Inefficiencies and oddities.

So, from my experiences thus far, Korea is an extremely efficient and advanced society. By this I mean, everything seems to be done in a manner that cuts down on waste, promotes well-being, and saves time. Additionally, everything is super tech'ed out. For example, instant texts for every debit purchase, paying bills at atms, paying for taxis with a transit card, delivery of every food item imaginable, huge touch-sensitive t.v.s in English classrooms.

However, there are something that just seem silly, inefficient or way behind. These are a few examples:

1. E-tickets. For Dream Concert, you had to order your tickets a certain amount of time in advance to get actual traditional looking tickets. Otherwise, you were issued an e-ticket. This is something we have in the United States. For many concerts you can order your tickets online and have them e-mailed to you. You just get it scanned or show it at the entrance to the venue, be it a small club, or a huge stadium. For dream concert, there were e-tickets issued, but you had to exchange them for the real thing at the stadium on the day of the concert. This wouldn't be so terrible if there were 50,000+ people at the concert. The sheer number of people as compared to the number of ticket exchange booths (two) seemed simply insufficient. People began exchanging tickets as early as 11 a.m. and had to wait more than an hour in line. Then, they had nothing to do for several hours, waiting for the concert to begin at 6:30. I had a friend exchange my tickets for me. I got to the stadium to drop off my e-tickets with her at about 2:30. I went back to Bekahs to change and get ready and I headed off back to the stadium. By the time I got back our tickets were exchanged, but that was an hour and a half. It was a ridiculous ridiculous ordeal, and it seemed so hectic. In a nation where you can pay for anything with a chip in your cell phone, I feel almost certain there is a better way.

2. Toilet Paper. Many places don't have any. I don't mean the occasional shithole club that has run out by 2 a.m. I'm talking the subway station at any given day or time. I'm talking about most restaurants (except the largest chains or the fanciest places). I'm talking about my school's bathrooms (except the teacher's bathroom, they always have toilet paper). It's so weird. You seriously have to carry your own everywhere because many places won't have it.

3. Schedule changes at school. I know that there is a lot going on at any given time within a school. However, giving me a 10 minute advance notice that my class is no longer at the time I thought, but an hour earlier or later, or that I have to go to their classroom, which does not have powerpoint 2007, nor a whiteboard, nor a properly functioning computer is NOT helpful. In fact, it's just plain annoying. Or when, one day before the class your teacher informs you that you have to alter your already perfectly planned out lesson because of the exams that are going on which require near absolute silence. They don't even make copies in the copy area because it might distract the students. SILENCE IS REQUIRED. in my speaking class. Right. Good. No problem. Thanks for not only creating a predicament that fully contradicts the concept of a speaking class, but only informing me half a day before said classes begin.

4. Toilets. Some are really nice, and have bidets and butt dryers and all that, but others are not toilets. And by that I mean they are squatters. No, they are not Slumdog Millionaire squatters with no plumbing, but they are the kind that are porcelain holes in the floor that you cannot flush paper down and are extremely difficult to use while wearing pants, tights, skirts, shorts, or, frankly, anything on the bottom half of your body. Most subways stations have these as the primary toilet, with perhaps two regular western style toilets, which are never available. The flusher is on the floor and you just step on it (NEVER TOUCH WITH HANDS) which is convenient, but squatting down on bad knees or really sore legs and trying to aim into a narrow, shallow bowl is counterintuitive given that immediately outside the bathroom there are people hawking cellphones that play local t.v., browse the internet and have I mentioned that they act as debit cards? SERIOUSLY.

Those are the big ones right now. Honestly, Korea is amazing, I love it. I just thought I would let you guys know about the other side a bit.

Next post will be a much happier one: DREAM CONCERT and the rest of my weekend (Korean KFC, dancing till 4 a.m., sleeping on hardwood floors, chicken and pizza)

xoxo,
A