Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Normal Gets Ab'd

Normal. Noun. The usual, average or typical state or condition.
             Adjective  (of a person) Free from physical or mental disorders.

Abnormal. Adjective. Deviating from what is normal, or usual, typically in a way that is undesirable.
Source: Google Dictionary

Good definition, I say. What I think is missing though, is the fact that 'normal' is a really relative term, and that's the most important part of the definition. Coming here of course meant that I'd have to stretch the yardstick I used to measure what's normal and what's not. I had nooo idea I'd be stretching it this far though.
In SoKo (My city, at least), the following fit the requirements for normal:

  • Openly calling people ugly, or fat pig actually. To be polite, they'd say 'not pretty' or 'not handsome'. Or generally pointing out to people what they look like.
  • Wearing shorts, skirts or dresses that are offensively short (I've seen countless butt cheeks in broad daylight).
  • but you WILL get nasty looks for wearing a top with thin straps.  
  • Men wearing foundation (or whitening cream), lipstick and whatever other make up they can find. 
  • Taking a nice, long drag of all the bile your body has produced, and proudly spitting it out like a pro soccer player IN PUBLIC. Women not excluded. 
  • Carrying a large pocket mirror wherever you go,
  • And unashamedly staring at yourself while in the company of others. 
  • Whining.
  • Leaving your car on, idling, windows open, unattended (juuuuust try that in South Africa...)
  • Sharing the pedestrian sidewalk with motor cyclists, cars, and mini trucks.
  • Owning everything and anything Hello Kitty at the age of 30. 
  • Staring and pointing (even at other Koreans).
  • Asking people what their blood type is (I mean, c'mon!).
  • Chewing loudly, with your mouth open (Table manners the way we know them are non existent actually. 5 months in and I still CANNOT get used to it. Thanks, Girls' High!)
  • Sitting at a restaurant for hours with your significant other and not saying a single thing to one another. 
  • Straight men and boys being awkwardly affectionate with one another.
  • Standing or sitting too close to someone (Asia= No such thing as a personal bubble. Sharing is caring, mate!)
  • Using public transport as your bed. Shame, they work hard- it might be the only nap time they get.
Also, it's also normal for me to walk around with a standard shocked face (hope my list makes you empathize). I'd imagine this to be an accurate portrait.


Thanks, thatshowsucks.com for the pic

2 comments:

  1. Eish!! hate the spitting in public!! Sooooo DISGUSTING!!! I've noticed a lot of spitting by MEN here in Rhode Island#yuck!!!

    Really?? Men wear make up? WOW!! Taking the term metro sexual to the extreme#lol

    Love your post babe xoxox

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  2. I wanna reprimand them every.single.time. There are some things I will never get used to.

    Yep. Foundation, eyebrow pencil, the works! The line between masculine and feminine is heavily blurred here. Really didn't expect that.

    Thanks, again Neo ^^.

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