Posts by Bora Ra

Korea past and present

I recently attended a Korean lecture about arranged marriages between Korean women living in Korea and Korean man living in the United States at the beginning of the 20^th century.  It was interesting to see the Korean history in pictures. At that time, Korea was poor, so Korean immigrants working the United States sent money home to their families.

In my grandparents’ period, they lost their siblings due to starvation and disease.  Even in my parents’ generation, it was common to report birth registration one or two years later than the actual birth due because the mortality rate was so high.

Korea has had very rapid economic growth since the 1970s. Nowadays, the younger generation has a wealth of resources. When I was a child, my mother told me to eat everything because the farmers worked hard to produce rice and food. But today, people in Korea have so much that they don’t feel like they have to eat everything on their plate.

A Korean birthday celebration

Last Saturday, I went to Doljanchi for one of my friends in Portland. Doljanchi is a Korean traditional birthday party that celebrates a baby turning a year old. The baby wears Korean traditional clothing, Hanbok . Her baby wore a light blue silk shirt and pants with a cute sky blue hat. She made all Dojanchi decorations on a table for a week. She glued marshmallow, candy, bubble gum and beans on a hard paper cylinder with a rabbit shape or happy birthday letter in Korean. It was so cute. She also made a photo book that shows her baby growing up from a birth. I had homemade Korean food, Kalbee (short ribs), rainbow rice cake, noodle, pot sticker and strawberry and lemon cupcakes!

I was impressed that she presented well multicultural influence on her decorations and food at her home.  What are some of the traditions in the United States to celebrate baby birthdays? 

How important are smart phones?

I have used a smart phone for more than two years, but I lost it  last Christmas Eve. Now I am using a regular phone. I can’t check my email, find directions, read reviews, pay for a cup of coffee or chat online using my phone.

 I also found out that people use their smart phones all the time even when they hang out with their family or friends. People don’t talk but chat online or play games.  One of friends just bought a smart phone and finds it really convenient. For example, she checked an email from her professor that she can’t register a class, so she searched another class while she was hanging out with me. She said “Excuse me” when she was using her phone. I really appreciated that. Most of my friends check their phone all the time as a habit even when I am talking to them.

 I remember when I bought my first smart phone and I was so excited that I can do a lot of things easily. I am planning to buy another smart phone but I want to make better use of it than I did before. 

Reverse Cultural Shock – Coming Home

When I  come home to Korea, I have reverse cultural shock
during one or two days. It is so interesting that I feel so such cultural differences
in my own country. For instance, I went to a coffee shop and ordered a waffle
“To-Go” “to go,” but a Korean clerk didn’t understand it. In Korea, the term for “to go” is “take out.”  Another example: Korean people walk really fast or run. Pedestrian walkways are very narrow, so when you walk slow, people pass you and look at you funny or simply push you out of the way. It is an interesting feeling living in another country and then coming home and really noticing the little things about my culture that stand out.

Have you experience reverse cultural shock? 

Dating Around the World

Valentine’s Day is another example of cultural differences between America and Korea. In America, people show their love by giving presents or cards. In Korea, Valentine’s Day is considered a day that women express their love or friendship by presenting chocolates.  For example, I bought chocolates for my father, brother, boyfriend, and friends and I wrote cards.

In Korea, one of annual rituals is called White Day, March 14^th, when men present candy or white chocolates to women. April 14^th is called Black Day, when people who didn’t receive gifts on Valentine’s Day or White Day eat a Korean black noodle dish called “Ja Jang Myen.”

I wonder what other countries do for Valentine’s Day and similar holidays, so I will be attending an upcoming event presented by the Organization of International Students. The event will discuss dating in different cultures, and will be held Wednesday, February 15th, 6 to7:30pm at Smith Memorial Student Union room 238.

Do you have Valentine‘s Day memory that you would like to share?