What's Wrong With a Little Peace and Quiet?

Ok, I understand. South Korea is small. Not only that, there are a LOT of people crammed into it. But why? Why do so many people here appear to have a serious aversion to peace and quiet? What is so abhorrent about a little silence every once in a while?? In my opinion, absolutely nothing and that is why I will not miss the folk Luke and I refer to as the loudspeaker men.

Luke and I live in an area where there are lots of restaurants. We don't generally go to these restaurants because they are essentially for the locals and we are very plainly not locals. It's not that they wouldn't serve us if we tried to eat at one of these restaurants it's just that it wouldn't be at all comfortable for us, or for them. Now, I don't have a problem with these restaurants, their customers don't seem to be the noisy, brawling types on the whole. I do however, have a problem with the people who sell supplies to the restaurant owners. Whoever first came up with the idea to drive slowly through the streets of Garamae bellowing into a loudspeaker over and over and over again about what they are selling should be held up for public humiliation in my opinion. The bright spark who thought of making recorded messages to play instead of wearing out their voice by SHOUTING INTO A LOUDSPEAKER should be made to join them! 

Summer was the worst. The humidity and lack of air-conditioning was bad enough but to top it off, whenever we opened a window to let in some fresh air we also let in the indecipherable, repetitive shouting of the dreaded loudspeaker men. Language barrier aside, I'm pretty sure bellowing into a loudspeaker makes things kind of impossible to understand even to those who do speak the language. 7 years working in a discount department store makes me certain of this! 

Unfortunately, no time is too early or too late for the loudspeaker men. There are times when they start up with the sun and don't pipe down until 10 or 11 at night. Ah, the sabotage plans Luke and I have plotted.... It has taken some strength to hold ourselves back from carrying some of them out!

But it's not just the loudspeaker men. It seems that South Korea is just a very noisy country. Everything from hiking to political campaigning has to be done at full volume. When you're hiking up a beautiful, serene mountain don't you feel like shouting about it while you get drunk and spit? And don't you choose who you vote for in political elections by who can play the loudest music the earliest in the morning? If this sounds relaxing and fun to you, I strongly suggest you spend some time in Korea!

So while there are things I will miss about living in South Korea, constant noise is NOT one of them! I can't wait to hear the silence of Australian bush-land, or even the quiet of a sleepy suburban street. I can't wait to stop in my tracks and whisper to Luke "do you hear that? It's silence," then I will know I am home. 

Lucy