Korean Home - 5 Culture Shocks & Differences - part 2
Three weeks ago I posted about things that are usually found in a Korean house that is different from what I was used to before moving to Korea. Today, I write about the remaining 5 things that were on my list in the same them
If you can come to think of a point that wasn't mentioned feel free to write it in a comment below! š š (or write about anything you like XD)
As I said in the previous culture post this is just my own perspective and things that I find/found interesting from where I've been living and some points might not be applicable to each and every house here in Korea since, of course, there are many different kinds of houses and people and interiors and so on.
And again, the list is in random order. š
1. "The floor is lava" hallway
I think we all have played "the floor is lava" when we were young (or maybe we still do and that's OK š) and if you are in Korea you can do that a little bit every day or at least when you visit a friend who is very keen to keep it clean.
It wasn't the 'taking off my shoes when I enter a house' that got me confused (since I've done that my whole life in Sweden) but I didn't understand the importance of not stepping on the floor in the little hallway (ķź“) every Korean home has inside thye front door.
If the hall is full of shoes you better do one of the following:
* use those long legs and take a biiiiig step..
* take a leap of faith and hope the floor where you land won't be too slippery...
* trample on all other shoes like a big elephant..
... and make your way into the living room.
By no means shall you set a foot or even a toe on that hall floor!
The reason for it is obvious now. The hallway floor is probably not cleaned as often as the rest of the floors in the house and therefore quite dusty and dirty and inhibits all things one doesn't want to carry inside the house.
To me, it felt ruder to step on other people's shoes than to accidentally bring a little dust with me inside but now I know better.
2. The questionable existence of windows
I grew up in a country abundant on cloudy days and the winter is long and dark. So dark. Therefore a home should have a lot of natural light and sunshine seeping through the windows so even if inside one can know that it's day outside and even know what the weather's like at any moment.
Well... I feel it's thought to be a bit different here in Korea.
Modern buildings have bigger windows than older ones, that's for sure, but often those big windows have a transparent dark film covering it. And I often see that some people like to cover up their windows with paper, plastic, curtains or basically anything. And I wonder is this to keep annoying sunlight out and maybe that extra heat that comes with that? Or is it peeping neighbours that is the problem? Maybe both?
Well, don't know but to me, people's houses (including our own home) are often very dark inside. I actually never know if the sun is up or not when I'm inside our little burrow. ć ć
3. The toilet paper goes where?
This is something that startles a lot of foreigners when they arrive in Korea.
'Do I have to toss the paper in the bin? Or the toilet?'
And my answer to that is 'yes.' Both.
One little guideline is to toss it in the bin when you're out in a public place and in the toilet when you're at someone's house. But you can't be sure.
Usually, here is a sign saying where to put it and if you just follow that nothing has to get clogged.
If there is no bin and no sign it's still a very good idea to use the paper sparingly since old pipings easily get clogged.
4. Sitting on the floor
I actually love sitting on the floor. Even in Sweden I often sit on the floor and if I am sitting on a chair I often pull up my feet in a tailor sit anyway.
I feel like it's easier to change position when the cramp sets in in a leg or a toe (how old am I?) when sitting on the floor rather than sitting on a chair.
Here in Korea people are used to sit on the floor while dining at home or at a restaurant or just simply while hanging out with friends. And the floor is always warm and cosy
Yaay for me!
When I go to a restaurant that has both chairtables and low tables I always opt for the floor tables. But...! Not my hubby. š
Even though Korean, he kind of hates sitting on the floor and often start to complain about pain in his back/lumbar (how old is he again?).
Not a big deal but a bit ironic somehow. š Of all the Koreans this odd floor-sit-loving Swede could find I got the one who doesn't fancy the floor at all. š
5. ROACHES!!
I'm not a fan of bugs and spiders. Especially not big and fast ones.
Before coming to Korea I had only seen a cockroach once before - on a wall near a beach.. in Spain. Not even once did I see one in Sweden. I know the number of roaches in Sweden has increased a lot over the past 10 years or so but I never saw any of them anyway.
In Korea, they are quite common. A friend told - and I'm not sure if it's completely true - that especially the roaches in Jeju are big. š
I mean the ones I've seen was about 5-6 cm (ca 2 inches) long? That's quite big, right?
And they're completely black which makes them very easy to spot (if the size wasn't enough I mean.. ).
During winter they are nowhere to be seen but during the hot seasons... if I spot one once every other week or so I'm quite thankful.
The worst thing of all is that I had a big ol' grandpa roach taking a shortcut over my calf one day in late summer while I was lying in bed, reading a book or something.
It wasn't even noon! Aren't roaches supposed to be going on adventures during the night? I guess he'd got a bit demented. He wasn't very quick either so I hope he really enjoyed that last stroll over my legs...
Now that was all for today and I hope it wasn't too whiny..! XD
Feel free to tell me which one of these points was the most enjoyable to read. š
If it was all š© then feel free to tell me that as well. š
Toodilooo~! šØ
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