Extroverted living

I have been stuck by the realization that my life here, in Seoul, as it has been in my backpacking trips, is nearly completely extroverted. Whereas back home I tend to spend a considerable amount of time introspecting, contemplating for hours the passing hours, here, except for my sporadic writing spasms at which I turn my attention inwards again, all my concern and interest is directed outwards of myself, to the new social and cultural environment. It is a different way of life, a kind of lower consciousness, an animal-like instinctive behavior, controlled by social reflexes. A kind of ignorance. And, after all, isn't ignorance bliss?





I have let for rent my western appearance for a documentary shooting of EBS, an educational broadcasting network in Korea. The documentary compares differences between Asians and westerners. However, from the little I could understand of the recruiter's broken English, the scene for which the shooting was held is supposed to demonstrate Asian superiority of visual comprehension of images. I guess that only on April, when the program will be aired, I will see if I am fortunate enough to appear on Asian propaganda... But then again, since I don't watch TV, perhaps I'll never know...








Everyone wants to be a movie star, right? Maybe. But in South-Korea, everyone wants to be a singer, and they don't just say it - they do something about it. The word "karaoke" is rarely used, but "singing rooms" can be found on every street corner. For an hour you will get a soundproof room with 2 or 3 flat TV screens and a karaoke machine, bright lights and colorful lasers, and the classic English pops songs and latest Korean ones. Although only your chosen friends will hear you torturing the microphone, some singing rooms have glass walls, so that you can fool yourself that innocent passersby on the street actually think you're doing a good job...





US military presence in Seoul is conspicuous. Even though GIs (US soldiers) have a curfew, their presence is still evident at night in the clubs and bars known to accommodate the western population of the city. Crew-cut and beefy, they cannot be missed. Misbehavior has led many places to put up signs denying entrance to the infamous GIs, whose behavior pretty much shames the US. I doubt that the US forces here are truly unable to maintain discipline and restrain their men, and, hence, I am led to the conclusion that South-Korea is considered by the US army a recreation resort for its troops.





And, finally, some tidbits which remind me that not long ago I have left home to travel to the opposite side of the globe:

• Have you ever noticed the phenomena that, when walking on the street and a person is coming directly ahead from the opposite direction, 9 out of 10 times each one will deviate from his course to the right? I always presumed that the reason was the way we drive - since we always (well, usually...) abide by the driving laws by driving on the right-hand side, we unconsciously implement these laws as pedestrians and swerve to the right to avoid head-on collision with an approaching pedestrian. Well, South-Korea has invalidated my theory. Even though Koreans drive on the right-hand side, as pedestrians they insist on swerving to the left. I have come to learn this the hard way...



• In western culture, in the rare occasions on which we count using our fingers, we do so by extending fingers from a clenched fist. Koreans, however, start with extended fingers, and fold each finger in turn, the forefinger first, and the thumb last, indicating five.



• Starcraft is so big here, that there is actually a TV channel broadcasting a Starcraft web game, 24 hours, 7 days a week.



• Washing the dishes is not enough. They must afterwards be sterilized in an UV machine.



• They drink sweat...?