differences

During a farewell dinner I spoke with some similar aged Koreans about their dynamics at work and before they find a job and how this makes them feel. Apparently, when you look for a job, you are looking for a life partner of sorts. In Korea, having experience with many companies screams a banner the size of a sky scraper that you are a bad employee and have had to move around after being fired. They seem to only believe that you can get "expert experience" in one job over a long period of time. Little value seems to be put on a well rounded multi-facetted addition to a team. This explains why Koreans are so obsessed about doing well in school and immediately following because that it the one shot you have to find a dream job. I found this staggering and in the course two minutes this realization explained a great deal why so many Koreans are the way they are. I asked why my friend and now student could not apply to a new company if he was not happy with his current job and the attitude about moving companies, even once, was shared with me.

Bread bought yesterday was again not whole wheat but black rice bread. I cannot seem to find whole wheat bread anywhere; white marshmallow bread is the way to go here. The healthy alternative I did find was accompanied by a small container of whipped cream I was offered on my way out of the small bakery. I'm not sure if this is normal here. On weekends in large grocery stores, there are girls in mini skirts with matching skirts from their knees down to their feet, one on each leg, promoting a specific food item. They will often give me the benefit of the doubt and give their spiel in a very enthusiastic Korean narrative. Similar displays for the upcoming election boast a whole team of skirted models, dancing in formation in front of a truck with a very powerful sound system, painful if they drive close by. Many young men carry small hand bags, as small as DVD anthology!

I witnessed a large bus leaving a bus stop and another bus came in behind and wanted to stop in front of the leaving bus. They exchanged some likely not very polite words because bus number two did not want to wait for much more space to be available... I can enjoy a meal for 2 Canadian dollars. Some children own 600 cell phones with live video chat capabilities yet live in a village with odd garbage piles every three blocks. The imbalance of technology and urban development is intense at times.

Children continue to practice saying hello to a strange Canadian, getting nervous when I ask "how are you". My students continue to pet my hands and a majority enjoy my company and teaching in and out of the classroom. I am sick again and hope to feel better soon. The trip to the doctor was only about $3,60; the drugs $2,40 and I waited for less than 5 minutes! That waiting time is impossible in Ontario!