...Here are Just a FEW Cultural Differences that Come to Mind:
Korea: Stop Lights Are Optional, Lanes, Too. Police: Nowhere to Be Found
America: Tickets Distributed Like Candy
Korea: Gas - $8/Gallon
America: We Complain When it Gets Over $3.25
Korea: Air Conditioning Considered Wasteful/Unhealthy. Banks, Homes, Immigration Offices - Windows Kept Open and Air Conditioning Turned Off.
Korea: Shoes NEVER Worn Inside the Home. Believed to Be Disgraceful/Bad Luck. (I was reprimanded by an internet/cable installation worker for wearing shoes inside)
America: This is A HARD Habit to Break! BUT We Can Do It. (I do see its merit)
Korea: Compost Containers
America: Efficient In-Sink Aerators/Garbage Disposals
(While disposals are convenient, they encourage waste, in a way, because you aren’t really ‘seeing’ and/or ‘smelling’ the amount of food being wasted – so you’re less likely to care)
Korea: Heated Toilette Seats with Highly Sophisticated Electronically Enhanced Bidets, Complete with Air Drying Options (♪♫puff the magic potty♪♪♫)
America: Plastic Do Nothings (C’mon,
America?!… Get with the ‘program’)
Korea: Non GMO Fruit/Veggies
America: GMO in Nearly Everything! (If not - pay double)
Korea: What TV? It’s All in Korean.
America: TV? My (long lost) Companion! **wipe away tear**
Korea: Vehicle Side Mirrors Electronically Rotate Inward to Accommodate the Teensiest Tiniest Parking Spaces You’ve EVER Pulled Into
America: Parking Lots Spread Out Over Vast Acres of Available Land
America: Unheard of! (in Texas)
Korea: Business Cards/Money/Credit Cards Handed with BOTH Hands With Bowed Head (to show respect for monetary resources)
Korea: “Mmmm! These are the yummiest fruits/veggies we’ve EVER tasted, Mom.”
America: “WHAT is that bitter aftertaste? Celery is gross, Mom!”
(could’ve been due to the fact that they hadn’t had vegetables in weeks or perhaps the composting really pays off?)
Korea: “Interesting” Furniture
America: Familiar Furniture!
Korea: No Shopping Bags Offered Anywhere. If You Can’t Carry It, You Probably Don’t Need It, Anyway.
America: Paper? Or Plastic?
Korea: Tan is OUT. Women of All Ages Seen Wearing Full Face Masks along with Hats and even Gloves to Block Sunlight and Preserve Porcelain Skin Tones.
America: Sun Worshipers Galore!
Korea: Girls Have Separate Study Areas from Boys
America: Let’s See? Wouldn’t that be Considered Segregation?
Korea: All Shopping Carts Equipped with Four Free-Rotation Wheels and Go Up/Down Escalators Using Heavy Duty Magnetic Force (grocery stores have several floors)
America: You Can Go Forward/Backward. Turning can be a Workout.
Korea: Some Children Go to School until 9-10pm and Even Attend School Saturdays/Sundays. Parents Push Their Children to Extreme Academic Levels.
America: Well… Let’s Just Say we’re Not as ‘Driven’.
Korea: How is It that Everyone SMOKES AND Still Manage to Look Healthy?
America: Smoking is Taboo (in some states)
Korea: Chuseok
America: Thanksgiving
Korea: Drains in Bathrooms Span Entire Length of Shower and Long Drains Installed Along Floor for Entire Bathroom Cleaning Ease ability.
America: Small Circular Drains Get Clogged and You Get a
Bath In Your Shower.
Korea: McDonald’s Delivers (on Mopeds, nonetheless)
America: Just Drive In; After All, Gas Is Only $4/Gallon
Korea: Built-in Vacuuming Systems Rule!
America: Let’s Put an END to Heavy LOUD Vacuums!
Korea: No King-Sized Beds
America: Bigger is Better.
Korea: Matching Uniforms (really cute ones, too) Worn in Nearly Every Line of Work: Bank Tellers, Waitresses, Grocery Workers/Cashiers.
America: No Thanks?
Korea: Toe-Socks
America: Toes? What Toes?
Korea: Family is EVERYTHING
America: Friends Become Like Family Due to the Fact that everyone is SO Spread OUT.
Korea: Along With Pizza Hut’s Pizza, You also Get Sweet Potato Salad, Corn and Jello
America: Veggies are Over-rated
Korea: Women Dress More Modestly, but Showing Legs is Seen as Desirable
America: Cleavage/Legs/Torso/Piercings/Tatoos – Anything Goes!
Korea: Ancient Civilization
America: Multi-Cultural Crock-Pot
