It's a Gas!

June 1, 2007

So...you think U.S. gasoline prices are bad? Koreans would change places with you in a second. Riding with another teacher today, we stopped to gas up his Kia. Gas has gotten more expensive here over the past month. I did the liter/gallon and won/dollar conversion while while the attendant was filling the tank. (Yes, they still have pump attendants who gas up, clean windshields, check tires, etc. --after all, that's someone's JOB your talking about). I redid my calculations several times to be sure I was right and it always came up $ 5.30 per equivalent gallon for regular. Koreans don't complain much and my friend's stoic upbringing with a true Confucian attitude led him to simply observe "It is what it is." In the U.S. you're probably looking at a tea party kind of revolt at such prices. In Korea, the government gets its pound of flesh tax-wise, too. However, people generally suck it up and consider they're contributing to the good of all. Obama and his minions would love these people.

They have another "for the good of all" tax here on garbage. That's right...garbage. Korea is a small country with no place to put a lot of waste. They have mandatory recycling and people work as hard to recycle as they do at regular jobs. It's a collective "national will" kind of thing. The garbage tax is collected on the only officially sanctioned government approved 100 % biodegradeable trash bags everyone is required to use. They are only available at licensed retailers and there's a heavy fine and possible jail time for scofflaws (that includes you Mr. Honorable Foreign teacher!). How much is the price of compliance, you ask? That box of 30 Hefty bags for which you'll pay about $2.99 at Kroger would run about twelve bucks in Korea. Fortunately, the school is exempt from the tax and since they're responsible for most of my living expenses (sure glad I'm not paying the rent on a 3/2 apartment in an Asian city!) they give me bags from the school's supply.

So, once again, I've found a reason to sing "God Bless America!", although if Obama learns about this garbage scam we'll all be in for it! I'll close with best wishes for all and a reminder to show some respect for that bag when you take out your garbage tonight. Luv 2 all.

Bill