I thought the presentations were great, and a great way to show insight on various cultures. I learned a great deal about the South Korean's Lunar New Year, South Korean's superstitions and the age hierarchy that dominates its social customs, and a unique insight into the Greek culture with regards to its mindset.
South Korea's culture proves to be wholly rich. I learned about their Lunar New Year and its association with a reverence for their elders. The holiday lasts three days, and the day before New Year's day, the extended family travels to their home town, usually outside a major city, to get together. The day of New Years, the family dresses in traditional clothing; and the kids bow down before their elders reciting a blessing. The males and the female perform the bow differently. Moreover, the food, and games they play, are unique to the New Year. The meal is served with a variety of "tapas" with the main dish constituting a rice-based soup.
South Korea's superstitions too availed me an opportunity to learn about their minute -- as every culture has them, and thus readily make available an insight into their history and how they respond to circumstances. Two superstitions that struck me were the number "4," and the good like affixed to the thought of a pig. The number "4" sounds a lot like the Mandarin word for death. This shows that there is a certain amount of cultural / lingual cross-fertilization between the two cultures. As a result, buildings use a "f" to denote the fourth floor. Likewise, in the U.S., buildings usually skip the number "13" in their elevators. Dreaming of pigs I thought was interesting. When businesses open, the employer and employees and their friends gather around and roast a pig, but with a caveat: stuffing money into its snout. So, dreaming of a pig, allegedly, will bring you good luck.
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