great video charly! i would have never thought reverse culture shock would be an issue until now. it makes a lot of sense though. you're looking at your country with a brand new set of eyes in a way.
In America people are big. I have notice this when I went back home for family wedding. They use extra large cups and food portions that are much larger comparing to other countries too. On side note, I always thought LA has the thinnest people in US. I guess I was wrong :)
I noticed that too immediately when i flew iinto LAX. And then the regular portions of food were equal to double food size portions in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Japan, Laos, and Cambodia.
i actually laughed when read that comment when someone call u skiny and to eat some godda** meat it just shows that some people have nothing else to do but trollllll hahahah
It's actually really comforting to remember that you initially experienced culture shock. You always seem sooo happy and well-adapted to all things Korea so I know it must have been hard for you but I move to Korea next month so seeing that puts me a little at ease :P
I'm also from L.A. Your points are on point. The biggest shock for me was seeing how many overweight people after going to L.A. for vacation for the first time while living in Korea.
Interestingly, I had a sort of culture shock here in the States. I moved back home to Savannah, GA after living in Atlanta for 10+ years, and I immediately noticed that people in Savannah were overall heavier than people in Atlanta, even though it's the same state lol. (Savannah is about 4 hours drive from Atlanta, btw).
one of the first things i noticed when i returned to the u.s. after being away for a few years (this was in the airport) was that everyone was wearing the colors blue and beige, which was very bland. their clothes looked new, but ill-fitting and unattractive. and so many of the men were wearing baseball caps, which made them look like they were dressing like little children. haha.
really great video! had to smile during the price of veggies in korea part, 'cause the suckers can be ridiculously pricey there, which is highly surpising for a culture heavy on vegitibles.
Shes sooo well traveled and seems so nice. I say seems because I've never met her but her spirit reflects when she speaks. Awesome Charly! There was another young lady that did youtube videos about her life as a JET or ALT English teacher in Japan but she fell all in love with some half-wit and led her away from Japan. Her name is Alafia and she had the Dear Life channel. I hope you continue to show us how things are in Korea. Be careful if you go to North Korea.
First thank you so much for all your videos, so refreshing to have intelligent young people make meaningful videos and just interesting fun stuff. Second you are so right about overweight people, so many are including myself. Third thank you for the "What I eat videos" I am following what you eat because I mostly eat like you, however all the snacks I eat have put me overweight. Lastly when people see you in person you are thinner because the camera adds weight. Please make more of this like of videos, thank you and God Bless you.
I like that you included good and bad things in this list. I recently was in Mexico and was shocked to actually see so many overweight people, because it's common knowledge now that obesity is an issue in the U.S. but to see an even higher percentage of overweight people (or so it seemed to me everywhere I went there) was super shocking! People there would always call me skinny when in my family I have always been a little bigger than my sister and mom. Did you notice similar things when you were there (I forget which Latin country you lived in)?
Charlie, you mentioned apples that are not shiney. There is a reason for this. Apples make sugar in their pulp & a small amount of it oozes through the skin. Wild yeast are attracted to it. Brewers & breadmakers used to peel an apple or pear, put in a sugar solution to let it grow. Then use it. Americans do love shiny apples, but can get over it quite easily if they want sourdough bread that they can make at home.
Oh gosh, I'm getting ready for this. Have been living in India for the past year and a half, 17 days till back in the States for a visit. It'll be interesting!
Charly... You made me laugh. I literally have the exact experience! Living in China for 6 years so far and I'm back in the states now for the summer.. Loved this video.
Awesome love it!!! I totally know when I stayed in jamaica for school and then came back here for school I was like dizzy lmao and by the way your hair is growing sooo long !!! I remember when u cut it short!! By any chance would you straighten it out for a video to show the exact full length of it im so so curious lol if you dont mind ofcourse!^^ ahh and I catch my self saying "its a beautiful dayyy!" Now hahah
Wow this was extremely insightful! I enjoyed watching this video very much and I am a bit envious that you live in Korea! I am hoping to spend a year there at some point in my life. I studied it a bit when I was an undergraduate but I didn't pursue :/ Chinese took over. But I will keep watching your videos and live vicariously through you, haha.
Expensive cabs? Yes! I live exactly 6 tenths of 1 mile from my grocery store. I needed to shop when I was very sick so I checked around for a way to get there and back. I wound up calling a cab... $15, each way! A total distance of 1.2 miles for $30.00 and he didn't even help me load or unload my groceries.
That`s funny cuz everytime I go back to Kenya to visit my family I feel it. Can`t just get in the car and drive places (like im used to in CA) I have to walk or use public transport. Then the phone thing too, nobody ever says goodbye they just hang up and you`re left talking to yourself!! Oh and I have to always have to remind myself that the driver sits on the left side not the right and traffic goes the opposite direction!
Not that I'm cheap, but tipping in restaurants always catches me off guard when I visit the States since it's something you don't do in Korea. Good video!
AnaTeachers I've never visited any country but the US and it catches me off guard too. I simply do not eat out anymore. I buy food and cook. I would look forward to eating out in Korea for this reason alone!
I don't know how to hang up, so I say "my phone is falling into water !" "it's the war !", then I make noises, then I hang up. (and you're not skinny. you're average.) I did travel but I never had reverse cultural shock... I'm living in Morroco and going back to my country (Congo Brazzaville) was simply perfect. I did notice the differences between the two countries, but wasn't shocked about it :D
I swear I think I have the same scarf. Haha But thank you for the very informative videos. I plan to eventually travel and teach in Korea myself. So your blog is like the best thing in the world to me right now.
I read a statistic today that 32 percent (in 2013) of Koreans are considered obese. My friend and I said we couldn't understand how this statistic could be true and we want to see the BMI scale for Korea!
starzzzy Haha I'm Korean and there really aren't any overweight people. Like if someone is overweight in Korea then they will stand out. Also around 135+ pounds for a girl who is under 5'4 is considered basically overweight in Korea, unless most of that weight is from muscle.
People shouldn't be offended. Americans are fat, we're heavy, we're large, we're chunky, we have more body fat than we should. Make whatever collection of words which communicate the fact and which aren't offensive to you. That. All you need to do is talk to someone like me who is 50 or older. Yep, we used to be small, thin, slim, in shape, tiny. Make whatever collection of words which communicate the fact and which aren't offensive to you. That.
Awe, I remember that video back in 2010. Wow time flies. I listen to this UK artist who also said the US has a lot of medicine commercials, and that makes me think (this is probably sad), but what commercials do other countries show then?
In the UK, we don't have medication commercials, but there are commercials for food & drink, cars, shops, insurance, gambling, lots of things really but not medication (apart from perhaps brands of paracetamol or ibuprofen). I think that's because we choose those ourselves, but most other things are prescribed by a doctor, then you take that prescription to the pharmacy and you get whichever brand of that medication they stock. We do have some commercials for weight loss products though, and especially for weight loss classes/systems.
connor harris haha I know! I have never seen that even in the U.S. and I felt like I hit the jackpot! Usually the deal is 2 for $1 or something close to that.
Americans eat too much stodgy foods like Mac n cheese. They have buffets everywhere an portions are huge. In UK more an more american fast food culture is wide spreading here so is our waist lines. But I love being healthy.
***** We really don't have buffets everywhere. On the rare occasion that I find a buffet i cry fat tears of joy. I fucking love them and there are never any :(
L4Denny lol i do the same. Sorry that was a generalisation, I've never visited so shouldn't assume. I love buffets too, but the staff hate me as I try everything.
It just made me feel guilty because you mentioned American people are chubbier. I was like "Oh, cheated on my diet, ate a hot dog..." Just the odds though, lol. ^^
hahaha...sorry I caught you. Koreans are getting heavier too because there is a large increase in junk food/fast food here as well as meats and fried foods. Kids are also getting heavier here.
great video charly! i would have never thought reverse culture shock would be an issue until now. it makes a lot of sense though. you're looking at your country with a brand new set of eyes in a way.
In America people are big. I have notice this when I went back home for family wedding. They use extra large cups and food portions that are much larger comparing to other countries too. On side note, I always thought LA has the thinnest people in US. I guess I was wrong :)
Did you live in Korea too?
I noticed that too immediately when i flew iinto LAX. And then the regular portions of food were equal to double food size portions in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Japan, Laos, and Cambodia.
i actually laughed when read that comment when someone call u skiny and to eat some godda** meat it just shows that some people have nothing else to do but trollllll hahahah
+Connor Haris LOL...trollin'
If charm and personality were acorns.
Charly would be covered in adorable squirrels.
It's actually really comforting to remember that you initially experienced culture shock. You always seem sooo happy and well-adapted to all things Korea so I know it must have been hard for you but I move to Korea next month so seeing that puts me a little at ease :P
Awesome video. This is really cool. You said 20:12 and my clock changed to 2:12. Synchronicity, much!!! Lovely weekend to you and Annie!!
I'm also from L.A. Your points are on point. The biggest shock for me was seeing how many overweight people after going to L.A. for vacation for the first time while living in Korea.
Interestingly, I had a sort of culture shock here in the States. I moved back home to Savannah, GA after living in Atlanta for 10+ years, and I immediately noticed that people in Savannah were overall heavier than people in Atlanta, even though it's the same state lol. (Savannah is about 4 hours drive from Atlanta, btw).
one of the first things i noticed when i returned to the u.s. after being away for a few years (this was in the airport) was that everyone was wearing the colors blue and beige, which was very bland. their clothes looked new, but ill-fitting and unattractive. and so many of the men were wearing baseball caps, which made them look like they were dressing like little children. haha.
really great video! had to smile during the price of veggies in korea part, 'cause the suckers can be ridiculously pricey there, which is highly surpising for a culture heavy on vegitibles.
Shes sooo well traveled and seems so nice. I say seems because I've never met her but her spirit reflects when she speaks. Awesome Charly! There was another young lady that did youtube videos about her life as a JET or ALT English teacher in Japan but she fell all in love with some half-wit and led her away from Japan. Her name is Alafia and she had the Dear Life channel. I hope you continue to show us how things are in Korea. Be careful if you go to North Korea.
First thank you so much for all your videos, so refreshing to have intelligent young people make meaningful videos and just interesting fun stuff. Second you are so right about overweight people, so many are including myself. Third thank you for the "What I eat videos" I am following what you eat because I mostly eat like you, however all the snacks I eat have put me overweight. Lastly when people see you in person you are thinner because the camera adds weight. Please make more of this like of videos, thank you and God Bless you.
I like that you included good and bad things in this list. I recently was in Mexico and was shocked to actually see so many overweight people, because it's common knowledge now that obesity is an issue in the U.S. but to see an even higher percentage of overweight people (or so it seemed to me everywhere I went there) was super shocking! People there would always call me skinny when in my family I have always been a little bigger than my sister and mom. Did you notice similar things when you were there (I forget which Latin country you lived in)?
Charlie, you mentioned apples that are not shiney. There is a reason for this. Apples make sugar in their pulp & a small amount of it oozes through the skin. Wild yeast are attracted to it. Brewers & breadmakers used to peel an apple or pear, put in a sugar solution to let it grow. Then use it. Americans do love shiny apples, but can get over it quite easily if they want sourdough bread that they can make at home.
Oh gosh, I'm getting ready for this. Have been living in India for the past year and a half, 17 days till back in the States for a visit. It'll be interesting!
More please! With love from Brazil, but living in USA.
Charly... You made me laugh. I literally have the exact experience! Living in China for 6 years so far and I'm back in the states now for the summer.. Loved this video.
Your hair looks so good today! (not that it doesn't normally lol)
Awesome love it!!! I totally know when I stayed in jamaica for school and then came back here for school I was like dizzy lmao and by the way your hair is growing sooo long !!! I remember when u cut it short!! By any chance would you straighten it out for a video to show the exact full length of it im so so curious lol if you dont mind ofcourse!^^ ahh and I catch my self saying "its a beautiful dayyy!" Now hahah
Wow this was extremely insightful! I enjoyed watching this video very much and I am a bit envious that you live in Korea! I am hoping to spend a year there at some point in my life. I studied it a bit when I was an undergraduate but I didn't pursue :/ Chinese took over. But I will keep watching your videos and live vicariously through you, haha.
I, too, experienced reverse culture shock coming back from korea :)
Interesting!!! Thanks for posting!
Expensive cabs? Yes! I live exactly 6 tenths of 1 mile from my grocery store. I needed to shop when I was very sick so I checked around for a way to get there and back. I wound up calling a cab... $15, each way! A total distance of 1.2 miles for $30.00 and he didn't even help me load or unload my groceries.
That`s funny cuz everytime I go back to Kenya to visit my family I feel it. Can`t just get in the car and drive places (like im used to in CA) I have to walk or use public transport. Then the phone thing too, nobody ever says goodbye they just hang up and you`re left talking to yourself!!
Oh and I have to always have to remind myself that the driver sits on the left side not the right and traffic goes the opposite direction!
Not that I'm cheap, but tipping in restaurants always catches me off guard when I visit the States since it's something you don't do in Korea. Good video!
AnaTeachers I've never visited any country but the US and it catches me off guard too. I simply do not eat out anymore. I buy food and cook. I would look forward to eating out in Korea for this reason alone!
this is very interesting, you have inspired me to travel!
I don't know how to hang up, so I say "my phone is falling into water !" "it's the war !", then I make noises, then I hang up. (and you're not skinny. you're average.)
I did travel but I never had reverse cultural shock... I'm living in Morroco and going back to my country (Congo Brazzaville) was simply perfect. I did notice the differences between the two countries, but wasn't shocked about it :D
Your video gives me good informations...I very appreciates your video series...I am a fan for you....expecting the next episode...
I swear I think I have the same scarf. Haha
But thank you for the very informative videos. I plan to eventually travel and teach in Korea myself. So your blog is like the best thing in the world to me right now.
You're amazing
I read a statistic today that 32 percent (in 2013) of Koreans are considered obese. My friend and I said we couldn't understand how this statistic could be true and we want to see the BMI scale for Korea!
starzzzy Yep, a lot of Koreans are incredibly unhealthy; you just can't see it :(
starzzzy asians have smaller frame so you can't use the same height/weight ratio that they do in america
starzzzy Haha I'm Korean and there really aren't any overweight people. Like if someone is overweight in Korea then they will stand out. Also around 135+ pounds for a girl who is under 5'4 is considered basically overweight in Korea, unless most of that weight is from muscle.
+starzzzy BMI is a very misleading measurement, I mean what is obese, 30 lbs overweight, 50 lbs overweight?
+Michelle Katzdorn Well, many of them would look anorexic by American's standards.
People shouldn't be offended. Americans are fat, we're heavy, we're large, we're chunky, we have more body fat than we should. Make whatever collection of words which communicate the fact and which aren't offensive to you. That.
All you need to do is talk to someone like me who is 50 or older. Yep, we used to be small, thin, slim, in shape, tiny. Make whatever collection of words which communicate the fact and which aren't offensive to you. That.
The drying clothes is the same in France
Awe, I remember that video back in 2010. Wow time flies. I listen to this UK artist who also said the US has a lot of medicine commercials, and that makes me think (this is probably sad), but what commercials do other countries show then?
In the UK, we don't have medication commercials, but there are commercials for food & drink, cars, shops, insurance, gambling, lots of things really but not medication (apart from perhaps brands of paracetamol or ibuprofen). I think that's because we choose those ourselves, but most other things are prescribed by a doctor, then you take that prescription to the pharmacy and you get whichever brand of that medication they stock. We do have some commercials for weight loss products though, and especially for weight loss classes/systems.
louiseglasgow Interesting. Thanks for responding lol
Your hair look good, I'm from San Fran ;D
Interesting!!!
WHERE DID U GET 5 AVOCADES FOR A DALLOR!!!!!!!!!! omg haahah
connor harris haha I know! I have never seen that even in the U.S. and I felt like I hit the jackpot! Usually the deal is 2 for $1 or something close to that.
+charlycheer uh which Korea
I'm in the Caribbbean and avocados are seasonal items so they are usu expensive. I'm surprised avocados are available year round in the US.
A lot of our avocados come from Mexico which is a warm country so they are available year round.
Interesting!!!! :)
2 months later and I still try to hand people my card.
in the us most places u do have to give your card to them.
Americans eat too much stodgy foods like Mac n cheese. They have buffets everywhere an portions are huge. In UK more an more american fast food culture is wide spreading here so is our waist lines. But I love being healthy.
***** We really don't have buffets everywhere. On the rare occasion that I find a buffet i cry fat tears of joy. I fucking love them and there are never any :(
L4Denny lol i do the same. Sorry that was a generalisation, I've never visited so shouldn't assume. I love buffets too, but the staff hate me as I try everything.
good
That was pretty much my main goal LOL...
omg i've been back a month and i still keep giving my debit card to the cashier haha
was it hard to learn how to bow all the time?
Just watched this after eating a hotdog...
Cecil Just read this while drinking tea...
It just made me feel guilty because you mentioned American people are chubbier.
I was like "Oh, cheated on my diet, ate a hot dog..."
Just the odds though, lol. ^^
hahaha...sorry I caught you. Koreans are getting heavier too because there is a large increase in junk food/fast food here as well as meats and fried foods. Kids are also getting heavier here.
My main goal is to blow up... and buy all the avocados I want in Korea!
Sowon Good luck with that!
I forgave it a thumbs up. LoL
How long did you live in Korea?
mandel233 I'm still in Korea...3 yrs total so far :)
OK cool, I was stationed there for 2 years while in the Army from 73-75. Enjoy the rest of your stay there.
yeey first comment!! hehe ;)
Yes to Americans being so overweight
Well heres a shock for you, we, the US, are removing the wax on those apples. Careful, eating all those Avocados is how we get fat, ....overeating.