Me: I hope she will give me a second chance.
Korean lady: Second chance? When did you got a first chance?
Me: Oh, good point... I hope she will give me a first chance.
June 15, 2013
June 03, 2013
Mad for Garlic... and Deodorant
Korean guy: Do you know why Korean girls don't like you? It's not just because you are Indian blood. It's also your bad smell.
Me: My bad smell? OK…
Korean guy: Western people think Koreans are stinky because they smell like garlic, no? But that is a normal thing here, so it is not a bad or weird.
Me: So I smell bad?
Korean guy: Yes. How many times do you use deodorant?
Me: Usually one time in the morning.
Korean guy: That's not enough. That's why you smell bad.
Me: What!? You expect me to apply it every four hours or something?
Korean guy: No, that's still not enough. You must use it every hour or two.
Me: That's too much.
Korean guy: No, you can't say that. That is normal thing here so you must do it.
On an interesting side note, the 'flower men' of South Korea make up less than 1% of the global male population yet account for over 20% of male cosmetic sales worldwide.
Me: My bad smell? OK…
Korean guy: Western people think Koreans are stinky because they smell like garlic, no? But that is a normal thing here, so it is not a bad or weird.
Me: So I smell bad?
Korean guy: Yes. How many times do you use deodorant?
Me: Usually one time in the morning.
Korean guy: That's not enough. That's why you smell bad.
Me: What!? You expect me to apply it every four hours or something?
Korean guy: No, that's still not enough. You must use it every hour or two.
Me: That's too much.
Korean guy: No, you can't say that. That is normal thing here so you must do it.
*****
On an interesting side note, the 'flower men' of South Korea make up less than 1% of the global male population yet account for over 20% of male cosmetic sales worldwide.
May 31, 2013
Conversations with K-girls: Dinner Plans
K-girl: I have a dinner plan.
Me: With me?
K-girl: No.... uh.... umm..... with my family?
Me: With me?
K-girl: No.... uh.... umm..... with my family?
May 28, 2013
In Hostile Territory
Me: She looks a little Chinese, even though she is Korean.
Korean guy: Yes, so I don't like her.
Me: Chinese girls are also nice.
Korean guy: Japanese better but they exposed to radioactivity.
Me: I thought you had a Chinese girlfriend before.
Korean guy: Nope, I just had Chinese homemate but she had stinky foreign boyfriend.
Me: A big hairy oaf?
Korean guy: Oaf?
Me: For example "That was my foot you just stepped on, you bumbling oaf".
Korean guy (after looking up the definition of oaf in an electronic dictionary): "Why give publicity to this self-indulgent, adolescent oaf?"
Me: Yes, exactly. For instance, that guy talking to the Chinese-looking girl appears to be an oaf.
Korean guy: That I agree. He looks oaf so normal girls don't have any hostility.
Me: Yup, they let their defences down but when they see a dangerous Prince of Persia they have their shields up.
Korean guy: Yes, that's fact so it's not your fault. Their reaction is natural.
Me: Hostility is a good word.
Korean guy: Why? It's bad word, isn't it?
Me: I mean it's a good word to describe the situation.
Korean guy: Aha~
Korean guy: Yes, so I don't like her.
Me: Chinese girls are also nice.
Korean guy: Japanese better but they exposed to radioactivity.
Me: I thought you had a Chinese girlfriend before.
Korean guy: Nope, I just had Chinese homemate but she had stinky foreign boyfriend.
Me: A big hairy oaf?
Korean guy: Oaf?
Me: For example "That was my foot you just stepped on, you bumbling oaf".
Korean guy (after looking up the definition of oaf in an electronic dictionary): "Why give publicity to this self-indulgent, adolescent oaf?"
Me: Yes, exactly. For instance, that guy talking to the Chinese-looking girl appears to be an oaf.
Korean guy: That I agree. He looks oaf so normal girls don't have any hostility.
Me: Yup, they let their defences down but when they see a dangerous Prince of Persia they have their shields up.
Korean guy: Yes, that's fact so it's not your fault. Their reaction is natural.
Me: Hostility is a good word.
Korean guy: Why? It's bad word, isn't it?
Me: I mean it's a good word to describe the situation.
Korean guy: Aha~
May 25, 2013
Escape from Trash Mountain - Nanjido
Take a low lying island located on a river in Seoul, add two decades worth of garbage generated during a period of rapid modernization never before seen in human history, and what are you left with? A 100 meter high mountain of trash, reeking so badly that people could smell it from the other side of the Han River. The dump site of Nanjido grew to cover an area of almost 3 million square meters, dwarfing the pyramids of Giza in scale.
Nanjido became a dangerous eyesore that oozed methane which frequently ignited, causing 1300 fires over the life span of the landfill. Millions of tons of industrial and household waste had piled up like the credit card debt of a Korean beauty's boyfriend. After one big blaze in 1984, the last of the inhabitants of the isle were relocated.
Seoul was selected as a host of the 2002 World Cup. The city's soccer stadium was located a corner kick away from this festering heap of rubbish, so the government decided to do something about the situation. They transformed the dump into a large green space, replete with parks, sculptures, trails, golf courses, and dazzling views of Seoul.
Ironically, there are barely any garbage cans on a mountain that once served as the city's wastebasket. Every time I came up on what looked to be a garbage can, it turned out to be a container for fire extinguishers. The extinguishers are a nice safety precaution, but perhaps a bit underpowered to put out a fire on a blazing mountain of methane. Smoking is prohibited on top of the park for this reason, as it could lead to spontaneous combustion. Despite the potential safety hazards, a visit to 'Trash Mountain' is certainly not a waste of time.
*****
People say I'm extravagant because I want to be surrounded by beauty. But tell me, who wants to be surrounded by garbage? ~ Imelda Marcos
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