One thing which seems to be a bit shocking to most of the expatriates here at least the ones from western cultures anyway, is public urination.  Now this may happen in our home countries, but in the USA, which is mine, it is usually done in the forest or some area away from toilets, then I have seen it done by those consuming large amounts of alcohol, such as in New York City’s Central Park during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

 There has probably been at least one time for all of us when we think that we have seen it all, then we step around the corner and there it gets topped.  Now I think that this may be most likely for a westerner residing in this culture.  Like not long ago there was a boy all dressed in an attractive, bright–red hanbook, he must have just left the graduation exercises at the kindergarten which I could see nearby with so many similarly dressed children around.  It was not his colorful costume or all the people which caught my eye that made me stop and take notice, but that there in front of some shops, facing the street he pulls out his little penis to relieve himself.

 Well this is something which certainly we have all experienced in this country, but it was the third time which since  moving here to Sajik-dong, where on each occasion there seemed to be something particular about the incident which seemed to be a little striking.  Like I have seen little boys do that before here but not when they are dressed in their finest nor just outside an educational facility in which he should have known where the little boy’s room is located.

 The first such striking time in my neighborhood was one morning as I was heading towards work walking in front of our apartment blocks, there was a man I would say about the age of sixty doing the same thing.  What was striking about this situation is that it was broad-daylight, about 10:30 am, and he like the boy I mentioned was facing out towards the street, making no attempt to be private about what he was doing, and he did not appear to be intoxicated.  It seems even stranger when it is my belief that he was just outside his own home.  Well it did look as if perhaps he was watering his garden so maybe this was the reason for the action.  (Actually sometime I wonder if this is all just another expression of the male dominance, “I’ll do as I please”, in this nation.)

 The next time was when I was walking home one night and taking a shortcut between two buildings there was a man doing his thing as well.  Now this incidence was in the dark and not on a busy street; what was striking about this case is a woman was with him.  What’s more I think they were arm in arm, and a definitely remember that she was talking to him.  I suppose this is just like something I recently read on the Internet in a list of children’s definitions of love, “It is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and doesn’t think it is gross.”