Week three

I have never lived in a world with such restrictions, such harsh traditions and values, such a rich and deep culture.

This was Korea, three weeks and i learnt many things about the Korean culture; the over-working nature, the hierarchy and respect, the patriarchal society. The one that astounded me the most however was the lack of freedom, the lack of trust, the restrictions.

A simple aspect of a dormitory at a university having a curfew. Has anyone heard of this before?? It seems insane to me. University is about freedom, learning without the rules or detentions like high school. But in Korea there is a curfew of 11pm. That is quite early for a university student. I shocked by the rules. If you were late by even a minute, the dormitory guard will lock the doors and you will have to sleep outside, and if you sleep outside and the guards of the dormitory find our you get points taken away from you and have to clean or do things for the dormitory crew to get your points back

Tell me that is not shocking?!! At university! wow! the lack of trust and the restrictions shocked me. This is a apart of Korean culture that i could not wrap my head around. Here in NZ i live with my parents so i can come and go as i please, but at the AUT university there is no curfew. It simply would not happen in a western university. The rules at the dormitory in Korea was prison tight.

I felt like a caged animal.


This aim allowed me the opportunity to really look at the Korean culture, the good and the bad. I found it was so interesting in comparison to my own culture. I think i prefer my culture however, i loved Korea but there is something so ancient about men being the hierarchic or dormitories having a curfew and a lot of restrictions that i simply could not handle long term.