A Taste of Korea Elizabeth Kibler

1Standing near the window, Joshua viewed the moving vans pull up next door. He couldn’t wait to meet his neighbors. Joshua saw a boy his own age hop out of the truck. Walking outside, Joshua waved to his new neighbors.

2Joshua boldly walked up to the young man and shot a hand out in front of him. The young man looked like he did not know what to do with Joshua’s outstretched hand. Joshua scooped up the young man’s hand and shook it vigorously. While looking down at his shoes, the young man quietly introduced himself as Dong Soo.

3Over the next few weeks, Joshua and Dong Soo became great friends and did almost everything together. Because the young men were so drastically different, their friendship surprised some people. Joshua was sociable; he loved cracking jokes and playing tricks. Dong Soo, however, was quiet and calm. He thought for a long time before speaking.

4Sometimes Joshua and Dong Soo had difficulty understanding each other. Some days at school Dong Soo ate a lunch that, to Joshua, didn’t look edible—or maybe it looked just barely safe to eat. Joshua was sure he would never eat it. Dong Soo explained that, because he was Korean, he ate foods that other kids at school might not. Sometimes Joshua played pranks on his older brother. Dong Soo was horrified at what he saw as his friend’s thoughtless and imprudent actions.

5Joshua thought it was important to know what would offend Dong Soo and his family. Therefore, understanding his friend’s culture was vital. Joshua asked Dong Soo to tell him about the Korean culture. Dong Soo suggested that they start with food. He explained that food was very important in Korean culture. For instance, Koreans would never sit down in front of a television while eating a meal. To Koreans, meals are more than mere nourishment—they are a way to show manners.

6Joshua was enthralled by these ideas; he eagerly asked his friend to teach him more. Dong Soo promised to teach Joshua much more about his culture and how it influences his life. Dong Soo set the table with many bowls and pairs of intricately designed chopsticks. Dong Soo taught Joshua how to hold the chopsticks and how to properly eat rice. Joshua’s mind swam trying to remember the rules, so he asked Dong Soo how he remembered.

7Dong Soo explained to Joshua that his traditional Korean background influenced his life in many ways. He told Joshua that table manners were just one of the many things he was taught. Dong Soo was used to the ways of his culture that he did not have to think about them. Dong Soo told his friend that it was easy to feel isolated and alone when you are different from some people; however, he was happy that Joshua made him feel so accepted.

8“How did you like your first taste of Korea?” Dong Soo asked with

13) What does this story teach us about differences?
A) being different is bad
B) being different is the end of a friendship
C)
it is difficult to get along with people who are
different from you
D)
it is possible to learn new things from someone who
is different from you