Join Them and Let the Fun Begin

When you get invited to join a group of Koreans for pretty much anything, go along with them, and go along with it. Koreans will invite you ALL the time to hike or fish or "mountain climb". Be approachable and you'll be amazed at the experiences.

I remember the first time I was asked by a Korean couple to go skiing with them. I took a bus trip to go skiing in Gangwondo. We left on a Friday afternoon - around 1pm. I was excited. It was about a 2 hour ride to get to the hotel. I was the only caucasian. The whole bus stared at me when I go on. Lots of smiles and "ohhhhs". Not all that different from the typical response I got wherever I went. Everything was pretty orderly until the moment the bus started moving. Bottle caps were popping everywhere, the tour guide started in on the soju and the microphone, and by the time we were 10 minutes enroute, everyone but the driver was signing and drinking and celebrating in merriment. The bus was actually bouncing and swaying with the dancing and armlocked sing/swaying that was going on. It was an absolute crack up. I have since been on many a trip and all have been the same. The skiing was great fun as well though the mountain wasn't quite the standard I was led to believe it was going to be.

Koreans adopt the attitude work hard play hard. There will be times you are frustrated and you shake your head about the spitting or shouting and drunken tirades or the vomit on the ground on Saturday and Sunday mornings or the line ups that go out horizontally from the ticketing windows or the pushing and elbowing but calm down, take a deep breath and remember that you didn't grow up with this as a norm in your society.

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites