Sneezes & Smelly Socks

Day 44 - Wednesday - 06 April 2011

I woke up this morning at 7:30am to the sound of my host brother puking his recently eaten ramen onto the living room floor. I've been sleeping in lately and skipping yoga because of a stiff bruised ankle. I thought now would be a good time to post about Korean etiquette and hygiene.

I'm not here to insult Korean people, their way is their way, and simply different than what I grew up with. They're not dirty people, and in many ways, cleaner than the average American. Keep in mind too, I live in a household with a young 12 year old boy, and I work at afterschool programs for lower-income, not well-off elementary school kids.

The first obvious thing I noticed, right away on my journeys through the streets and time on the subway, is that people don't say "excuse me" or "bless you" after sneezing, coughing, or farting; nor do they try to cover it up. Out of habit and tradition to my futbol times in America, I am accustomed to saying "salud" after hearing somebody sneeze. The Koreans look at me funny. Most of the time people just sneeze, cough or fart and pretend like it didn't happen. There's no reaction from the person who did it, the people around, and overall, it's just not as comical as it would be in America. For some reason, we love to laugh at regular bodily functions. One of the loudest and biggest laughfests I had in highschool was when the school librarian farted, and tried to cover it up with a cough. 3 tables of fellow students were trying to hold in our laughs.

Second, as I mentioned before, people don't try to cover up their coughs, sneezes, or farts. I have been coughed on, sneezed on, and sadly, farted on, by both people close to me and complete strangers out in public. Also, quite a few people have spit on me while they're talking. I try to back away from people who are having coughing or sneezing fits, and I don't get to upset. In the end there's a billion germs and bacteria in the air we breathe. But the thing that does annoy me, is that I've been yelled at for covering up my own sneezes and coughs. I tend to cough into my jacket, either right into the collar/where-the-hood-connects area or into the elbow-pit area. My host-mom yells at me all the time that I'm getting my sweatshirt or jacket dirty. She's right, but I think it's more about being courteous to others around me. Sacrificing my own sweatshirt as to not cough on everybody else seems like the right thing to me.

It's ironic to me, that there doesn't seem to be too much emphasis but on manners concerning spreading one's sneezes, coughs, and farts, yet I do see a crap-ton of people wearing the medical facemasks. I wonder if it is for germs, or just the non-human pollution and the yellowdust in the air.

Third, I tend to pay attention in public bathrooms if people wash their hands or not, especially in restaurants where I'm accustomed to the American signs that read, "Employees MUST wash their hands before returning to work." You don't see those signs here, and as far as Korean dudes go, the amount I see walk right past the sink, compared to the ones that do wash their hands, is significantly higher. Most of the time, I'm the only person in a public restroom washing my hands, and it is a burden, because very few places I've been have paper towels. So you have to use toilet paper, which rips up, or your own shirt. Meanwhile, while I'm washing my hands, there's typically 3-4 other dudes who just used the restroom, fixing their hair to make sure each piece is in place, then they walk right out.

Lastly, at most of the places I work at, you have to take your shoes off at the door. Sometimes there are complimentary slippers to use, and other times, you just walk around in your socks. There are smelly socks everywhere, including my own (which is worsened by my smelly ankle brace). It was hard to get used to, and I'm still struggling a little. Every time I teach, there is a wave of rancid foot smell rippling across the room, originating from the feet of these little kids. I don't think this is something unique to Korea; young kids have smelly feet in every country, especially after a day's worth of running around and playing. The only difference is that Koreans take off their shoes, exposing all the stench. It made me realize how life saving shoes are. They hold in the bad smells.

But in the end, even with these minor differences, I have nothing to complain about. Different place, different customs, and I'm happy to have the privilege of experiencing them.