How to live in South Korea

Ceychas it became fashionable to talk about how to improve our city, which, by the way, I am very pleased. Therefore, I tell about an experience that I was able to peek in Korea.

Let's start with the subway. Be in the Korean subway is very comfortable and safe!

to enter the car doors are opened in synchronization with the gate at the station in St. Petersburg. Strangely, that we did not do that in Moscow, many lives could have been saved. Every door in the car indicated by its number. You see the signs on the platform? That is to say, we meet at the station "Chunmuro" door number 4 of the fifth car. Lost can not be!

Subway - it is a city with great transitions - so called "Underground shopping centers."

Right in the metro network has a very decent cafe where you can sit or take snacks with you.

This Metro Art Center. You can take a look at contemporary art, without leaving the subway. I am glad that we have also taken similar steps.

But, of course, the most important thing - the fact that the Korean subway there is a very decent toilets! Despite the fact that it's public toilets, in most cases, there is very clean, does not stink, there is always soap and paper, and so on. D. In the Moscow subway, I have never seen a toilet! They are?

Cashiers Korean subway no. Buy tickets only in self-service terminals.

There are two types of tickets: one-time and permanent. Here - the most interesting moment.

Standing tickets - "T-money" issued in the form of plastic cards, or are such fun trinkets, with an embedded chip that can be charged at any amount. Simply place the stick in a special window, and you put him any amount of money that is spent at the current rate on the day.

Pay such trinkets can be everywhere. In buses, trains and even taxis are terminals. Also, T-money can be used to pay bills and purchases. Very comfortably! Another type of ticket is valid for a certain number of trips, with the rate calculated based on the length of your route. Applying the ticket to the turnstile and you need to enter and exit.

In Seoul, the tickets are in the form of reusable magnetic cards. When you purchase a ticket you deposit for using the card and at the exit of the subway can return the deposit in a special machine. Brilliant! So, you do not need to re-rolling a huge number of expensive in the production of cards and people do not forget to return them.

In Busan, the other system. There, tickets are in the form of small magnetic strips. When you exit you insert the ticket into the turnstile, and he remains there. No boxes are not necessary, tickets are in processing, no debris.

Everything is very simple!

So why do we have available are expensive, but disposable magnetic cards, which then need to throw in the trash. Rather wasteful. I do not think that our city planners did not come up with the idea to learn from the Korean experience. Most likely, this is done in someone's best interest to constantly ensure that the work card manufacturers. Do not you think?

By the way, near the self-service terminals are no queues, because, basically, all of the local use T-money. Next to each terminal should also automatic exchange of money. Very comfortably!

At metro stations, which are adjacent to railway stations and airports, English-speaking guides work. They will come to you if you look like a tourist, will help to buy tickets, find your hotel, will answer all questions.

Wi-Fi in Korea works practically everywhere. In the subway cars, for example, are routers of two operators. But using it can be only local, as is necessary to enter the login and password that they give out when you connect. And visitors just buy a SIM-card can not. You can only pick up the phone for rent.

Sami cars are very spacious and are interconnected. Inside the car when driving a train quietly, you can communicate without raising his voice, listen to music in a small volume. Read the book is also very comfortable, because the car did not shaking. What can I say ... when the train arrives at the station, there is this infernal din, as we have. Only a pleasant sound "uuuiiiiuuuu". Everything is so precise that you do not feel the speed. The clearance between the car and platform - about 4 centimeters. By the way, controlled by automatic cars. Drivers as there are none!

Please note places for the disabled are free. Above the seats have luggage racks. For passengers who go standing, there are high and low rails. If you are short, you do not need to "hang" on the crossbar.

90% of the passengers of the Korean subway engrossed in their gadgets. Smartphones are at all layers of the population. Young sit in social networks and aunt watching telly. For Koreans smartphones together with the contract are very cheap and can afford them each.

Navigate quite simply in a Korean subway. At each station here are such touchscreen monitors. You can choose your route, and even see what sights there are at each station. From each station may be up to 10 outputs. But they are all designated by numbers, so it is impossible to get lost. Simply arrange to "meet at the 5th exit". It is very convenient, do not need anything for a long time to explain. Fifth out, everything!

Separately, it must be said about the care of people with disabilities.

In the vast majority of places there are paths for the blind.

At each subway station has elevators and escalators for the special people in wheelchairs and just the elderly.

Information boards are also duplicated for the disabled. Basically, people with disabilities can sufficiently move freely around the city. No insurmountable obstacles.

What most struck me in Korean subway - this organization passengers themselves. Unfortunately, I did not do photos, but I'll try to explain in words.

Familiar with the situation, when we rush hour crowd of people starts to break in the doors of the cars. In this there is Korea. If the train is not long, and on the platform accumulates a lot of people, Koreans themselves are arranged in two lines, one on each side of the car door, and go one by one. The principle of "cram" here are not welcome. To be honest, the first time I discovered it when out of habit he Rushed into the car. But on the surprised looks of people, I quickly realized the situation. It is a shame, yes.

Well, enough about the subway. The city also has a lot of interesting points.

Public transport is also very well organized. Here, for example, an electronic sign at the bus stop, where we see a bus approaching, how much will the number you want and so on. Bus drivers drive very fast and adhere to the principle of "Pali-Pali," which I'll cover below.

Also, we were able to ride on a high-speed train across the country, from Seoul to Busan. Despite the fact that the train is moving fast - 300 km / h, there is no speed, no knock or shake. The ride is really very comfortable! We did not even notice how a couple of hours flown over the whole of Korea. Also interesting is the fact that the controller of tickets we have not checked. I just forgot what pocket they slipped and began to look for. The conductor said - ok, I believe you. And yet! About the relationship, based on trust, I will also tell you further.

All the pavements in the city are tiled. But so arranged intersections in residential neighborhoods. You see, on all four sides, just before the crossroads, there is an impressive size bright humps. Famously "fly" the intersection does not work, will have to slow down almost to a standstill. This completely eliminates the possibility of serious accidents.

That's the way to residential neighborhoods are organized parking spaces. The building stands on the beams, and the entire first floor - a porch with parking. The solution is very competent as saving space, the streets in these areas are narrow, and leave the car there is not possible.

district with modern skyscrapers similar to ours. I like this solution - writing large numbers at the height of the houses, so that you can from a distance you find the right house.

In Seoul enormous number of parks, recreation areas. When you walk through the city, one can see that it is built for life for citizens. All the areas where we were able to visit - very comfortable and well maintained.

When we walked around the city, never had no problems with toilets. Unlike wastebaskets, toilets here everywhere. Everywhere they are very decent, clean, and most importantly - free! Here's how the next picture. In our own plastic boxes sometimes go terribly. And behind it is also necessary to pay! I believe in decent cities such should not be.

are engaged mainly in people aged at numerous sporting venues. It is not surprising that people who are over 50, are very active. They play sports, travel, climb mountains, and so on. Koreans take care of themselves. All look very well, we have not seen ugly Koreans thick, dirty, slovenly dressed people, with whom it would be pleasant to be around.

With smoking here, too, there is an active struggle. Concern about the health - priority number 1 in Korea.

At first we were a bit surprised by the fact that the city waste bins - a rarity, and the residents of Seoul quietly leave the garbage in the streets. In the evening a particularly lively neighborhoods like Hongdae, are covered with garbage, but in the morning they again shine with cleanliness. Then I noticed that walk the streets janitors, but with such trucks that collect and sort the waste. So it may be, purely not where do not litter, and where clean well?

Also impressive Koreans care about nature. For them, it is important to every tree, every bush they are trying to save.

Well, you know, probably, from the above that Korea - one of the most decent and safest countries in the world. The police on the streets here are very friendly and are rare. When you walk through Seoul, it did not predstavlyalyaetsya possible that there is a place to be street crime.

In conclusion, I would like to mention several features inherent in it was the Koreans.

The cult of courtesy and respect. Koreans have long realized that good can live in a society only when you treat others as you would like them to treat you. Here, no one is trying to cheat, rob, beat, humiliate, and so on. The entire social life in Korea is based on mutual respect and trust.

Here is a very illustrative example. On the doors of cars, even the executive class, glue soft pads, do not accidentally hit nearby parked cars. For the last year my car was hit three times, so the parking lot. Now, on each side.

In the shops there is no strict control, no one forces you to seal bags in plastic bags. Storefronts on the streets are no sellers, because no one is going to steal. About turn in subway cars I've said.

Most Koreans working 6 days a week. This is one of the most industrious nation in the world.

On this subject there is a famous anecdote in Korea:

Koreans work as normal Koreans who come to work at 7 am, leave at 11pm, all right, and one Korean came to 9 and left at 6. Well, everyone looked at him strangely, well, where can a person urgently needs to . The next day he comes again at 9 and leaves at 6 all in shock, begin to look askance at him and whispering behind his back. On the third day he comes again at 9 and goes home at 6. On the fourth day the team could not resist. - Hey, what are you doing up so late and so come early to leave something?

- Guys, what are you, I'm on vacation.

As told us our friend, the famous Korean ceramist (in the picture above - its workshop), they believed that work for the state more prestigious than to have your own small business. The state pays for a good job and provides unprecedented social guarantees. One of the most respected and highly paid professions in Korea - a teacher!

Also, Koreans there vneglasny principle "Pali-Pali". Literally, the expression means "very quickly." "Do not stop" - if in our opinion. They can not stand to wait. This is manifested in everything. You instantly served in the restaurant, fast deliver purchases, bus drivers drive very fast, quick touch, dramatically slows down.

Most companies carry out orders instantly, on the spot. In this I saw for myself, when passed to the developing film, and after 2 hours they were ready. Koreans hate wasting time. I think this is one of the reasons that their economy has boomed.

National product. 90% of cars on the roads of Korean - Korean production. The vast majority of electronics, clothing, food, and indeed all goods - also Korean and, as you know, very high quality. The country itself produces and consumes their wealth.

Organization. A feeling that it begins the Koreans already at school with school uniforms and walking in rows. Everything is clearly organized.

Most liked the fact that the areas of the city organized "interests." There are areas of furniture, fashion district, street electronics sales, a quarter of printing services, neighborhood bicycle shop and so on. It's incredibly convenient!

If you want to order corporate calendars, for example, you do not need to go around the whole city in search of the best deal. All firms in this sector are located in the same quarter. It is beneficial to both sellers and buyers. In the photo above - just a quarter of printing services. Here's what a typical Korean strike.

This is a very common phenomenon. Here it is assumed aloud to express their dissatisfaction, but people are struggling for their rights in a civilized manner and, as we were told, in most cases it pays off.

It would seem, after all of the above is so simple and logical, but why is such a rich country like ours can not in this way to organize your life? It seems to me that we somehow had the hope of someone or something. The procedure should be first and foremost in our minds! And the Korean experience demonstrates this perfectly.