Quirky Korea

I thought we would share some of Korea's quirkiness we've grown to love in our short time here.

First, although we are teaching English, it seems it does not always reach the right person. Grammar/ spelling mistakes are fairly common like "esopresso" on a coffee shop sign and "sprinkle to pizza..." as seen on the parmesan cheese bottle. But regardless of the grammar, seeing English is always a breath of fresh air!!

Another cute Korean quirk are the melodies you hear everywhere. Whether it's the school bell, rice maker, elevator, washing machine, or even the subway, where there are "buzzes" in the states, there are quaint melodies in Korea. Here is one such melody that tells us when our clothes are done click here ----> Clean Clothes Melody

On another note, Koreans are extremely serious about exercise. Not only do they have weight machines and badminton courts everywhere outside, they also look the part. Regardless if they are walking along a bike path or hiking on a mountain trail, they look as if they're ready to tackle Mt. Everest. Quick dry long sleeve shirts, hiking pants, and vests are musts as well as visors, gloves, fairly large backpacks, and trekking poles. Face masks are often seen as well. Really. We felt INCREDIBLY underdressed in our shorts and t-shirts while hiking. There are also outdoor gear and outfitter stores everywhere yet they MUCH more expensive than in the US because of the demand here. You can see Aaron's undercover camera shot above--notice the masks in the background. Swine flu? Mosquitoes? Dirt? Air pollution? Bad kimchi breath? I guess we need to investigate exactly what they're trying to protect themselves from...

Just as all countries and cultures have quirks, when we get a glimpse of Korea's quirky side, all we want to do is smile.

-Callie