My Favourite Thing About Korea

Hey all! Cindy here.

Something that is noticeably different between Canada and Korea is the physical affection that people show towards each other. This was something that caught our attention right away, and has lead to many long discussions about how we wish we could convince our own countries to behave this way. In Korea, it is not uncommon to see men holding on to each other as they walk down the street. Teenage boys often have their arms around each other as they wait at crosswalks or slowly walk the streets downtown. Mothers and son's of all ages hang on to each other in the grocery store line. Girls not only hold hands, but also buy "couple rings" or matching outfits. I have had my hand held and my arm caressed by an older lady at a store, who simply wanted to say hello. This is a very different culture. And I love it.

When I teach primary children in Canada, I often see them cuddling together as they read a book, or holding hands while I am trying to teach a math lesson. But by the time these same children reach the age of 10, this has disappeared. They make fun of anyone who dares to hold hands. They cannot even share a pack of crayons without negative teasing from the children around them. This has always made me very sad.

Last Saturday, as Brett and I stood in the hallway of our school between classes, we watched four of the big 16 year old boys from his class happily find places on a bench in the hallway. The first boy then linked his arm through the second boy's arm. AND THEN the third boy put his arm around the fourth, and started playing with his hair and patting his head. The fourth boy rested his head on the shoulder of the third. These boys are 16!!!! And they are not afraid to show friendly affection to each other. They sat there cuddling, and studying for the entire ten minute break. I imagined the chaos that would result from such a scene in Canada. It would be quite a big deal. But here in Korea, this sort of thing happens all the time. It is completely acceptable.

When I return home to Canada, it is going to actually be strange to see people walking down the road together without holding hands. It is something I am really going to miss. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone in the world could hold hands, or hug each other without it becoming something negative? Think of how different things would be if we could teach our boys that they can be kind and affectionate, without it being a sign of weakness. I think it would change everything.