So I guess I’m not good at keeping up with this blog thing.
Sorry guys. I’ll try to do better. This post is a bit short, but I promise the next post will be longer and with pictures.
I was in the mist of writing a post about my glimpse into
North Korea last weekend, but that will have to wait because I want to share my
experience about my first real culture shock today.
I was walking to the subway station from church when I heard
a loud noise. I looked across the street to see that a guy had crashed/fallen
off his delivery bike. He slowly dragged himself to the sidewalk where he then
curled up in a ball holding his leg. No one moved to help him. No one took out
their phone. People stared and pointed. After a few good long minutes I saw two
kind souls on the ground with him. If I had minutes on my phone I would have
called the police with my broken Korean. In Georgia, I witnessed a sports car flip over and a herd of
people ran to help person in the car, and about a dozen of cars pulled over to
call for help. Here, in Seoul, it was as if no one cared. It was a bit disturbing
to this Southern American girl.
I'm convinced the act of helping others is a learned skill. We learn it from our parents, who learned from theirs. That's why it is cultural, both internationally and I think within regions of our own country. (Y'all know what I'm talking about). When I taught school, many of the children were from military families - meaning they weren't from around here. I told them, "When a friend falls down, don't just stand there. Run to be a helper." And then . . . they did.
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to be the "teacher of helping" in Korea. Go slap some South on 'em.
Hi..
ReplyDeletehope you stay safe dear girl
(:)
hugs,patty