Changes I’ve Made Since Coming to Korea
I push the button. No you push the button. I push the button.*
When in elevators in the States, I never pressed the close door button. But, now that I’m in Korea, I press it all the time. First, I press the button for the floor I want. Then, without hesitation and without bothering to see if other people are lingering about, I press the close door button. Most here seem to be impatient – if you’re in an elevator, standing by the buttons, and if you fail to press the close door button… it’s annoying. It’s as if no one can bear the 10 second long wait required for the doors to close by themselves. Strange? Interesting? Normal? I can’t decide. Are people close door button fanatics where you live? Or are they more laid back?
Look, Ma! No hands~
Before when standing and riding on subways and such, I liked to hang on to something. Now, I’m better than that. :P I don’t bother with holding handles – I just stand there. I can even hold liquid without spilling it. However, I’ve yet to master standing on buses. If I were to try standing on one of those dangerous things without attaching myself to a pole, I’d be tossed around like salt in a salt shaker.
Green Tea! Green Tea! Green Tea!
In the States, I drank green tea. I would also treat myself to Starbuck’s green tea frappuccino, but that was the extent of my green tea intake. Now, I eat green tea cake; I eat green tea ice cream; I drink green tea lattes … Green tea is my new vanilla?
As for the photo—it’s a photograph I took inside a green tea cafe. Everything they sell there has green tea in it, but… I took the photo in 2006. XD I am taking more photos, though! woo!
* This subtitle is nonsensical because I’m quoting a Tiny Toons cartoon. When I was a child, I thought the episode in which baby Plucky plays the role of elevator dictator was one of the most hilarious things, ever.
I always press the close door button before I even press the floor number (unless someone else wants to get on). I don’t want to just stand there for 10 seconds…
I never consume green tea in any form. That cafe looks nice, though!
I generally wait a few seconds before pressing the door button, too many times I’ve had people give me angry looks as they attempt to rush in. Would never dare stand on a subway, especially with a drink.
I love green tea, drink jasmine mostly, a habit that started during a trip to Asia. No milk = less to feel guilty about!
It’s good you’re taking more photos. It’s so easy to put things like that off when you’re somewhere and the moment and realise the mistake the moment you’ve left.
I always press the close button too.. it’s like second-nature to me now. Sometimes I absently mindly close it while someone is frantically running towards the elevator then I feel bad.. hahaha.
I LOVE tea! I like the real Japanese green tea better than the watered down versions you can find a grocery markets and stuff. It just doesn’t taste the same.
If I don’t see anyone waiting to get on I’ll hit the close button, but it’s not a necessity. I’ve never really got into green tea, but I should. I absolutely love tea.
Here in NZ people usually push the button if there’s nobody outside waiting but if they see somebody come around the corner running to get on, they’ll also try to hit the “open doors” button in time so the person can get on, so I don’t know whether it’s because we’re lazy or impatient or anything, it’s probably just habit, at least this is what happens in my university’s library, which is where I most often go in a lift.
I usually hold handrails when I’m going down/up escalators and stuff, again it’s just habit.
As for green tea, I’m not a fan, except for the (very) occasional Starbucks drink.