Jason Gaskell

Writer's Biography

Jason Gaskell is the editor of Oriental Tales. He teaches English in Seoul, South Korea, and is a freelance writer. You can see more of his writing on his website at: www.Jason-Gaskell.Info.

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Featured Travel Stories

Hong Kong: Culture Shock (4): Hong Kong "Double-Decker Buses & Moving Sidewalks"
- Story by Jason Gaskell, Msc.
- 6th Online Issue

Prior to arriving in Hong Kong, I was expecting hustle, bustle and the kind of traffic-induced pollution so often found in South-East Asian cities; something similar perhaps to the sense contorting metropolis of Bangkok, where you will get touted and shouted at around every aroma-filled corner. I anticipated anxiety and confusion; those feelings that so often come hand in hand with visiting an unfamiliar country – the very definition of culture shock itself. However, it was almost immediately clear that this place was different. It wasn’t due to a lack of crowds or traffic though – it just, well, it felt like home. Now, I’ve traveled around quite a bit and it’s rare that I don’t feel any kind of disorientation when visiting an Asian city. But what was one of the first things I saw upon my arrival? Double-decker buses!

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Bali, Indonesia: Culture Shock (3): Indonesia: "Bali After the Bombings"
- Story by Jason Gaskell, Msc.
- 5th Online Issue

After a while, you just learn to block it out.

“Hello! Looking? Yes?”

Walking along any tourist region on the Indonesian island of Bali, you are likely to be touted and hustled. Merchants stand in the entrance of their shops, desperate to get you inside. Drivers are even worse - sometimes they’ll follow you up the street as you walk…

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Culture Shock (2): Japan ''Blowfish, Bicycles, & Bizarre Sporting Celebrations''
- Story by Jason Gaskell
- 2nd Online Issue

So how much culture shock can you experience in one day?

I arrived in Japan not knowing how much I would take from my one-day trip and I departed with three things to muse upon - blowfish, bicycles, and bizarre sporting celebrations.

My visa run had dragged on for much longer than I expected and my return flight to Seoul fast approached. So I only had two hours to soak up some authentic Japanese culture in Osaka. After a long and frenetic day on the move, my first stop after business was complete was for some well-overdue food intake. I went into a nearby restaurant and sat at a table.

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Culture Shock (1): South Korea "Kids will be kids" - Story by Jason Gaskell
- Premier Online Issue

The old man peered up at me and his leathery face cracked as he smiled and spoke. "You— You Handsome!" He had brownish-yellow stained teeth, gappy like the crenelated wall of an English castle; and his upper body drooped over what seemed like a forty-five degree angle from his waist. The Hunchback of Jisandong seemed like he'd never seen a foreigner before in his life; so I just smiled back and said, "kamsa-hamneeda" to thank him.

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