Cultures and Customs

First things first, this is going to be a long entry. It's divded into two parts - Korean cultures and customs and then my trip today. I took a bus tour of Seoul!

Korean culture and customs

I was speaking to my parents today on the web cam, and it turns out that there are many differences in customs between Canadian culture and Korean culture that I haven't mentioned in my blog!

So, here are some major ones we talked about that I don't think I've mentioned here.

Bowing

I know I've mentioned bowing before in here, but it's worth mentioning again. Usually when you meet someone for the first time, you bow. Also, if you are entering a store (such as E-mart!!) they bow to you and welcome you to the store. Bowing can be used as a 'thank you' also. If you are leaving a restaurant, you may bow and say "kamsamnida, annyongi-kaysayo" (thank you, good-bye).

The Peace Sign

I'm sure you've noticed that many of my pictures have people doing the peace sign with their fingers. That is not a pang for the 60s, but rather a common pose here for photographs! Everyone from children to adults, girlfriends and boyfriends poses like that while they get the photographs taken!

Restaurant Etiquette

I'm using the word etiquette a lot in my posts lately. Partly because I now know how to spell it, and also because it happens to be relevant. Restaurant etiquette is pretty different here in Korea. In many restaurants, there are 2 sections - a place with tables and chairs, and a place with just low tables where you sit on the ground on padded cushions to eat.

Also, there are some table manners you should be aware of. Here is a list of rules I have observed or been taught:

• Upon entering the restaurant, often times the staff will shout from across the restaurant a "welcome" type greeting... I'm not sure what they say though because I don't know how to say welcome.
• They usually only give you one menu to share between 3-4 people.
• They give you huge quantities of food, particularily side dishes. There are many little dishes that can go on the side of the main dish. The dishes I remember seeing have been: fish, kimchi, pickles, radishes, onions, soy sauce, white kimchi, cold soup, lettuce, salad, corn and fruit in yogurt, potatoes, sweet potatoes... the list goes on
• Usually, but not always, you are given a set of chopsticks and a spoon. No fork, no knife. You can find the chopsticks and the spoons in a box on the table.
• They also give you a container of drinking water and an amount of little glasses to match the amount of people eating.
• You never serve yourself. In regards to the chopsticks, you open up the box and hand out 2 chopsticks and a spoon to each person sitting at the table, then give yourself some. In regards to the water, you pour the water into the little glasses and hand them to each person before you pour yourself water. Also, if you want a refill of water during the meal, you ask someone, "Can you please fill up my glass?"
• Also, if you are eating rice (many times rice is a little extra, usually around 1000 won [$1]) never stick your chopsticks in the rice and let them stand up by themselves. They do that at funerals.
• Other chopstick etiquette (there's that word again!) - never pierce your food with your chopsticks, and never play with your food with your chopsticks. I'm sure there are other rules, but those are the only two that I know of
• Still at the restaurant, raising your hand is not enough to get the waitress to come to your table. You have to shout "yugyo!" (yoo-gee-oh) which means "Over here please". Then they come to your table. It seems rude, but hey... when in Rome.
• Some tables even have a button you push when you are ready to order, or if you need something. That saves the hassle / uncomfortable shouting.

That's it for restaurant etiquette. One more major difference between Korean and English is the numbers. Korea uses two sets of numbers that are entirely different from each other. One set of numbers is used for money, minutes, dates and telephone numbers (to name a few), and the other is used for hours, age and counting... (again, only a few examples). You just have to memorise what number set you are supposed to use for each situation.

Here is how to say the numbers for money etc. (which is the only set I know)

English Korean Pronunciation

One 일 (eel) as in feel

Two 이 (ee) as in see

Three 삼 (sam) as in the name but more 'aw' like... sawm but not quite as far as in psalm.

Four 사 (sa) as in sat

Five 오 (oh) as in oh dear...

Six 육 (yug) as in nothing. lol, you say it 'yug' but you don't say 'guh' at the end. You stop at the beginning of the g. You stop and the end of the 'u' vowel by pressing your tongue against the back of the roof of your mouth. That was a long explanation.

Seven 칠 (chil) like cheell

Eight 팔 (pal) as in another name for friend

Nine 구 (goo) as in goof

Ten 십 (sip) but it's pronounced 'ship' kind of. It's like if you were to say 'sip' but you keep your teeth closed for the 's' sound. It's in the middle of sip and ship

Anyway, don't know if you found that interesting, but I do! haha.

Next - more blog! I knew this would be a long entry!

Bus tour of Seoul

Today I went with Lindsay on a bus tour of Seoul. It was 10 000 won ($10). The admission to places totalled 1000 Won ($1)!!!

We went to 3 places - the Dahgsoogoong Palace, the Namdaymoon market, and the National Museum of Korea. They were GREAT fun. I will make a seperate post with pictures of today later (there are many pictures).

After the museum, our bus decided not to come, so after waiting an hour in -20C weather, we decided to take matters into our own hands and take the public transit home! haha, it was an adventure!

Alright, I will probably put those pictures up tomorrow once people have had a chance to read this monstrous entry.

Have a great Dec. 30th everyone! I will update tomorrow before the festivities and I will include some pictures and what not!