It must be a culture pride thing; I have seen traces of it in other cultures. Perhaps because Korean culture is so vastly different from American "culture" it is more noticeable.
Korean dining habits for example, from what I have observed, are quite different than those of the American counterpart. Koreans eat with either chopsticks or a long spoon, they use scissors to cut their food into bite size pieces before it has been served, and they are completely comfortable with eating and drinking out of the same plate or cup as other people. Table-side manners are notably different as well, picking food off another's plate, serving others with the same chopsticks you are eating with, and chewing and talking with your mouth wide open are perfectly acceptable. Eating with Koreans certainly brings a new meaning to the word "bite size"; if it fits it is okay to be put in your mouth all at once.
The masters like to have a "he-shig" (which is a special lunch meeting with all the instructors) where we all meet and eat together once a month. We eat at a Korean restaurant, of course, and since Korean food is always served family style, the master's order for everybody. (Lucky for me since nobody within 3 miles of this restaurant speaks any English). Usually this meal consists of about 3 different cuts of beef, rice paper squares, some type of green salad, and a whole bunch of other strange looking items that I eat, with my chopsticks of course) at least one of each no matter how weird it looks.
Sometimes, depending on the nature of the item, the Masters both expect me to know something clearly after being shown only once, and are shocked when I do. It is usually in this eating situation where I notice it most. They always comment on how well I can use chopsticks, or ask how come I know what to do with the rice paper squares, or tell me to try this gross looking thing and laugh out loud when I eat it and say that I like it.
It is during times like these when I almost feel like they bring me along for entertainment. I wonder if thoughts such as: "Lets watch the American fumble with her chopsticks", "Lets watch her face when they bring the [insert gross looking/sounding Korean food item here]", "Lets see how she handles it when things are put on her plate without her consent" go through their heads as we eat together. I may be wrong, but who knows, I may also be right.
Just another time for me to be both lonely, and proudly the only American at the table.
And listen for your name.. :-)
ReplyDelete