Personal Bubble

I don't think I have blogged before concerning Koreans and personal bubbles.  It is something I admire and want to mention here.

Korea is a relatively small place for the high amount of population in one place.  They are used to having to stand close to each other on the street corner, on the bus, in the train station.  If they accidently bump into you, why should they apologize when no harm was meant?  There is really no personal bubble here.

Now why this fascinate me...

It is the amount of touching that they do.  You see a group of friends hanging out... well, let me tell you a story.

Just before one of my classes today, some of the boys were chilling at their desks doing whatever.  One boy had his head resting in another boy's lap.  The other boy was then leaning on top of him.  Not something you see in America.  I've seen them arrange each others' hair, recline on each other, hand hands or lock arms.  Boys and girls both do this within each gender.

Americans would view this as "all over each other" and especially in America it would be assumed that those in question were gay.  This is not the case here.  I am rather jealous that they can be comfortable around each other like this and just be good friends.

Watching how the students interact often reminds me of some of the things Christians should also be standing for: friendliness, eager to hang out and get to know one another, respect... all things we think we have in our lives until we see it in full bloom in another culture.  Yes I have my close friends whom I care for and care for me.  Yes I love my family and understand that they have my back.  I'm not saying that this isn't the case.  I'm saying that Americans are too easily offended as well as quick to judge.  Traits a nation founded on Christian principles shouldn't have.