CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

When my sister-in-law Kap Hui (known as Carol to us), who is Korean, would explain a cultural difference, she would say that it was a "custom" in her country. (CLICK HERE to see articles here about Korean customs differing from ours.)

When we bought our first home, my mother made her home with us. After we had moved in, Carol and three of her friends, who are also Korean, came to see our new home. Mother was sitting at the kitchen table. The three friends began opening the drawers and cabinet doors in the kitchen. I saw Mother fuming but I gave her the sign (zipper to lip) not to say anything.

When we moved into our current home in 1984, Carol once again brought her friends (four this time) and once again Mother was sitting at the kitchen table when the visitors began opening drawers and cabinets. Mother practically screamed, "What the Hell are you doing?" Carol said, "It custom." Mother said, "You've been here since 1968 and you should know it's not our damned custom!"

CLICK HERE to see my BLOG article BOOTY HANGERS which relates to the fact that Carol was shocked by my showing cleavage and I was shocked by her wearing short shorts. It is the custom in Korea not to show any cleavage, but short shorts are very acceptable.

Koreans also believe that it is bad luck to whistle after dark and that you will die if you fall asleep in a room with a fan running.

Koreans do not have breakfast food as we do; they eat rice and usually kimchee at all meals.

The strangest difference to me is that when Korean children are born, they are considered one year old on the day of their birth, rather than one day old. My brother Les, ever the wit, said, "That's because they're THOROUGHBREDS!" Of course, he was referring to the fact that all thoroughbreds have the birth date of January 1, no matter what day of the year they are born.