Fast but Late

Something about being in Korea is their attitude about time.  They will rush around like ants if something needs to be done quickly, they are late, or someone is waiting for them.  Things can be done fast in this way. For example, counting out change takes too long, so many professional place (mostly banks though) have machines to count it out since it is faster.  However, despite their quick speeds, they are almost always late by 15 minutes.  It is inevitable.  When they have free time, they take life slow and easy.  Walking downtown is so frustrating because most people are walking slower than me.

Then I get a change of view.  We have two new teachers from the states.  Adjusting to our new American coworkers has been a lot of fun and I am so glad they are both here.  However, they are not Koreans nor been here long enough to be Koreanized to this place.  So I get to see the differences between them and the rest of us.  They are definitely more relaxed, and dare I say, more practical?  For example, one of them became sick over the weekend.  The other couldn't understand why I would wait two hours until the end of the parents' ceremony when we couldn't understand what was being said instead of rushing right away to help the sick one get meds from my apartment.

Americans tend to do things at their own pace.  In a more timely manner instead of having those quick speeds that occur when you are out of time.  Also, Americans tend to be more on time.  It is expected of us and we follow through.  An adjustment I have had to get used to is when it is time for something, people not jumping and doing it then, but in a few minutes when they finished whatever thought or action they were already doing.

Was talking to a US soldier who has been here for 5 years.  He has been in the US maybe two months since arriving here, and none of that in the last 3 years.  I remember the culture shock and just the difference in communicating I experienced when I visited the US after a year.  He must adjust to the culture shock as well as becoming a civilian.  Will be an interesting experience and I hope that he is happy when all is said and done.

I feel that this blog might be me rambling.  If that is so, I apologize.