E.V. -Top Ten Reasons for Being Korean

1. The food is delicious; you can eat like a refugee and still not gain any weight (so true you guys! I've actually lost weight since getting here and people eat so much!)

2. Can buy a new car for a couple of months' salary (apparently this was true 30 years ago, but not so much now)

3. Can climb any mountain in the country in a day without any special equipment (I'll have to let you know about that one...)

4. Get to learn the driver's taste in music whenever you ride the bus or take a taxi (haven't noticed it particularly yet, but perhaps I'm immune!)

5. Four seasons and 5000 years of history (definitely true about the history, and a fascinating one at that, but as for the 4 seasons, I'm still enjoying the incredibly mild 24 degrees Celcius and slowly changing leaves. What a wonderful Fall!)

6. Soju costs as much as bottled water (this is true! Remember, soju is Korean rice or potato based alcohol that tastes a bit like Japanese Sake but is drunk cold or cool)

7. Traffic laws are never enforced (don't know about that, but I do plan on getting a Korean driver's license, apparently it's doable)

8. You can pay the taxman with your pocket change (I'm not so sure that is still true; I gave approximately 300, 000 won for my first month's salary which is roughly 300 Canadian dollars but that includes retirement funds and health insurance as well)

9. Every restaurant offers some sort of 'stamina' food (Yes, Yes, Yes! in Korea, the concept of stamina food is huge! Everything is promoted to inform you of the advantages of the product on your health. My male students have told me that in the summer men eat dogmeat soup because it is very hot in the summer and they need stamina to keep working. Dogmeat is one example of stamina food. I'll have to see what that's like one day...)

10. Taxis and tobacco are ubiquitous and cheap (Let's just say that it's not hard to find a taxi. Thank God! After my experiences in Strasbourg where taxi drivers would ignore you and leave you stranded in the middle of winter at 3am, it's nice to know that you have a decent choice and the price is reasonable)