spotted

Yesterday, I SAW THE SUN!!!!

On Saturday, I saw an ajumma holding a child, crouched in a relatively isolated corner of a subway station. As I got closer, I realized the child was doing her doody ON THE FLOOR OF THE SUBWAY STATION. Really?REALLY??? In France, I became quite accustomed to seeing people (men) peeing wherever they felt the urge. But aside from little kids in China, I've never seen anyone going number 2 in a public place. It really surprised me here though. The Seoul subway is pristine. There are bathrooms (usually more than one) in every subway station that are cleaned regularly. So why? Why the need to defecate on the floor of a subway station? It seemed unbelievably disrespectful and entirely unnecessary. The older generation of Koreans, women especially, have an unreal feeling of entitlement. There are few videos that have been circulating the internet within the past several months. One was of an ajumma attacking a girl on the subway, the other is of an ajumma, arriving late to a wedding and pushing the bride out of the way as she is walking down the aisle. Obviously those are both extreme, but I witness daily that "I'm going to do whatever I want and I dare you to try and stop me" attitude from ajummas and ajeossis (though to a lesser extent). And I know it's just part of their culture, but younger Koreans do nothing but take it, knowing that their turn will come someday. However, since I am not Korean, and I have no plans to grow old in Korea, my turn will not come. So when I am on the receiving end of a two handed push from an ajumma, or when they cut in front of me in line at the grocery store, it takes every ounce of self control I have not yell or push back. How can anyone think that is ok? Grr.

I have such a love hate relationship with this country and its citizens.