1. If you feel sick and don't know why, it might be stress, but on the other hand it might be because your apartment is full of mold.
2. Look for the items that are taped together at the grocery store.
3. Don't walk under trees at night. In fact, it seems like not walking under trees during the summer is generally the better idea.
4. Sarcasm is one of those things that doesn't translate well, and probably never will.
5. Learn to read. For someone who isn't fluent in Korean, I think that reading will help you more than memorising a handful of phrases ever could -- at least if you had to pick one over the other, I dunno. LOTS of words you see on a daily basis on the street/food packaging etc are just Koreanized English. But you wouldn't know that if you can't read, so just do it. It took me about three days to learn the alphabet.
6. Go to a jimjilbang, even if you're 100% sure you won't like it.
7. Do what you're told, but be aware that what you were told is subject to change without you knowing it.
8. Knowing the "vague location" of a place you're trying to get to is not good enough.
9. If you're a lightweight, don't underestimate the power of soju to prove that you are.
10. Eat it first, think about it later.
11. "Uh huh" and "mm-hmm" aren't as straightforward as you think.
12. "Maybe" means yes.
13. Be prepared to do almost everything important for and by yourself. This makes sense for life in general, but if youre in TaLK you need to keep it in mind no matter what they say about how the program is supposed to work.
14. Contrary to what we're led to think, not everyone loves foreigners. Some people really, really, really, really do not love you.
15. Also contrary to what we're led to think, not everyone will think it's cute or be impressed that you learned some phrases in Korean. Some of them will think so. Some of them will flip out over it. But some people? It's probably better not to try to speak Korean to them. And you'll know who they are.
16. No matter how much you wish they could be, those yellow cubes they give you with panchan sometimes are not pineapple.
17. Accept corn into your life. It's in all things it should not be. Also, if it looks like mac and cheese, it's probably corn.
18. Dont drink the wine in the green bottle.
19. There's going to be a point where you realise your English has deteriorated. That's not your imagination.
20. Kids have ridiculously short memories for some things, and other things -- which you'd like them to forget -- they will never forget, ever. Ever.
21. Just assume there are bugs everywhere around you at all times. That makes it easier to handle when it turns out to be true.
22. Old ladies run the show. Never cross an ajumma. She can do everything you only wish you could in a public area and no one will stop her. As far as I'm concerned, I dont look them in the eye unless I'm spoken to, and even then I dunno. It's a jungle out there.
23. On the other hand, some of the most ridiculously sweet, welcoming and generous people I've ever met have been old Korean husbands and wives.
24. When you're standing in line, look like you mean it.
25. Always be ready to have nothing to do. Sometimes your class will mysteriously vanish. Bring a book.
26. Always take it with a grain of salt if someone tells you Korea invented something.
27. No matter what they say, not everything Korean is good for your health.
28. Everyone will have a different opinion about what's best while you're here. Stay true to yours.
29. Don't buy fruit anywhere that has four walls.
30. Don't get angry until you have to. Then bring the wrath.
31. This is true everywhere, but smiling works. Smile. Smile a lot.
No comments:
Post a Comment