My take on Assimilation- Cartoon
You know you've assimilated IF:
1. You can't go the day without kimchi- and you eat rice for breakfast.
2. You have a soft spot for ballads and dramas. You believe in love at first sight.
3. You go stir crazy on your days off.
4. Sarcasm makes you uncomfortable.
5. You're shocked when you have to pay TAXES at Starbucks or VIPS. You're seduced by 1 + 1 marketing schemes.
6. When posing for a photo, you automatically grab a friend and make the 'peace' sign.
7. You loathe the Korean girl on America's Next Top Model. If you're a girl, you're not adverse to bows, frills or parasols.
8. You don't bother saying excuse me when you bump into someone. What are lineups?
9. You take your coffee cold.
10. You won't buy a snack without reading the label.
11. You stretch and pick your teeth in public.
12. You don't like to make conversation while you eat. Toilet paper makes a good napkin.
13. You're too competitive to be happy for coworkers who get a promotion.
14. You feel guilty about going to the movies (or anywhere) alone.
15. You think a big nose suggests a man's assets, not hands or feet.
16. You're as likely to have a "night out" on a Wednesday, as a Friday or Saturday.
17. You are apologetic when you don't know the answer to something.
18. When you're given a task, you do it right away.
19. The first question you want to ask a stranger is their age.
20. You feel sorry for single people.
13 comments:
haha that was really interesting!
I think about half of them apply to me.
What does #3 mean? Stir crazy?
Natasha
stir-crazy... like restless, bored, in need of stimulation!
Well, *I* always read the ingredients on snacks, but I have sugar problems. Why do other people do it?
lol hey, isn't that dude in the background the dead North Korean leader?
I am pretty sure he's loathed in South Korea.
And "Hate Japan", LOL! Now that couldn't be more true for both Koreas.
You haven't experienced Korea until...
1) You've seen student demonstrators clash against police riot squads amidst tear gas
2) Forced into the subways for few hours when the air raid siren goes off (do they still have that)
3) Can't go home because you missed curfew and had to stay up all night at a PC Bang (do they still have curfews??)
4) Had a drunk businessman uncomfortably leaning against you in the subway
For the ultimate "singles" experience, try going on a "meeting." It's like this game show version of dating that Koreans (college age) engage in.
I guess I haven't "fully" assimilated yet because (1) I can only eat kimchi soup, but still, I'd rather not. (4) Sarcasm will never make me uncomfortable, (15)but maybe thats because I have a small nose? (16) Every night, is a possible night out, but I learned that back in College. Otherwise, it's a pretty damn well written list...I was picking my teeth in public as I read it :/
Hope all is going well.
P.S. - I am totally jealous of all the comments you get. Haha.
"Had a drunk businessman uncomfortably leaning against you in the subway"
Roy- hahhaa YES yes yes good one. PS- sleep all night at a PC bang OR a "spa" (draped on one of those wooden benches).
Fox- haha, So I haven't QUITE assimilated yet.
Helena- It seems like every Korean woman here is on a diet. Whenever I drink beer with male friends, they're shocked, like, "aren't you concerned about the calories??"
The popular drink people grab at the convenient store is "zero calorie" cold tea. (since when did a teabag have calories in it anyway??)
Ahahah, Korea sucks right? -_-;; try to think that it is too normal.
I really agree to number 12.
And I guess to be Canadian you have to hate the US ad nauseam while you watch US TV and movies and having to learn French because of Quebec. Pretty much how many Koreans say they don't like Japan, then drive off in their Hondas or wear Shiseido products or read/watch JP anime/manga/movies.
That bumping thing is all too true. Saw two people who weren't paying attention ram into each other HARD....neither one even bothered to apologize or even acknowledge it.
Koreans don't understand sarcasm. It's an obvious joke to us, but they think we are being serious or at the very least are confused. If your only significant English is reading grammar out of a textbook, no way you're going to get the nuances of the language.
Hahaha.
You start bowing to bus drivers and hand money to barmen with two hands when you return to your own country.
You can't drink beer without an assortment of plasticy crisps.
You think enquiring a person's salary is a pertinent question.
You can no longer bring yourself to say Sea of Japan.
Hehe.. I think the Korean thing stays with you for a loong time. I've been living in Canada for 6 years, but I still ask strangers for their age XD
Anonymous: "Koreans don't understand sarcasm. It's an obvious joke to us, but they think we are being serious or at the very least are confused"
lol I have to disagree on you on that as it seems like you haven't lived in Korea long enough or don't really know a Korean "enough" It only means Koreans have different cultural understanding, as comedy in each country is interpretated differently ie: I took my German friend to a live Korean comedy show but she didn't laugh at all because "their" idea of humor mostly consists of "stand up comedy" or "mockery of politics"
I laughed a lot over Michael's comments! :-)
I agree with the comment before me about understanding comedy in different culture. Even though I'm Korean, I hardly watch Korean comedy programme. It wasn't funny for me since I was a child. But, I enjoy some Korean talk shows or comic interviews. I love the Korean jokes.
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