Eating cultures betwen Korea and U.S.A

There are many differences between Korea and the U.S.A. First, Korean society has some classes of age. Korean should respect people who are older than them. So, Koreans has many terms of respect. In the meal, people should wait until the oldest person starts eating. This is a kind of traditional culture, so many people don’t do it that much, now. But in the United States, people can start eating whenever they want. Next, tables are different. Now, there are many western cultural things in Korea, but traditionally, Koreans have lived sitting on the floor. We didn’t have any kind of furniture like bed or dinner table. A Korean traditional table’s legs are short. So everyone eats meals sitting around the table on the floor. Of course, in the inside of a house, people should take off their shoes. But in America, they are just sitting around a table, which has long leg with wearing their shoes. Last is a way. In America, they sitting around big table, and take off foods from its plates to their own plates. They have kinds of buffet in their home. But ways in Korea are totally different. Everyone sits around a smaller table than in America, and the host gives a bowl with steamed rice to each person. Also, many side dishes are on the table. Side dishes are usually from 3 to 15 dishes or more. And everyone picks whatever foods they want together. Whenever they want to eat, they just pick. So, sometimes spoons or chopsticks hit each other, but nobody cares. I think this culture is the only one thing in Asia. This way is a kind of strange way, but I like it. This way makes people become intimate.