Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Clutch Cargo]

I'm feeling listless so I've cut&pasted my previous post on this topic:

So what's so hard about making eye contact with other Westerners, maybe a slight nod of recognition or even a "Hey." It's such a small, random act, costs nothing, and takes less effort to do than not to do.
If you're going to completely ignore an approaching stranger of similar culture then it's going to take some effort.
1. You must establish their physical similarities to you;
2. Calculate their approximate distance and speed of approach;
3. Factor in any variables such as their freakiness, escape routes, whether you are alone or with others. If you are with company you can turn to speak to them as the other foreigner, who had a lousy day trying to teach, felt isolated and alone and was wondering whether it was all worth it, approaches;
4. Then you need to determine a focal point for your averted eyes to be attracted to, such as a shop window, the ground, or some object ahead in the distance;
5. When the scary moment has passed and the Westerner has gone you can relax back into your usual happy-go-lucky self, safe in the knowledge that you are not treating people differently based on their race.

Or, you can just make brief eye contact and maybe say "Hey"

Sorry to bring this up again but the averted eyes "I can't see you even though we are walking towards each other in an uncrowded area" thing is in my opinion pretty stupid, completely contrived and boring. Not many of us look like freaks. It's not like you're movie stars or anything.

[jaderedux]

[peppermint]

I find that I smile at people in general, whatever color they are, if they make eye contact. Someone that I see often on the subway might warrant a "hi".

Call me friendly! God knows I've been called worse.

[Hyalucent]

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think there are several factors involved here. Some apply to some foreigners and other factors to others.

Some to consider:

1) A significant number of foreigners working in Korea are here because they are geeks. They couldn't get within 5 miles of a public school back home without alarm bells going off.

2) A lot of the non-geek element were burned so many times in the early days of their time here that they are leary of other foreigners. It's the conditioned reflex from being trapped too many times in a conversation with people who are just flat-out strange.

3) Another contributing factor (in my opinion) is a reaction against the typical Korean expectation that you will be friends with anyone who happens to be a foreigner. Contrary to expectations, the accident of a common nationality or skin color does not make someone a potential friend.

[schwa]

*Self-removed for being silly & offtopic*

I still cant find the delete function on this forum. Am I blind?

[ratslash]

exactly what i mean jaderedux. if i do acknowledge someone in the street it doesn't automatically mean that i want to hop into bed with them. it is pathetic people think the opposite.

[crazylemongirl]

I acknowledge people just like I would back home, eye brow thing or a smile. I've had the odd conversation with a person in the street or subway, which leads to a night out but I also do that back home.

But I also do that with the korean security people in my building although not too much coversation as I the other week I remarked that it was cold and I got a rant.

CLG

[katydid]

Schwa when you edit your posts, you should see a set of check boxes below the window you type in, and one of those should say "delete this post."

Just want to help you out.