Comments | red_elephant: In Seoul and it's raining

red_elephant

In Seoul and it's raining

Jul 17, 2006 10:01

I saw Anna last night in transit to the airport. A few brief hours of human contact but they were good ones. I think I'm just going to take it easy in Tokyo, just relax. If I want to sightsee, I will. But I won't force myself to do hardcore sightseeing. My last day in Hong Kong it was raining and I just wanted to sleep and read 'Gone with the ( Read more... )

Comments 7

aleksie July 17 2006, 01:21:19 UTC

I don't like most Asians I meet. I don't hold their Asian heritage against them, but I notice that's a pattern in my life. I of course get away with it, because I'm Korean. I think it's good you actually thought about why you didn't like it there.

One of my friends is teaching English in South Korea, and she says the people are strict with their rules and aren't as friendly, like the Japanese.

red_elephant July 17 2006, 11:31:08 UTC

I always thought Japanese people were supposed to be more reserved than Koreans but even its not like I made tons of Koreans friends, ya know? I only have myself to blame though for not teahcing Japan as I missed hte deadline for JET the same year I applied for Korea. Oh well, what`s done is done.

Confucianism in china edho1997 July 19 2006, 14:37:55 UTC

China got rid of confucianism because of the rise of communism. They wanted to get rid of any differences of classes and such (the whole equality thing...)
Jen said that's probably why a lot of their historical relics, scholars, and history were destroyed.

About why Koreans hold on to the old ways of thinking...I think Koreans are overly self-conscious and extremely proud. They are proud of the way they do things... even if it isn't the best way to do it. It'll change as Korea continues to modernize... hopefully.

Jen and I are in China... things are good. Safe travels, Julie

Re: Confucianism in china red_elephant July 20 2006, 00:41:38 UTC

See this is what I thought too about China except when I went to HK and Taiwan it was the same thing with Confucianism and they were never under communism. So it`s something else. I have another theory, along the lines of what you were saying about Koreans being very proud, that they cling to systems because they lack the confidence to modernize without strictly enforced structures. They believe society would fall apart.

Have fun in the motherland! I tried to buy a knockoff in HK with the words `In Beijing I would pay...` and the woman told me indignantly `But this is Hong Kong!` Still same quality in my opinion....

Re: Confucianism in china edho1997 July 22 2006, 01:31:48 UTC

Haha... all the shit here is so cheap! hmmm some thoughs....reasons why HK and taiwan killed off confucianism... HK because of the British rule for so many years? Taiwan was still lead by Changkaishek sp? and a fairly no history... don't they pride themselves as being independent and a completely different identity from China? Hmm just thoughts....

Jen and I are doing well.... china is cool.... dirty... and i feel like everyone is trying to scam us in every which way!
i want to go back to the US and go to best buy!
haha ttyl!

Re: Confucianism in china red_elephant July 23 2006, 13:41:04 UTC

There`s a big difference between having no history and no culture. Confucianism is more culture than history. I think Koreans find security in the system, where as because China is so huge, Chinese people are more adaptable to living without a system and doing the Taoist going with the flow thing. Whereas Koreans fear if the system fails than the whole country will fail, hence earlier attempts at shutting isolationism.

Haha you think China is dirty and they rip you off? Good thing you didn`t go to Vietnam. Just remember, when it doubt, it`s almost certainly a fake.

Thread 5