Re: scraggly tree

On 2002-02-23 dwe...@kornet.com said:

   > > > Thanks, and I wish I -had- a backyard!
   >
   > > Yep...it's =definitely= time for you to get out of Korea.
   >
   >It has its moments, you know... like just yesterday, I was walking
   >down a street, and a little girl (must've been about eight or nine)
   >accidentally rolled a ball my way.  I kicked it back to her, and
   >she started following me down the street.  I tried talking to her
   >[in Korean], and by the end of the sidewalk she was laughing at me.
   >This was most likely because I was speaking to her entirely in the
   >formal register, something you just don't do for little kids.  She
   >said "Goodbye!" [in Korean], I said "Goodbye!" [ditto], and she
   >just laughed and said "Sheesh!" (pronounced ah-ee-goo).  I was
   >smiling the rest of the day!

Heh!  Your story illustrates -- in a minor way -- the tribalism
that's inherent in all of humankind.  And the Asian cultures (as
you know, since you've spent some time in Korea) are among the
most tribalistic of all.

Each and every one of'em believes that they're God's duly-appointed
Superior People.

The Koreans think the Japanese are inferior and lazy, and the
Japanese feel that the Koreans are the 'niggers' of Asia.

The Thais will barely tolerate the Laotians, but really hate the
Vietnamese.

And the Chinese, of course, look down on =everybody.=

Yep, it's a strange and inscrutable world, there in the land of
rice and lidless eyes.

Even the =Mexicans= believe that THEY'RE the Superior Race ('La
Raza').  How's THAT for irony?! ;)

What the heck are you doin' in Korea, anyway?  You're not a
Mormon or a Moonie, are you?

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