Odd, Awkward, and Funny Moments

Spoon in the bowl.
     -Koreans generally believe that sharing food from one bowl makes a relationship closer, so a lot of the dishes come and everyone in your party shares.  Rice is always your own bowl.  I went out with the teachers the other night to a korean barbeque.  The waitress placed a bowl of soup in front of me.  So, I put my spoon in and left it.  Don't do this!  Everyone was laughing and disgusted that I left my spoon in the bowl.  Apparently I tainted the bowl with my germs.  I thought soup was for one person.   If everyone dips their spoon in, whats the difference. lol

4th Floor
     -Koreans are superstitious about the fourth floor, similar to the thirteenth floor in America.  I found this out, when I was in an elevator, looking for the fourth floor.  There was not a button for it.  They will sometimes use an F.  Who knew!

Name in Red
     -My first day in class, I was going over my discipline policy with the students.  I statted that if you break a rule, I will place your name on the board.  Next, I wrote my name on the board with a red marker.  I looked at the class and it looked like I put the fear of god into them.  I thought, wow, this discipline policy is really effective.  I student raised his hand and asked if I was going to put their names in red on the board.  I then learned that Koreans believe that if your name is written in red, it is associated with death and brings bad luck.  So, where does this taboo come from in Korea? I have heard that one theory is that during the Japanese occupation in Korea, Japanese adapted a system called the “family census register” which still is in effect in Korea, but computerized nowadays. Before it was computerized, they used to cross out the names of a dead person in red. Also, during the Japanese colonization period, they used to cross out the names of those independence fighters, therefore people still mistakenly believe that if a perosn goes to prison, then his name is crossed out in red on the family census registration record. Oops, who would have known.


Hot Water
     -If you arrive in Korea and take a cold shower, I will not be surprised.  The hot water tanks are not on, unless you turn them on.  I was aware of this coming into Korea, however, I learned how to turn it on, on an older model of thermostat.  My apartment is modern, with a digital thermostat and all the buttons are in korean!  Many cold showers later, I figured it out. lol.

Cooking
     -Most Koreans do not have an oven, so everything is cooked on the stovetop.  I only have one burner.  I have thus become a pro at pasta and soup dishes.  I am the one burner wonder!