my monogrammed soapbox

So, do you think I can take any other aspect of Korea and twist it into some sort of "life lesson" today? I don't know who I think I'm preaching to, but I promise to tone it down a notch....if I can.

So....I guess I'm popular now. There's that!

It kind of comes with the territory I think. I am a novelty. I am from the culture that many here try to emulate. I speak English, which they all want to learn. I am kind of tall by American standards, and very tall here. I am attempting to learn the language. Even the attempt is viewed with respect by most Koreans. I eat spicy food(yes, that makes me popular). I have blondish hair, and apparently it's thinning isn't an issue. (I'm convinced that they just can't see the top of my head) I am not intentionally rude; this is impressive I guess. I am single; also impressive somehow?!?

What do I mean by popular? Examples:

1. My fellow teachers love me, and by that I mean that one of the English speaking teachers told me how everyone talks about how much they love me all the time.
2. The guy who helped me at the bank gave me his card after 10 minutes and wanted to "be my friend".
3. Two business guys on the subway struck up a conversation yesterday and proceeded to invite me to dinner, drinks, and to watch one of their son's archery competition.(i did not go)
4. The manager at my sandwich shop downstairs starts waving as soon as I get to the curb across the street.
5. Shana, Abby and I were invited to a family's home this weekend for a full dinner. I had met the man once. (i did go)(delicious)(and i crushed their ten-year-old at connect five).
6. The owner of our coffee shop has adopted us and has become a gracious guide to the city.
7. I get invited to go drinking much more often than I prefer to go drinking, which is the reverse from Minnesota.
8. My convenience store guy, my sandwich shop guy, my pet shop girl, and my coffee shop crew all call me by name already. Okay, maybe the pet shop girl knows MANGO's name, but close enough.

Before I go on, I need to clarify something. Some of you are now thinking, "Tony, Tony, Tony. When some guy at the bank asks you to be his friend, he's not asking you to be his ~friend~. *winkwink*"

Not so.

Through American eyes, ALL men here appear to be very metrosexual if you will. The social standards are vastly different. Beyond a manly hug, a handshake, or a shoulder grab, boys/men in the US rarely touch each other. That is not the case here. Friends will touch each other in non-sexual ways quite often, even holding hands sometimes. This appears VERY stange to us perhaps, but it's the way it is here. Men aren't scared of appearing homosexual, so if they think you're a cool guy, they'll ask you to grab a drink. It is weird to me, don't get me wrong. But I'm just a visitor here. I don't get to impose my beliefs on anyone. And if you see two WOMEN walking down the street and they're NOT holding hands it is odd.

Anyways,

I'm really not bragging. People are friendly. I am a rarity here. Some want to show off or practice their English. Some people just want to brag to their friends that they know the waygooks(foreigners). Or like the guys at the basketball court, brag that they BEAT the waygooks. Just because I am tall doesn't mean I can play.

It's just a funny feeling. I could probably get some girls' telephone numbers. I could probably hang out and drink Soju(don't ask) with the guys every weekend. If you knew me very well in my teens or twenties, you may know why I think this is funny.

So, I'm not wrapping this up with some "moral of the story" thing. If you want one, you can write you own. I'm off to bed!

~tony