Archive for the ‘korea’ Category
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.
» Categories: I-list , Life , korea
Here’s a secret. I’ve been in my new place for almost a month, but I’ve yet to properly dispose of some of my trash (food). It’s not as disgusting as it seems. First, I don’t have a lot of food trash because cooking isn’t my friend; I don’t eat at my apartment a lot. Second, all the food I want to throw out is in my freezer. It’s just leftover stuff that I don’t want to re-heat and eat.
The problem is that I’m not allowed to throw food out with other trash. Where I live, food is disposed of in these monstrous blue bins. I’ve heard - I’ve yet to look - that there are disgusting little creatures living in these bins. Regardless, the area has more than its fair share of flies and the concrete is damp and sticky.
Properly disposing of food wouldn’t be such a problem if I could just chuck my trash in the bin and run away, but I can’t. I have to touch the bins. I have to open them. I think that I might die vomit.
I know it’s completely prissy behavior, but I hate bugs. I hate them so much; they make me cry. I’m currently looking for plastic gloves. As soon as I find gloves, I might endeavor …
What do you think? Would you be able to touch something with thousands of maggots (potentially) in it?
» Categories: Kvetch , Life , korea
This isn’t a real post but, the resolution passed!!! For once: Yay USA! For, at least, 16 years the Japanese government has been dancing around this issue… Maybe we’ll see some change?
US urges ‘comfort women’ apology
US lawmakers have called on Japan’s government to formally apologise for its role in forcing thousands of women to work as sex slaves in World War II.
The symbolic and non-binding resolution was passed during a vote in the House of Representatives.
Up to 200,000 “comfort women” from across the Far East were part of Japan’s military brothel programme.
…
The resolution calls on Japan - one of the strongest US allies in Asia - to “formally acknowledge, apologise and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner” for the suffering of the women.
Earlier this month, a group of Japanese lawmakers demanded the US government retract the resolution, saying it was based on “wrong information that is totally different from the historical fact”.
Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, described attempts to deny the use of sex slaves as “nauseating”.
“There can be no denying the Japanese imperial military coerced thousands upon thousands of Asian women,” Mr Lantos said.
“Those who posit that all of the comfort women were happily complicit and acting of their own accord simply do not understand the meaning of the word rape.”
Mr Abe caused an uproar in March when he said there was no proof that the government or the military had forced the women into sexual servitude.
He later apologised, saying he felt sympathy for those affected.
Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6923352.stm
I’m not your Korean Princess, really. I promise.
Seriously…
I’m very seriously serious.
I went out to buy a quill. After something of a conversation, do you know what the shop owner said. The same thing that everyone else assumes or states. I’ve reproduced a general conversation of the sort for you. First -
You’re part Korean (or Asia).
No. I’m not. I’m lacking one hundred percent in Asian-ness.
Your ancestors were Korean.
That’s doubtful.
You were Korean in a past life.
By this point, the conversation is on a tangental crash-course for fantasy-land. How can I negate such a statement? So, yes, yes I was. Even though, the idea goes against some of my fundamental beliefs (and I don’t mean religious). I’ll accept it. Yes, I was Korean. I was a princess of Silla, an heiress of that ancient kingdom. Look, that’s my crown, in the photo. heh.
I realize that the gentleman was complementing me. But, I’ve had that conversation more than twenty-two times. It’s troubling. I know something of Korean politics and I can rattle off a few poorly crafted sentences and thus, I absolutely must! have a Korean ancestor? That’s terrible. Terrible. G-R-O-S-S.
For diplomatic reasons, it’s important to learn about others’ cultures and if the only ones who can possibly bridge cultural gaps are those who were ____ in their past lives… Well, then…
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