St. Louis Freedoms / Seoul Freedoms

I will be moving back to St. Louis next week from Seoul, and I've been thinking a lot about some of the new freedoms and limitations I'll be stepping into.  I figured listing them here might generate some angry comments from both sides of the pond. 

Computer Access
In Seoul, computers are fast, new, and everywhere.  No matter where I am, I can find a PC room in less than ten minutes.  I can access online maps from the nearest lamp post.

In St. Louis, I can use my computer at home with a slower connection, I can take a laptop to a coffee shop, or I can go to the library and be subjected to a time limit that's eaten up entirely by the slowness of the machine I'm given.

Eating
In Seoul, it is ok to eat on the subway and the bus.  Most buses have trash cans, and most subway stations sell food right on the platform.

In St. Louis, you cannot eat on the MetroLink, and any of the dozens of security officers walking around will tell you so.

Safety
In Seoul, crime is a thing in movies.  Most people can't imagine a violent crime actually happening to them.  Women walk alone at night, anywhere, and feel generally fine with it.  The police are usually young boys with blanks in their guns that are there to offer you directions and do their military service.

In St. Louis, like the rest of America, police officers are generally unkind to the public.  Muggings happen.  Murders happen.  People believe in bad neighborhoods, and they say you shouldn't walk around at night.  Houses get broken into.

Groceries
In Seoul, small family owned grocery stores are always within walking distance.  Slightly larger corporate grocery stores (still urban) are also spread around every neighborhood.  Large, big box grocery stores can be found next to certain subway stations.
In St. Louis, all the grocery stores are large and far away.  Only a few are urban and easily walked to. 

Drinking
In Seoul, you can drink in the park, day or night.  You can drink in the street.  You can drink even if a police officer tells you not to because you happen to be older than him.  However, if you're out late at night, the train will not get you home.
In St. Louis, you can't even be in the park at night, much less drink in it.  You can't drink on the street.  You can't get home drunk any way but driving.

Driving
In Seoul, driving is expensive and not really necessary.  If you drive drunk, you never drive again.
In St. Louis, driving is seen as a right.  If you drive drunk, you need your friend to breathe into a tube so you can start your car.

Walking
In Seoul, you can walk anywhere, and people do.  People are generally slim and healthy because of it.
In St. Louis, it's hard to walk anywhere, and people don't.  People are generally overweight because of it.

Biking
In Seoul, there's a nice greenway network, but the streets are at crazy inclines and traffic moves too fast.
In St. Louis, you can bike anywhere on a gentle and comparatively calm surface... in the city.

Public Transit
In South Korea, you can get pretty much anywhere in the country by public transit.  The people you sit next to are polite, but silent and sad looking.
In St. Louis, you can wait for hours at a bus stop and not have any idea what's going on.  The people you sit next to like to talk and are generally cheerful, though some are clearly insane.

Books
In Seoul, there are huge underground bookstores spread around the city where books are sold at high prices.  Libraries are hard to find and generally not usable.
In St. Louis, a number of great library systems provide all the books I need, but they make me carry around a bunch of different cards.

Clean Air and Biodiversity
In Seoul, the air is generally smoggy.  All trees are ginko, cherry, or sycamore.  All birds are pidgeons, sparrows, magpies, or turtle doves.  Insects and spiders are strangely absent most of the time.

In St. Louis, the sunsets are great and Forest Park has more than 100 bird species.

Shade
In Seoul, the trees are topped and generally offer no relief.  I bake in the sun.
In St. Louis, the trees were chopped down for no clear reason and never replaced.  I bake in the sun.

Water
In Seoul, pavers are used instead of concrete, and water generally goes into the ground.  The government constantly checks residential water and tells people it is safe to drink.  Yet we boil the water before we drink it.
In St. Louis, the water runs right off the concrete and picks up all sorts of toxins on its way to the river.  People constantly talk about the EPA's failure to enforce the Clean Water Act, but I drink it straight from the tap.

Music and Art
In Seoul, the arts are everywhere and well funded.  There are many museums and countless galleries.  Seeing traditional performances in parks is fantastic.

In St. Louis the arts are everywhere and reasonably well funded.  There are a few great museums, and the art galleries offer wine.  Mississippi Nights is gone!  Creepy Crawl?  Beatle Bob celebrated his 10,000th concert just recently...