Seoul Drives Me Crazy

There's a lot I've learned to put up with and accept in Korea. From the smoking inside the bars to the pushing in the subway stations, I've come to tolerate and even "assimilate" into many things. But there are three particular things that still upset me and they all happen to be related to Seoul drivers. I hate...

1. How the drivers pay no attention to ambulances.

I think it's the most ridiculous scene when the ambulance is struggling to get through the intersection as if it were playing Frogger with other cars. Nobody moves out of the way nor stops to let the emergency vehicle through. The siren can cry all it wants, but the ambulance will just be another noisy car in Seoul that is trying to be 빨리빨리.

2. How nobody signals.

I didn't realize how much of a problem this was until I started riding my bike in the streets. In my American mind I'm thinking that if you don't signal, you're going to go straight, not make surprise turns! I can pretty much think of a couple of times everyday where I probably could have died if I had not second guessed a driver's SIGNAL-LESS decision to turn. I really hate the stereotype too, but you 아줌마s drive me nuts!

3. How the air is so bad.

Maybe it's because I spend a lot of time outdoors, but sometimes I straight up feel like I'm smoking. I will purposefully exhale out of my mouth just because it feels like I will somehow get rid of the many toxins that have entered my virgin lungs. It honestly discourages me from running outside for exercise because I think it will do me more harm than good. The Shenyang population might think I'm being a baby, but all I know is that living in this city doesn't do a body good. And because of the two former reasons, I blame the millions of Seoul drivers for the bad air.

Just like the education system or the peace talks with North Korea, I guess there is no simple solution. But the drivers really can learn to signal!

In other news, I chose a new book for my 아줌마 class and showed it to them today. More than the content or the difficulty of the material, they were happier with the colors and the size of the letters. Hilariousness.

Thought of the Day: Phoenix Park

Song of the Day: Cleo-Good Time