EPTI was brought up with Vietnamese cultural values and not much just regular old American although I brought it upon myself as I grew. I typically see that bond between family members and close family acquaintances, but never with just friends. It might just my father's way of bringing up but he would always remnd me to never allow my friends to get too close and that close bonds could only be shared with my girlfriend or my family.
My Happy Korea - Page 2
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Snuggles
United States1865 Posts
I was brought up with Vietnamese cultural values and not much just regular old American although I brought it upon myself as I grew. I typically see that bond between family members and close family acquaintances, but never with just friends. It might just my father's way of bringing up but he would always remnd me to never allow my friends to get too close and that close bonds could only be shared with my girlfriend or my family. | ||
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docvoc
United States5491 Posts
On March 23 2012 03:09 rotinegg wrote: yea don't let anything I said affect you if you're a foreigner, information in this thread will be much more relevant to you! cheers  Cheers for sure, i gotta learn hangul now and then take a trip to korea ^^ | ||
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surfinbird1
Germany999 Posts
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Linwelin
Ireland7554 Posts
On March 23 2012 05:34 surfinbird1 wrote: All these blogs are accomplishing is making me more jealous for having never been to Korea. Exactly how I feel | ||
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ssi.bal-listic
United States568 Posts
WELL WRITTEN :D | ||
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masterbreti
Korea (South)2711 Posts
Cause when the prime members kept asking me to go, I flatly refused. Auctally I refused several times on different occasions. I don't understand that part of Korean culture where people can be naked aorund each other. I had to finally get someone who knew english to explain to them that in western culture it is not common for people to get naked aorund each other. They didn't really seem to understand it really well. I'll do the chopsticks, I'll do the other different parts of Korean culture, but Korean sauna, thats not something I'll likely adapt to. or am I taking the wrong approach on this? I guess the biggest thing for me is because I am a big guy, I don't want people looking at me naked, hell, I don't even want to look at myself naked, why would I punish other people of having to. | ||
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darkscream
Canada2310 Posts
For those so inclined, though, I bet its a lot of fun. | ||
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huehuehuehue
Estonia455 Posts
On March 23 2012 06:43 masterbreti wrote: so being asked to go to a sauna isn't a bad thing in Korea? well I think i may or may not have offended the Koreans here T_T Cause when the prime members kept asking me to go, I flatly refused. Auctally I refused several times on different occasions. I don't understand that part of Korean culture where people can be naked aorund each other. I had to finally get someone who knew english to explain to them that in western culture it is not common for people to get naked aorund each other. They didn't really seem to understand it really well. I'll do the chopsticks, I'll do the other different parts of Korean culture, but Korean sauna, thats not something I'll likely adapt to. or am I taking the wrong approach on this? I guess the biggest thing for me is because I am a big guy, I don't want people looking at me naked, hell, I don't even want to look at myself naked, why would I punish other people of having to. Well here in Estonia men go to the sauna together, and its not considered weird :O. | ||
Chill
Calgary25991 Posts
On March 23 2012 06:43 masterbreti wrote: so being asked to go to a sauna isn't a bad thing in Korea? well I think i may or may not have offended the Koreans here T_T Cause when the prime members kept asking me to go, I flatly refused. Auctally I refused several times on different occasions. I don't understand that part of Korean culture where people can be naked aorund each other. I had to finally get someone who knew english to explain to them that in western culture it is not common for people to get naked aorund each other. They didn't really seem to understand it really well. I'll do the chopsticks, I'll do the other different parts of Korean culture, but Korean sauna, thats not something I'll likely adapt to. or am I taking the wrong approach on this? I guess the biggest thing for me is because I am a big guy, I don't want people looking at me naked, hell, I don't even want to look at myself naked, why would I punish other people of having to. I went to a spa in Busan. They give you this tshirt and shorts. So I changed into them and then went out into the spa area. Then I noticed everyone was naked and immediately went back into the change room and took everything off hahaha. I did notice that everyone would leave any pool I went into, but just laughed about it and enjoyed my time there. It was fun. You should have gone | ||
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Kickboxer
Slovenia1308 Posts
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EtherealDeath
United States8366 Posts
On March 23 2012 07:23 Chill wrote: I went to a spa in Busan. They give you this tshirt and shorts. So I changed into them and then went out into the spa area. Then I noticed everyone was naked and immediately went back into the change room and took everything off hahaha. I did notice that everyone would leave any pool I went into, but just laughed about it and enjoyed my time there. It was fun. You should have gone Awww poor Chill the loner. I've only been to baths in rural China, but damn they are good. I presume they are probably even better in most parts of Korea since it won't be some poor rural place. | ||
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Wrongspeedy
United States1655 Posts
Edit: Chill I would sit next to you! If only to make my own package look all the more manly! j/k | ||
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Baobab
Korea (South)153 Posts
On March 23 2012 02:38 Chill wrote: i dont get why people have such strong opinions for / against korea. just go there. its a fun place with normal people. 99% of the stuff you read in threads won't ever affect you while youre there. the end. Edit: I mean I get why you wrote this. And it's interesting to read the social dynamics of a place - very interesting. But people are posting "I won't go there because of this" and "I'm disheartened about studying Korean now." Why? You can't speak the language, dynamics like these will never, ever affect you. Just go there and enjoy a beer and take in the sights. People are friendly. The end. This 100%. I pretty much don't read threads about Korean stuff anymore, it's always about Korean people being this way or that way... yet in my day-to-life here, all of this stuff is hardly noticeable. There are all kinds of Koreans, some are friendly, some aren't, some are prejudiced, some aren't, some (most?) are nice people, some aren't. Pretty much like anywhere else on Earth. Come check it out and you're pretty much guaranteed to have a great time. | ||
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FinestHour
United States18466 Posts
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7mk
Germany10157 Posts
So I like it when you write blogs that are more personal / about korea, the one about how you met your wife was one of my favourites on TL one critique though In Korea we have very few mental health institutions or such practices because we use these drinking sessions to do group friend counseling together. It is at these times where we yell at our friends to 'man the fuck up!' or 'you're such an idiot, obviously she is cheating on you!' and where we cry with each other or laugh to break the stress from work, or just drink until we can't think anymore about certain problems that just need time to heal. Also, by drinking to the point of no return together, we all share in the joys and pains of each other and then support one another to make it safely to the bus or taxi and get home. I dont know if youre serious here or if youre joking but this seems pretty stupid ^^ A lack of mental health institutions is just that .. a lack of mental health institutions, mental illness doesnt get cured by drinking alcohol and talking your problems out, theyre cured by proper treatment. Korea being behind on sth like this is a problem, maybe if it wasnt my uncle wouldnt be dead now. And Korea being #2 in the world in suicide rate shows that there really is a problem Now my post sounds way more negative than I wanted it to though which is a shame cause I havent commented on your blogs in a while. sorry T_T | ||
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Chaggi
Korea (South)1936 Posts
On March 23 2012 11:26 7mk wrote: nice blog, I always liked your blogs but in the end all your blogs about your career are kind of a topic I generally dont care about (economy, big firms etc. etc.) So I like it when you write blogs that are more personal / about korea, the one about how you met your wife was one of my favourites on TL one critique though I dont know if youre serious here or if youre joking but this seems pretty stupid ^^ A lack of mental health institutions is just that .. a lack of mental health institutions, mental illness doesnt get cured by drinking alcohol and talking your problems out, theyre cured by proper treatment. Korea being behind on sth like this is a problem, maybe if it wasnt my uncle wouldnt be dead now. And Korea being #2 in the world in suicide rate shows that there really is a problem Now my post sounds way more negative than I wanted it to though which is a shame cause I havent commented on your blogs in a while. sorry T_T Don't take it so seriously. I'm studying medicine and public health in a graduate school here and there are some. It's a big problem, but I'm pretty sure what he says is supposed to be taken more lightly than that. | ||
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PlainShane
United States62 Posts
After initially reading rotinegg's blog, though it certainly scared the American individualist inside, I decided to leave with a rather positive outlook. I believe the point overlooked by some of the westerners that expressed a highly negative reaction is the fast pace at which the SK culture has changed thus far. Does anyone really believe that some of these more detrimental behaviors and positions will stay in their current form? They are new, after all, as explained by rotinegg. At any rate, SK also seems to be somewhat liberal in comparison to some of the other developed Asian countires. (See: Singapore, China) The whole intense friendship and drinking culture are probably more likely to stay with the country's foundation. People tend to want to survive and enrich their lives and communities in the long-run. This is just an observation. I look forward to reading more blogs like these. Thank you, OP. | ||
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Elurie
4716 Posts
On March 23 2012 07:23 Chill wrote: I did notice that everyone would leave any pool I went into, but just laughed about it and enjoyed my time there. It was fun. LOL, you peed in the pool, didn't ya? | ||
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jodogohoo
Canada2533 Posts
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sharky246
1197 Posts
On March 23 2012 07:23 Chill wrote: I went to a spa in Busan. They give you this tshirt and shorts. So I changed into them and then went out into the spa area. Then I noticed everyone was naked and immediately went back into the change room and took everything off hahaha. I did notice that everyone would leave any pool I went into, but just laughed about it and enjoyed my time there. It was fun. You should have gone So... how did it feel to bath with naked man? Oh btw, japan has those naked baths as well (i wonder who copied who). Except in japan, you can go to one that is unisex (ie man and woman bath naked together). | ||
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