The Foreigner Card

What is the foreigner card you ask? Why, I'll tell you! It's the ability, every time you do something and a Korean looks at you like your nuts, to pull your crazy foreigner card, wave it in the air, and yell "Ha! I'm a crazy foreigner!"

I've found it's a great excuse to just walk around without a care in the world. You do something weird? Every Korean will think "oh, well they're foreign". So it's a great way to just do things you wouldn't normally do at home. Such as? Running through the rain swinging off street lamps singing "I'm singing in the rain!" And? Walking with your friend in the exact same matching clothing through downtown, singing out loud and laughing. Making faces at the fried octopus tentacles at the corner market. Walking into a store with your dog and when they all come shrieking at you, shrug your shoulers, say "I'm sorry, no speaking Korean", and walk out.

I'm not saying I run around doing horrible things I'm not supposed to. But, it gives us the chance to let loose a little bit and be ourselves without sticking to the "society rules" and norms of back home.

Case in point: I walk to the corner grocery in the mornings. Which is normal. Only when I do it, I do it with curly hair sticking straight up in every direction, shower shoes, boxer shorts, and a tank top. In glasses, with no makeup, and I'm usually not even awake. Would I do this at home? Um, no. Why? Because I live in Mason, and to go out without full makeup and polo shirt and khakis is simply not done. Could I? I'm sure, but I'd feel gross and weird. But here, who do I have impress? They're all staring at me thinking I'm a crazy and weird foreigner anyways, so why not? If anyone says anything, I'll just be sure to whip out my foreigner card and should "BOO YA!"