So I started a new job and grad school within 3 weeks. I can handle it but it's been a challenge. The new job is sorta sink or swim, grad school is sorta sink or swim. I am swimming but in an old timey bathing suit with a classy handlebar mustache.
For the new job, I had to go to a lunch with a Korean association who receives grant money from my program. They made me tour the facility they refuse to air condition and then they made me go to lunch.
First, coffee. We all use the same spoon which we dip in the creamer and then in the coffee, then in the brown sugar, then in the coffee. The third person who did this LICKED THE SPOON. It got me thinking...During coffee they talked politics while I politely declined to state my political affiliation. They were looking forward to the day that Republicans ruled again (except for Sarah Palin, they HATE her, which made me laugh out loud). The bummer is that I am a flaming liberal but I was wearing my Nancy Regan suit that day and pearl earrings which makes me look like, you guessed it, Will Ferrell as Janet Reno (was she a Republican? well, she looked like one anyway*).
Then, a photo. They blew up the grant check really large and made me take a photo with them as though I was the benefactor, which made my tummy hurt. It's all about perception. I'm also 5'11" with no shoes on and have flaming red hair...picture me and 5 Koreans. Are you picturing this?
Then onto KOREAN BBQ. I'm a vegetarian. I took some salad and what appeared to be spicy bok choy and ate quietly, slowly, as my favorite suit soaked up the steam from liver, stomach, bacon, beef, chicken etc. I got a little nauseous and then excused myself promptly after this comment:
"Boy, your husband must really love you...you eat so little....you don't cost him very much to keep."
And so ends my tolerance for other cultures.
*upon further research, homegirl was a democrat and had a very unfortunate middle name: Wood.
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