The Korean Art of Denying Gifts

Got one of our first wedding gifts tonight from a Korean family that we're friends with; and the whole "exchange" reminded me of this unusually extreme cultural ritual that they have. (It's a long-shot, but if they are ever reading this, then 감사합니다! ~ it will greatly help us dig ourselves out of this month's budget deficit we're in for May, and help us enjoy the trip more, for sure)

In Korea, when one is offered a gift, the recipient must "politely deny" it, in the spirit of being modest and thankful.

However, that modesty and gratitude usually takes the form of a vehement disagreement -- approaching the level of hurling kimchi and heavy objects at one another.

Okay, so I made that part up, but HeeLa did argue with the gift giver for nearly five minutes... of course, eventually accepting it in the end.

And remember, that you do not open a gift in front of the person who gave it to you... it is always done in private! That's to say she called her 20 minutes later once we got home, and continued the modest disagreement.

So... whenever you are offered any kind of a gift by a Korean person, you know how to accept it. First, you do not open it in front of them... but you must do the "denial" song and dance. Then, later (in private), you open the package, and then deny it again later when you get the chance... saying it's too generous, and whatnot. Of course, all the while, thanking them profusely.

Pre-adjusting the old Circadian Rhythm

What better time to make an entry than 4am a couple nights before flying to Korea?

It's all just a part of the preparations we're making before the big trip ~ main reason being to adjust to the time difference before we get there. Never tried this one before, in the two times I've made the trip.

Doesn't help that I got about 6 hours of sleep last night (thanks a lot, sunlight). So the plan tonight is to wear blinders and hopefully not wake up until at least noon or 1pm.

Then tomorrow night, it would be nice to stay up until at least 5am.

The next day, we have to drive to Chicago, starting at 7am.... yes... 4 hours of driving. Then 2 hours of security and waiting to get on the plane. Then... sweet sleep...... hopefully for a full 8 hours.

We shall see whether or not I am finally able to conquer my airplane insomnia!

Indiana Jones | 인디아나 존스

Whenever a Korean person (in Korea) hears that we are living in the state of Indiana, the first thing we always hear is them wanting to know what we know about Indiana Jones.
많은 한국 친구들이 내가 인디애나에서 산다고 하면 장난인지 진심인지는 모르겠지만 인디애나 존스가 거기서 왔냐고 물어봐요. 인디애나 존스는 인디애나랑은 아무런 상관이 없답니다.

The second thing is if we know about Indiana University at Bloomington (if you don't know, that campus has a very large number of Korean foreign students). But that's another topic.
그 다음이 블루밍턴에 있는 인디애나 대학교입니다 (혹시 모르시는 분들이 계시다면, 인디애나 대학교는 엄청나게 많은 한국인 유학생들이 재학하고 있어요.)

Anyway... Indiana Jones? 어쨌든 ... 인디아나 존스?

How, does every single Korean know? 어떻게 한국 사람들 모두가 인디애나 존스를 알고 있는 건가요?

I'm willing to bet some Americans (of a younger generation) probably haven't even seen an Indiana Jones movie ~ much less Koreans?! How?

내가 장담하지만 인디애나 존스 영화를 본 어린 미국 친구들은 몇명 없을꺼예요. 근데 어떻게 한국 사람들은 다 인디애나 존스를 알고 있는거죠?

America is Rural! | 미국의 대부분은 촌동네다!

One of the most interesting things I hear from Koreans coming to America for the first time is how different this country is from what they saw on TV or in the movies.

많은 한국인들이 미국을 오기전에 가지고 있는 편견이 미국은 전부다 영화에서나 티비에서 본 것 처럼 대도시들이 즐비하고 광란의 파티가 매일 열릴것이라 생각할거예요. 하지만 실제로 와 보신 분들은 그것들이 얼마나 과장되었는지를 몸소 체험하게 되죠.

This is especially true for those Koreans that don't end up in big city areas like L.A., New York or Chicago. But even Koreans that go to the big cities will eventually find out the evil truth that all of the movies have misled them to believe: that America is not a huge mega-city stretching from coast to coast; but is rather a scattered mix of small to moderate sized cities that are separated by huge boring drives (because transportation also sucks).
특히 뉴욕이나 L.A 처럼 대 도시가 아닌 지역으로 오는 한국인들에게는 더욱 더 큰 충격이 아닐까 생각되요.

사실, 뭐, 큰 도시에 가더라도 대부분의 사람들이 영화와 현실은 거리가 많이 있구나 하고 느끼실 꺼예요. 미국이란 나라는 거대한 도시들이 즐비한, 영화에서 보던 그런 화려한 나라가 아닌, 작고 아담한 마을들이 모여있는, 한국인의 시선으로 본다면 조금은 시골스러운 도시들의 집합체라고 할 수 있죠. 대중교통도 거의 없어서 도시들 사이를 연결해주는 것은 고속도로 밖에 없어요.

It takes 3 or 4 days of non-stop driving to travel from coast to coast, and that's by using expressways.
워낙 땅이 넓다보니 일직선으로 쭉 뻗은 도로를 3박 4일 쉬지 않고 달려도 끝이 안보이는 나라가 미국이예요.

And, believe me... Those days will be filled with nothing to see except landscape and scenery.
그리고 3박 4일동안 볼 수 있는 것이라곤 나무와 숲,호수 정도 랄까?

Oh, and the only thing to eat is greasy fast food. And American rest areas are usually dirty and small. They do not even begin to compare with Korean rest areas.
아, 그리고 우리나라 휴게소 처럼 많은 먹거리가 있는게 아니고 유일하게 먹을 수 있는 음식은 기름진 패스트 푸드 뿐이예요. Rest area라고 해서 화장실과 약간의 음료수 자판기를 제공해 주는 곳들도 있는데 대부분이 더럽고 작아요.