THE BAD:1) Sidewalks in Seoul are not just for people. Somedays I wonder if they are for people at all! Motorcycles, bikes, and even cars are often sharing the sidewalk space with you, so ALWAYS be ready to jump out of the way.
2) When giving directions to a taxi driver, expect that he was say 'nee nee' (yes yes) no matter whether he knows where you want to go or not...
3) It is okay for Korean girls to wear skirts so short they can't sit down in the middle for winter, but GOD FORBID a female foreigner show an inch of cleavage or tummy!!
4) People will NEVER hold the door open for you, and when you hold it open for them (cause we are friendly Canadians after all) don't expect a thank you, a nod, or anything that acknowledges your existence.
5) When you are walking in a crowded area, don't worry about learning the word for 'sorry' when you bump into someone, cause no one will say it when they ram into you at thirty miles an hour and knock you down.
6) Don't breathe too deeply in Seoul... even besides the fact that Seoul actually now has the worst air pollution in the world, with only Mexico City coming second... the wonderful smell of open sewage gutters, garlic, kimchi, and who-knows-what fills the air.
7) For foreigners, Korea is often the land of not quite right. Especially when it comes to Korean interpretations of Western food. Expect that you will not get exactly what you think you are ordering (ie: a club sandwich where the bread isn't toasted... or a ham sandwich with strawberry jam) and just chock it up to another adventure abroad.
8) Addresses don't apply in Seoul. It's all about landmarks. If you want to know how to get somewhere, you need to know a major landmark or two. Most of the street names are there for decoration only I believe. And maps are often only 'an estimation' of where something might be... so again, get lost, keep a cell phone on you, and chock it up to another adventure. Sometimes you find even cooler things when you get lost then when you actually find that place that you want.
9) Buses and taxis are insane. They will get you wherever you want to go, incredibly quickly, but they also might make you motion sick with all the screeching starts and dead stops. Buses are worse, cause you are standing up, and are often surfing for your life. But, they get you where you need to go!
10) Public drunkeness like you have never seen in the evenings!! Koreans drink more than anyone I have ever seen, and you will often see well-dressed middle-aged men and women lying in front of a restaurant, on a bus bench, or being dragged home by their friends if you are out for a nightly walk. It's crazy...
11) Cell phones, cell phones, everywhere... 10 year old kids have 'em, 80 year old ajumma's (old women), even the trendy dressed dogs ;o) But actually, Koreans are pretty nice about the phone ettiquette. In public places like restaurants or subway stations, they'll often only text message or they will talk very quietly with their hand over their mouth, so as not to disturb anyone with their conversation. Still, they LOVE their cell phones.
THE GOOD:1) Koreans are amazing bilingual and many can help you with directions, ordering food, etc with their english skills which makes getting around so much easier!
2) The subway system is incredibly clean and unbelievably extensive and efficient. You can get anywhere in Seoul so easily using the subway stations, and the announcements of stops and signage is also in English.
3) Seoul has every thing you would expect of a large metropolitan city in Canada or the states, so you can do the cultural thing, or you can go out for a night on the town and have Thai for dinner and then relax at a jazz club (which we will be doing!)
4) There is tons of shopping if you like, and tons of people to people-watch (which is more my thing).
5) Entertaining outfits on small dogs! Since most Seoulites live in apartments or condos, small dogs tend to be the only kind that you see around, which I assume is pretty similar in places like New York. But here, they dress them to the nines!! They may be a bumble bee, a butterfly, a bunny, or perhaps only dressed in jeans and a Dolce and Gabana t shirt. They make me smile all the time, so I definitely put this in THE GOOD category, cause I know my mom will also get a kick out of it.
6) Despite the stares sometimes, Koreans are usually pretty polite about foreigners. Kids who want to practice their english outside school will yell out a 'hello' or 'how are you?' as they walk by, and often, people will ask you where you are from and try to learn more about you. Remembering that until the last 6 years or so, very few Koreans had actually travelled outside of Korea, and many of them want to move to canada or the states to live, so they are often very interested about you.
7) There is tons to do in Seoul, and so many terrific restaurants to explore and dine in... it's great!
8) You'll get to hang out with your daughter!!! YEAH!!! ;o)
Love ya Mom! See you soon! Have a really safe flight. ;o)
