Seoul

If there's one thing I've been most amused by Koreans is their habit of brushing their teeth day in and day out. An average Korean in Seoul brushes his teeth about 4 times a day - after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner and just before sleeping. No wonder most of them have eroded enamel much before their thirties.

It has been a fortnight since I landed in Seoul, and I'm yet to recover from the alienation. Though friendly, Koreans are inherently shy and will not talk to you unless you approach them. Demure, shy girls, lost in themselves. Confident looking men. And a humongous population of teenagers form the majority of Seoul's populace. Almost as advanced as any big American city, Seoul is the hub of South Korea's business and industrial activities. There aren't many natural resources in the country. But they seem to have made the most of what they have and today, after 56 years of being a Republic, they are among the leaders in the consumer electronics, semiconductor and automobile industry. Pretty impressive for a country which was under Japanese occupation for 35 years, partitioned from its northern brethren soon after WW2, invaded from the North 5 years later, and having endured the brunt of the US-USSR Cold War throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. Much of the development is attributed to US support during this time, when mighty highways were built, infrastructure was overhauled and commerce and innovation were given high priority. But there's no denying the fact that the Koreans as as smart and hard-working when it comes to contributing to their motherland.