Contracts and Cultural Nuances

This is my second take at this post. The first one was erased by accident, and my second go will be more brief. There is a ton of information about the differences in culture and how this affects business, or social life. I will relate my own experience, and that which was shared with me by Western friends who have spent 3-10 years here in Korea.

Bear in mind I am in a small city (150,000) and Jecheon's people are what we would call, "country people." Yet, one teacher explained that there is a progressive trend. For example, he pointed out a young girl in her mid to late 20's. She was wearing a dress that revealed her shoulders and smoking a cigarette. He said rather frankly that 5 years ago, or was it 15 years ago, that a man would have taken that cigarette right out of her mouth and committed some act of battery.

There are two American teachers at my school, myself and a female teacher. Now she is a smoker. However, she is not permitted in the "smoking room," a storage shed with a space heater and an old couch, when any man is around. In event a male teacher is occupying it she is told to go behind the shed, out of sight to smoke.

This is a male leaning society, I've read this is because of Confucian influence. Also, I've read the term "filial piety" when reading about Korean culture and Confucian influence. I am not an expert on any of this, but a quick definition-- "In Confucian thought, filial piety is one of the virtues to be cultivated: a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors."

Korea is referred to as a collectivist society... I broadly observe it is conservative and centralized. There is a traditional pecking order related to age. Children commonly bow very deeply when teachers, or administrators cross paths. Teachers commonly bow to older teachers, or administrators. More often than not, younger do not touch their food until the older/oldest has begun to eat.

I teach a class of teachers twice a week. They invited me to dinner, which was very nice. There were 8 of us. A common topic of discussion, "How old are you." We spoke for nearly half an hour about who was how old. When they were the same age they showed immediate favor to one-another. They call each other "brother and sister" when the same age.

There is much more, however, I meant to be brief. I get this trait from my father.