Paradise in Phuket and other things I shouldn't be laughing at.

I constantly balk at the act of snapping photos of the colorful variations of the English language I see here.  The way I see it is, who cares..the point is generally coming across.  The translations are generally literal and are on the verge of getting it, but no cigar.  For example, I saw a reusable canvas bag yesterday at the mall, presumably promoting the "green" movement here in Korea, that read " I Love Growing Grass".  Or the "Face Shop" (Body Shop knock off) that sells skin care for the face.  I could go on.

The versions of American food, if not coming from a chain restaurant, here are liberal translations as well.  I had a pasta with white sauce and I'm pretty sure the bechamel was not made with white flour (rice flour maybe? is that even possible?).

This got me thinking though...do foriegn countries need to be authentic in translating the western culture?  If a culture wants to enjoy a food or language in their own context, they should totally be able to. 

Which came to my conclusion that if I opened an authentic American food restaurant here it would probably flop.  Unless I serve kimchee on burgers...which isn't a terrible idea.

Moving on.  Some notes.

-  My gauche Korean continues to embarrass me and has inspired me to purchase "Survival Korea" written by an English speaker....it's pretty good so far.  But I still feel like an idiot.

-  Turns out I have a but of a country accent with certain Korean words I say!  Who knew!  My mother grew up outside of Seoul on the countryside, so this makes sense.  But I've been laughed at by my proper Seoul cousins.

-  Though people like to push you around on the subways...no one says anything about it.  I kind of like it.  Having made the trip from the Vienna stop into Arlington every day for who knows how long on the DC Metro, it is refreshing to not have to constantly apologize for bumping...or hear fights break out from a cranky rush hour rider.  My rifled responses of "Excuse me, sorry, etc" only make me look like a foreigner.

-  The subways here are creepily quiet and pleasantly clean.  What a fastidious people.

-  I couldn't resist showing you what the Etiquette Bell/Button looks like.  I pressed it for shits and giggles (wacka wacka)

- Explaining what FML meant to my cousin was hilarious.

-  I'm warming up to foods I wouldn't touch in the states.  I had a seafood bouillabaisse in a tiny hole in the wall with six tables that will knock anyone's socks off.  But that's always how it is right?  The obscure mom and pop places are always the best.

- My family continues to amaze me in a way I'm puzzled that I'm related.  My uncle and cousin are mechanical engineers and build actual things...like this stereo (below).  My other cousin is a music producer. My aunt sculpts...she took me to her studio, I'm actually working on a little thing myself.  Hopefully I will be able to mail it back home!

- Vinyl is in.  (Don't know if you can see...but Band of Horses, Belle and Sebastion, Radiohead, Gorillaz, Curtis Mayfield)

-  I'm having a bit of an identity crisis.  I'm Asian and not white (obviously) in America, but I'm not Korean enough in Korea.  So...anyone want to claim me for the racial draft?