I'm very particular with this. I will leave either 1, 3 or 5. The reason being I dislike even numbers of things, and I don't like to over-do it, so I feel 1, 3 or 5 is appropriate. Now, if I'm in a rush you may (the odd time) get 2 hearts, but if I notice my terrible mistake I assure you it claws at my insides until we have conversed enough that I can no longer see the message.
I also not a lover of symmetry and have an irrational hatred for the colour yellow.
Small things can eat away at you. We're human, we can't help but nitpick, and whilst experiencing my new glistening career in teaching, I assure you I have found a few more.
Teaching American English is a big one. Not that I have anything against you yankiedoodles, but when I'm called up on it by my students it can be a little frustrating.
Also, pants are underwear. Let's make that clear, because when you talk about your pants I still giggle.
Actually I've found quite a few little irritating things as far as writing is concerned. I had never considered that perhaps different countries or races wrote the alphabet differently. Or numbers. Spelling I can understand, but numbers? Isn't math universal?
Again, I wouldn't be one to care, it just becomes an issue when I'm constantly corrected on it, so let's get a few things straight:
There are a few things you learn to live with as time goes by when you live in a country that isn't yours. The fact of the matter is, if you have moved to a different country you have to respect their culture and adopt their mannerisms (otherwise - let's face it - you're just a cunt). However, something I'm not used to, and don't particularly want to get used to is smoking.
I was quite young when the smoking ban came into effect in England. My lungs have been shiny and pink for many years, but it's not quite as easy in Korea. It seems that every man and most women smoke, and it's literally any and everywhere. Not so pleasant when you walk into a bathroom and inhale an unexpected cloud from girls smoking on the toilet (classy, ladies). Or you walk into a convenience store and see the man behind the desk puffing away. There are also certain not-so-lovely habits that come with smoking, such as throwing your cigarette anywhere when you're finished or - my personal favourite - the hacking, gagging and spitting on the floor.
This is something I rarely see in England. Again, perhaps it's because less people smoke now that cigarettes cost an arm and a leg and you have nowhere to smoke them, but I think if anyone were to hack and spit on the floor in England they would be met with many disgusted glares and perhaps a foul word or two. In Korea, I see it every five minutes or so. Which is a real shame, because Korean people generally are very attractive, and then they go and spew their mucus on the floor...
It's like watching a majestic horse take a shit.
