Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

Here's my perception. People make fun of you or pressure you, for a couple of reasons. They simply DON?T understand. Or they're jealous and wish they could do what you do.

It's peer pressure, something that often happens in grade school. It's sad that at our age, people who still pressure us and make fun of us as if they were kids.

I plan on getting pregnant, so can use that as an excuse, but like Denise, I'm going to go vegetarian and can just see the expressions on people's faces as they tell me that I'll be damaging my baby. At leats we'll be far far away from my husband' mother

[Justin Trullinger]

[basiltherat]

A nice quote: "If we insist on behaving in accordance with the thoughts, opinions and views of others, then what is the point in having our own."

best
basil

[sarahg]

I've been told that refusing a drink from someone older than you in Korea is seen as a big sign of disrespect. Some would probably forgive you for being a Westerner, and some would probably take it as a sign of disrespect and a lack of desire to conform to the local culture. If you move there and are a man, this might cause some uncomfortable situations with men whose opinions of you are important, such as bosses (I'm not sure how they regard turning down invitations to go out drinking).

In Costa Rica, the locals would probably think it was weird if you didn't drink beer at all, since it's pretty much what people drink with meals there, but they won't care that you don't get drunk. The culture there is very laid back and friendly and they are used to weird Americans, though, so they'd just regard your not drinking as a weird gringo quirk like vegetarianism, rather than actually being insulted or judgmental. You might have a hard time relating to the other expats though, as all the expats and travelers I met there went to bars and got drunk literally nightly. The expats might also be a bit more judgmental than the locals. I'm pescetarian and a nonsmoker and while the locals didn't really understand why anyone would make those choices (and didn't understand that the fact that I don't smoke meant I probably didn't want their smoke blown in my face) the only crap I got for it was from other Americans.

[naturegirl321]