Comments on: What’s Happening in My ‘Hood?

By: gordsellar

gordsellar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:54:37 +0000

Ooops, forgot to respond to comments on this post!

장수제,

No, don’t worry about it. I just didn’t have the energy to go across town. I do hope you’ll let me know about the next gathering, though, and I’ll definitely do my best to make it!

Val,

Well, I never used the term, myself. I just say squat. I must say, though, it took years before I didn’t immediately think of someone using a squat toilet every time I saw someone do that squat.

Marvin,

Really? Wow. But yeah — I always thought the reason so many adult Koreans can do it is just because they were doing it from an early age. I doubt it’s genetic, so you being a Westerner and able to do it surely doesn’t surprise me.

Kevin,

Huh? You totally look half-Asian to me. Guessably so. Well, in photos — I never saw you in person, actually. I bet some people might even think you were full-blooded Korean. I’ve had students who looked a lot like you, again, from your pictures anyway.

Huh.

Well, anyway, I was never asked for directions — not in Korean and by a Korean, anyway. Maybe because I am in subway stations less often than I imagine you were, since I live out in slumburbs? And maybe because you looked like you knew where you were going? Or maybe it’s a Seoul thing.

It’s not something I think is a bad thing. I like the change. I hope that came across in my post.

By: Kevin Kim

Kevin Kim — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:29:34 +0000

While living in Seoul, I was often asked directions by random Koreans. Most Koreans don’t see my Korean side– they view me as white– but this hasn’t stopped them from asking. Go figure.

(BTW, these encounters tended to occur in subway stations.)

Kevin

By: Marvin

Marvin — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:43:55 +0000

I’m a fat-assed Texas boy and I can do a kimchi squat. Of course, I think of it as the taking-a-breather-in-the-dojo squat, but still. I suppose it’s one of those things that if you do it when you’re young it’ll probably stick with you.

By: Val

Val — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:13:04 +0000

I didn’t know there was a word for “the kimchi squat”! hee hee! — I do it, but I have lax ligaments so it isn’t really that hard. My mother (a retired professor of archaeology and anthropology) says that it is a common posture for archaeologists as well, although she was never able to do it. *snerk*

By: 장수제

장수제 — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:05:40 +0000

Hi~
I’m sorry about my last phone call. I should consider your jet lag, but I didnt.

Sorry for all disturbances at last Sat.

And..I remember your mention about borrowed book, . I think I should returne it until Sep. Receltly, I’m out of work (becaused graduated from SNU), so you can call me anytime.

By~