tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7746748686244495382.post6916988173154326798..comments2023-06-05T03:19:11.009-07:00Comments on Amy in Korea: My First Foot MassageAmy Beneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10145555012331115690noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7746748686244495382.post-5696409226181390632009-10-01T11:26:46.827-07:002009-10-01T11:26:46.827-07:00I had heard foot massages were very painful in Kor...I had heard foot massages were very painful in Korea. Or maybe it was another Asian country. Young mee, I think you are more Americanized than you think. I have never, ever noticed a lack of expressiveness in you.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12313347667394320330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7746748686244495382.post-22000206462162971612009-09-23T07:12:21.706-07:002009-09-23T07:12:21.706-07:00Public baths.. Ewe. All I can think of is how unc...Public baths.. Ewe. All I can think of is how uncomfortable it would feel to have someone cleaning you. Now the foot massage sounds interesting.Julie Beneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02762401215307357496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7746748686244495382.post-58550033977047054472009-09-22T11:40:00.469-07:002009-09-22T11:40:00.469-07:00Hi Amy,
Speaking of Korean women leisure activiti...Hi Amy,<br /><br />Speaking of Korean women leisure activities, hanging out in hot bath or sauna is one of them. 찜질방(Korean Sauna), 목욕탕(public bath) are very popular so I tried a couple of times when I visited Korea. The most awkward thing is "때밀이" who is helping you to clean up(!) in public bath place. I tried it once two years ago when I visited my sister's home. It's difficult to describe it. ^^; One thing is that 때밀이 아줌마 is very aggressive to "pill" off your skin.. I screamed too much (it hurts really & scared a bit) so my 때밀이 아줌마 started to treat me with a gentle love.. My skin turned to all red or so.. Even I cannot say I enjoyed the hot sauna place (찜질방) which is my sister's favorite hang-out place.. Normally I don't like to stay in a small hot place. Maybe I have claustrophobia..<br /><br />Anyhow, it is very affordable to get services like that in Korea or in any Asia. If you want to pamper yourself, try it once at least. It will be fun! <br /><br />Thanks for sharing your new experience!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10419204276078604976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7746748686244495382.post-36091295912105721682009-09-22T07:47:58.309-07:002009-09-22T07:47:58.309-07:00"Are my mannerisms really that different? Is..."Are my mannerisms really that different? Is that something that people acutally notice?" Yes and yes.<br /><br />At least I noticed the huge difference when I came to the states. The hand gestures and the facial expressions as well as the natural ease and informal manner the conversations happen with the professors and sometimes with complete strangers! In some ways, I struggled with that (the "blending" issue) until I decided that there are non-expressive people living in the states too and that I am one of them. Believe it or not, I am much more expressive than I was then. At least I think I am...<br /><br />Really young kids may be expressive everywhere and some of the more outgoing ones may retain it, but being expressive was not encouraged and I assume that's still the case. It's the culture. Girls/women are praised for being calm, quiet, and docile (얌전한 여자) and Boys/men are supposed to be reserved and deliberate in manner (점잖은 남 자) to be taken seroiusly. Only comedians used to be (fake) expressive. That's probably part of the reason that the Korean movies were so completely boring until recently, not to mention the predictable story lines. These days, though, the movie/TV drama industry in Korea is doing great in Asia as I saw in Iran. They were all watching Korean mini-series in Iran. I digress.<br /><br />That foot massage sounds typical of the things women do in Korea. Oh there were sauna with the green vegetable (쑥갓), trips to hot springs with minerals, and yes the pressure points and acupuncture... I am glad that your host mom is the type to try different things and enjoy life and you get to see/experience it.ykimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16409262473521197052noreply@blogger.com