This post is a continuation of my last post on 20 February 2025: This post is a continuation of my last post on 12 February 2025: Getting Used to Differences in Korea (Spanish version at end)
As I have mentioned before, here I continue the idea to post fragments of my essay about my experience teaching overseas (till 2008).
Note that the essay was prepared to participate in an international conference in 2009. Due to reasons of unemployment, i was not able to attend.
And here the continuation of my essay:
Here’s the English version of a fragment:
Surprises in Commercial Life
In Korea, one discovers that the customer is not always right. There are subtle codes that are incomprehensible or inexplicable to us. The anecdotes I remember will better illustrate what I want to say.
(Image created with AI)
One day, I wanted to buy a cup of strawberries. The cup of strawberries was ready to be prepared by adding water, sugar, and ice. The vendor refused to sell me just the cup of strawberries.
At that moment, it seemed inexplicable to me, perhaps a misunderstanding. But another day, I went with Korean friends and told them to order a cup of strawberries, but unprepared. They told me that they didn’t sell them that way. So, i was chocked to hear that as it was more easy for them to sell just the strawberries... My friend insisted and finally convinced them to sell me only the fruit.
On another occasion, at the start of the evening, I went out to find a place to have a dinner. The food looked appetising at that restaurant that served with tables in the patio. I sat down and waited a few minutes for the waiter to come and take my order. Nothing. I saw other people arriving and got service and as I was not being attended. So, I got up and asked to be served. They explained in Korean or tried to explain to me that there was no service. Of course I didn't understand nothing. I pointed out that other people were coming in after me and they got service.
And although I didn’t understand it at that moment. The reason was that I was alone. They couldn’t serve just one person. In my mind I thought they could charge me as a service for two persons instead of one.
And if you go around different shops looking for an item, after asking in a store and not buying, it is customary for the seller to get angry. They visibly send you off in anger.
Well, that's all for now!
Thank you for your support and your following!
Have a great day!
Spanish Version:
Sorpresas en la vida comercial
En Corea uno descubre que el cliente no siempre tiene la razón. Existen códigos tan sutiles que para nosotros resultan incomprensibles o inexplicables. Las anécdotas que recuerdo ilustrarán mejor lo que quiero decir.
(Imagen creada con IA)
Un día quise comprar un vaso con fresas. El vaso con fresas estaba listo para prepararse agregándole agua, azúcar y hielo. El vendedor se negó a venderme sólo el vaso con fresas. En ese momento me pareció inexplicable, quizás un mal entendido. Pero otro día fui con amigos coreanos y les dije que pidieran un vaso con fresas, pero sin preparar. Y me dijeron que así no los vendían. Mi amigo insistió tanto que al final me vendieron sólo las frutas…
En otra ocasión, con el inicio de la noche salí a buscar un lugar donde cenar. Las comidas se veían apetecibles en un restaurante que servía con mesas al patio. Me senté y esperé unos minutos a que el mesero llegara a tomar mi orden. Nada. Vi que llegaban otras personas que recibían servicio; y a mí no me atendían.
Entonces me levanté y pedí que me atendieran. Me explicaron en coreano o me trataron de explicar que no había servicio. Por supuesto que yo no entendí nada. Les señalé que otras personas estaban entrando después que yo.
Y aunque no lo entendí en ese momento, pero la razón era que iba sólo. No podían servirle a una sola persona.
Y si uno va de paseo por los diferentes comercios en busca de algún artículo. Después de preguntar en un comercio y si no compras es norma que el vendedor se va a enojar. Te despide visiblemente enojado.
¡Eso es todo por ahora!
¡Gracias por tu apoyo y tu seguimiento!