Humpday Confessions: Asian Habits Die Hard

Every culture has its own customs and traditions and even though I was raised American, never spoke a lick of Korean and can't even trace my Korean bloodline past my grandfather, there are still some uniquely Asian traits and habits that I have that will probably never leave me.  Though I'm sure there are so many things that I don't realize I'm doing, here are a few that I'm aware of:

Rice is a staple.  As in all day, err'day there is a pot of cooked rice.  Fried rice, in sushi, as side, or even just by itself with some soy sauce (and butter).  It's not a true meal without rice.

Kimchee base in everything!  Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge kimchee lover because I'm very picky.  But, kim-chee base is a whole 'nother story.  I can eat that with pickles, mango, tofu, shrimp, eggs, in my soup, mixed in fried rice...the possibilities are endless.  If you like spicy, garlicky Asian foods, I highly suggest you try this out.  I'll even share one a few recipes I use it with if you want!

Shoes off at the door.  This is an Asian custom that I have been raised to follow since I could wear shoes.  We did it in Hawaii and we do it in Guam.  I had a culture shock when I was younger while on a family vacation because we stopped at a family member's house and when I proceeded to take off my shoes, I noticed that everyone else in the household still had their shoes on.  My eyes almost popped out of my head.  To me, shoes off at the door just makes sense.  You don't want to be bringing in all the shit you stepped on outside.

Go cheap or go home.  If I know I can get the same thing or something similar for cheaper, I'll definitely go with the cheapest.  I always hit the clearance section first and I have been known to coax a discount or two out of a store manager because of a slight, easily fixable flaw.  Giveaways, discounts, trades, DIY's - I am all over it.  Americans are learning the cheap Asian ways now too thanks to the couponing and DIY craze.

Do you have any habits/traits that reflect your culture?