Korean culture

I have been in Korea now for a little over two months and I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I have seen a lot in my short time here but I and can't wait for all there is left to see and experience. And although the sights have been great and learning about the history of Korea has been educational, the most interesting part of living here has been learning about the culture and being immersed in their lifestyle. There is so much difference between here and home. Here are my top 3 so far:

1.) Appearance is very important. This I didn't expect. I wasn't really sure what I did expect when it came to appearance but I didn't expect it to mean so much. Face lifts and laser surgery are quite common among women. Anti-wrinkle creams, lotions, and face care are huge over here, and quite expensive! And it is more than just looks. Men will be at work early and work late hours just because it looks good. The parents at our school seem more concerned that their child is sitting nicely than if they can read or write because sitting nicely looks good.

2.) The "concern" about the kids safety. We have a wonderful big backyard with a jungle gym at school. Currently, half of the yard is fenced off because the grass "needs to grow" and the kids can't run on it while it is growing. But once the fence does come down, the kids have to "walk softly on the grass" so they won't get hurt. What?! Walk softly on the grass so you won't get hurt? I'm not even sure what that means. By the time we can finally send the kids outside, we have to spend 10 of the 20 minutes they have to play, putting sun screen on their face, arms, and legs. I guess they will get sun burned during those 10 minutes outside.
Now if it is raining, it's a different story. Apparently, Koreans think they will melt if they get wet. If it is raining when we send the kids home, we have to walk with each child with an umbrella to their bus so they don't get wet! I can understand doing this if it was down-pouring but they do this when it is sprinkling! It's a bit annoying.
They put so much emphasis on "safety" but yet they let their 7 and 8 year olds ride in the front seat of a car without a seat belt! I just don't get it!

3.) Work comes before everything! I don't experience this personally, our work is our work and we are done at 6 but if you are a male, your work comes first. It comes before family, significant others, you put work above yourself! Your boss is the most important person in your life. If your boss gets a raise, you buy him something, you go out and celebrate with him even if it means you have to miss your wife's birthday. If his wife is mad at him because he went out, you go how with your boss to try to make it better with is wife! But yet, you will see business men passed out in the alley on a Thursday morning because they drank too much Soju the night before. It's amazing!

I'm sure there will be more the longer I'm here but there are my "favorites" so far. Glad I'm not Korean!