Priorities

When an emergency arises, perhaps one that requires medical attention, an ambulance is generally going to be the first vehicle you'd like to be transported in. Now, maybe a few people would rather be rushed to the hospital in an F1 race car, or something of that sort, but the point is, an ambulance, or any emergency vehicle, should probably have full rights when it comes to using the road. In Korea, that's not quite the case.

The first time I witnessed a car accident here in Korea (the first few times actually), it was as it happened, and I was usually driving away and couldn't stay and watch. When I finally saw one happen while I was walking, I had enough time to witness the order of things unfolding. Within 30 seconds of the accident taking place, a tow-truck was on the scene. With its siren wailing, lights flashing, it took up position in the middle of the intersection and started sorting the mess out. The next vehicle on the scene: another tow-truck. Soon a third whizzed by, only to find no work left for it, and it moseyed off. In the end, three tow-trucks came, and no ambulances or police cars at all. If there were any injuries on the scene, the persons needing medical attention would certainly have been better off going with the tow-trucks anyway. These trucks are larger, have brighter lights, louder horns, and as far as I can tell show total disregard for traffic laws, pedestrians and other vehicles. They're kings of the road here in Korea, and no puny police vehicle or ambulance seems to wish to show them otherwise.

I'm not sure the logic for the tow-truck issue, and perhaps I've over estimated their traffic dominance, but there is definitely a different set of rules for what's important here in Korea, and language barriers, cultural differences and my lacking a Korean Priorities Rulebook has caused lots of confusion and laughter.

School pictures have been especially bizarre. My picture, taken for our teacher board at the front door, didn't come out right at all, with my whole body being squished and flattened just enough so that I resemble a chunky pancake. Now, this may have been an accident, but out of the 4 pictures that were taken of me, why choose that one?

Shannon had her photo taken a while back, and while nothing too discernible showed up, she just looked "wrong" in it, like someone had tried to make her look nicer in it, but failed. Then another friend had his face "Korean-ised" as he put it. Somehow he looked just a little more Asian in the picture than he should have. I was still a little skeptical, until finally one of our friends with a beard had his school photo taken. When he got the pictures back, his beard was gone (and possibly some other alterations were made, we weren't sure). Now, whenever I walk by photo shops, I notice their advertisements at fixing pictures, making people look nicer, and even changing the clothes people are wearing. They go to all this effort to have these great, beautiful looking photos, and yet, no one ever, ever smiles in them.

The list of things that amuse and puzzle me here seems to go on forever, and I'm sure I'll find some great, interesting and ludicrous things to write about in future blogs. I do, however, feel it's time I brought up some of the more positive things about my Korean co-teachers and the other Koreans I've met. It's easy to mock and ridicule people here, and doing so would give an unfair impression of the time I'm having here. I really am enjoying Korea, and I've met some great people, but it's the quirky, funky stuff that always sticks out in my mind. I could have a week of nothing but great noodle and vegetable dishes for lunch, but the only thing I fine worth mentioning is the time I was served fermented manta ray and deep fried fish heads.

Oh, and I almost forgot - I had my first trip to the dentist. I walked in, waited for 20 minutes, got an X-ray and had a quick checkup, and all it cost me was $4. Wild. They had TV's at every dentist chair (so strange, but still nice) and the dentist even spoke good English. Her main concern though - whether my teeth look nice enough for me or not.