When I
was talking to my Korean friend, Summer, she told me about several culture
shocks she has suffered from since she started living here in Mexico. But I was impressed
by two in specific.
Korean girls are not supposed to go out with their friends or to other houses so often. There’s a famous phrase in Korea that says: “Neither the plates or girls should be outside.” Like when you lend your plates to others, you don’t know if they are going to return them, or if your plates will be damaged, because others don’t take much care about them since they are not theirs. The same applies to women. They feel at risk of dangerous situations, considering that other families won't be looking after them the same way their own family would do.
Also, in Korea, people are used to having, in their whole life, only one relationship with someone who is usually the one they are going to marry.
For those reasons, it was a culture shock for Summer the way we socialize in Mexico. At first, she felt like a fish out of water; but now that she is an expat, she is starting to feel more comfortable. She believes that it wasn't difficult for her to familiarize with the Mexican culture, even though it was all Greek to her at the beginning.
In the comic, it was shown the Hostility Stage of this specific culture shock, because Summer was disoriented and easily irritated by these differences between Korea and Mexico and she began to think of going back home.
I believe it's relevant to understand the points of view and the way of thinking of people from other cultures, in order to have better relationships with them and not to make a false statement or be rude.The key is: "When in Rome, do as Romans do."
Korean girls are not supposed to go out with their friends or to other houses so often. There’s a famous phrase in Korea that says: “Neither the plates or girls should be outside.” Like when you lend your plates to others, you don’t know if they are going to return them, or if your plates will be damaged, because others don’t take much care about them since they are not theirs. The same applies to women. They feel at risk of dangerous situations, considering that other families won't be looking after them the same way their own family would do.
Also, in Korea, people are used to having, in their whole life, only one relationship with someone who is usually the one they are going to marry.
For those reasons, it was a culture shock for Summer the way we socialize in Mexico. At first, she felt like a fish out of water; but now that she is an expat, she is starting to feel more comfortable. She believes that it wasn't difficult for her to familiarize with the Mexican culture, even though it was all Greek to her at the beginning.
In the comic, it was shown the Hostility Stage of this specific culture shock, because Summer was disoriented and easily irritated by these differences between Korea and Mexico and she began to think of going back home.
I believe it's relevant to understand the points of view and the way of thinking of people from other cultures, in order to have better relationships with them and not to make a false statement or be rude.The key is: "When in Rome, do as Romans do."
Well done! Very detailed comment with appealing facts about the differences between Mexico and Korea.
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