Attack of the Elevators: The Korean Experience

Motorcycles jump the curb and weave through people on the sidewalk. Traffic laws are loosely followed and even more loosely enforced, yet there appear to be very few accidents. The food is tasty, spicy and cheap! Kim chi(any of various vegetables[usually cabbage] pickled in ginger, garlic and red chili pepper powder) and Pickled white radishes are served with every meal. Drinking is a large part of the culture, and on any night drunken groups of businessmen with their ties around their foreheads sing NoriBang (private room karaoke) and old men and students can be found weaving down the streets singing or just slurring at each other. There is next to no crime. The people are universally friendly and though they do not speak English very well, many understand the basics of what you say, whether you mean for them to or not. Passive aggressive seems to be the accepted mode of communication. This sounds like a bad thing, but its not. The culture requires you to read the feelings of those around you through subtle gestures and body-language, they call this ability nunchi, and you use it to read the meaning behind their words. Any of you who know me understand that this will be good practice for me.

Oh yes... and one more thing... Elevators Attack! There is no cool laser to detect when someone is in the door and hold it open. So step quickly between the jaws of descension and ascention because they will snap shut on you.