No, nothing is ever told directly to someone. The order was given in a round about way by means of a suggestion. Like, “wouldn’t it be more professional if you called her [insert Korean title] instead, since she is a year older?” Hahahah! So Korean!
* One last little bit of random Korean facts for you. That awful T.V. show “Medium,” well, they actually show it on T.V. here too. But they don’t call it ‘Medium,’ they call it “Ghost and Crime.” I think it is because they don’t make a size medium here. They only make small and extra small, so they don’t have a word for it. Ha! Just kidding, I know medium is a homophone. Who knows why they didn’t just replace it with a word for that has a similar meaning to a medium, I guess they don’t have that type of person in their culture. Although they do have fortune tellers, and palm readers, so I would assume they would also have people who claim to take to ghosts.

Bau Haus Dog Cafe

* Like I reported in my last post, things had been a little tough for me after my parents left Seoul. I don’t belong to a team at my work so while other teams have monthly dinners together, I am left to wonder why I’m not included in their reindeer games? So, I decided to stop being sad and to do something about it. My solution was to threw my own dinner party. I had a few guests over from work and cooked dinner for them. They really enjoyed my cooking. Especially, the crustini with homemade salsa. They kept asking me for the recipe, but since I made it up I had to show them the steps I took to make it. So they learned something new.
I also learned something new from Hui Kyung. Before we ate dinner, Hui Kyung went into the restroom to wash her hands. She asked if she was supposed to use the Neutrogena face wash soap on her hands. I told her, “No, use the Korean stuff.” She started laughing, so I knew I had committed another faux pas. She was laughing because I had put soap for washing dishes in my bathroom. I couldn’t tell the difference! It’s all in Korean; soap is soap right? Since this incident I have replaced my bathroom dishwashing soap with Dove bar soap, so let’s hope future dinner guests will be spared any needless confusion.
* Speaking of needless confusion, I had a very strange dream the other day. I dreamt that I needed to pick something up to rescues it from getting wet. Well, I ended up falling out of bed rescuing this imaginary object. One minute I’m asleep in bed, the next I’m laying on the hardwood floor wondering why my knee and elbow hurt so damn much. I crawled back into bed, but I had trouble falling asleep again because of the pain, and the fact that I couldn’t stop laughing at myself.
* Guess where Vicki and I went…..the long await, world famous Bau Haus!!! It’s a dog café! And no, although Koreans do eat dogs on occasion, this café only served drinks and dog treats. This café has at all times 10 or so dogs on hand, plus some people bring their own dogs to play, too. It’s a wild scene! Dogs barking, running, biting, and scratching, it was a dog lover’s paradise! We got to cuddle every kind of dog from an Afghan to a schnauZer!
I brought dog treats from a local market but they were confiscated at the door. The dogs are only aloud to have the treats that we buy at their café. It’s also a one drink minimum per visitor. They sell smoothies, tea, and bottled beer. If you leave any drink unattended a dog might try to share it with you. The dogs own this place! The roam around the tables and bench seats visiting any guests with doggy treats available.
I spent most of my time with one big sleepy doberman pincher who loved cuddling with me. He was sleeping on me for most of the 2 hours we were there! Though other dogs came and went so I got to cuddle other dogs as well.
The dogs were pretty well behaved for the most part. We only saw a few have “accidents” that were promptly cleaned up by attentive staff. And every time a staff member called one of the dogs by name it would come running and then sit down near him or her. The dog would then sit while people posed around it for photos.
* After Vicki and I left the dog café, we went to a Mexican restaurant. All I can say is it was a very interesting take on Mexican food. I’m not saying it was bad, on the contrary, I liked the quesadilla I ordered. It just didn’t use a corn or flour tortilla like your average quesadilla. This one was made out of some kind or omelet-crêpe-potato-paddy hybrid. It was not crispy, it was fluffy with melted cheese and different types of mushrooms inside.
* After the dinner, we followed the loud cheering that was coming from the park. There was an amazing Korean band playing. They covered all English songs with the added twist of a Reggae beat, tap dancing, and beat boxing. The group was called Soundbox, and they covered songs like Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ and Radiohead ‘Freak’. All while adding interesting beat box noises or dramatic tap dancing dueling sessions between the dancer and the base player. Really interesting stuff, so creative! I think they are there ever weekend in the park so I can’t wait to go back and check them out again soon… when I get to bring Angela!!! I can’t wait for my sister to visit!!!