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Who's been in Korea the Longest?
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boatofcar



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Location: Sheffield, UK

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:56 am    Post subject: Who's been in Korea the Longest? Reply with quote

Anybody been there five years or longer? Why did you decide to stay/come back year after year?
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bluelake



Joined: 01 Dec 2005

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I first came to Korea in January of 1984. However, after marrying my wife that same year, we moved to the States at the end of the year. I taught college in Michigan for a few years and then returned to Korea with my wife and son at the beginning of '89; been in the country ever since (of course with occasional vacations back to my hometown).
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twg



Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:48 am    Post subject: Re: Who's been in Korea the Longest? Reply with quote

boatofcar wrote:
Why did you decide to stay/come back year after year?

They keep paying me.
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boatofcar



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Location: Sheffield, UK

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bluelake wrote:
I first came to Korea in January of 1984. However, after marrying my wife that same year, we moved to the States at the end of the year. I taught college in Michigan for a few years and then returned to Korea with my wife and son at the beginning of '89; been in the country ever since (of course with occasional vacations back to my hometown).


Wow, you arrived in Korea when I was 3 Embarassed Did you notice a big change after the Olympics in 88 in how easy the country was to get around for non Korean speakers?
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Junior



Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Arrived just before the world cup...
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Vancouver



Joined: 12 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was born there...stayed there for 5 years before I immigrated to Vancouver
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hellofaniceguy



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: On your computer screen!

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've met a few Americans/Canadians (not of korean decent) who have been in korea for 40-50 years. Real old timers!
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hugo_danner



Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: korea

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was here in 1977-78 in the military. Man, was it different then! Been here off and on since 1995, mostly in the Koje-do area.
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SuperHero



Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been here since 1997.

I have a friend who's been here continuously since 1982.
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spliff



Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I first came here in 1993 and have been rotating between here and Thailand ever since...surprised I'm still kicking! Very Happy
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Wangja



Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For myself, I am just starting my ninth year but I have a few chums who've been here since the early 80's and one aqquaintance who now 60 or so was born here - one of the Yonsei missionary families.
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SPINOZA



Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Location: $eoul

PostPosted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hugo_danner wrote:
I was here in 1977-78 in the military. Man, was it different then! Been here off and on since 1995, mostly in the Koje-do area.


Explain!
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bluelake



Joined: 01 Dec 2005

PostPosted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

boatofcar wrote:
bluelake wrote:
I first came to Korea in January of 1984. However, after marrying my wife that same year, we moved to the States at the end of the year. I taught college in Michigan for a few years and then returned to Korea with my wife and son at the beginning of '89; been in the country ever since (of course with occasional vacations back to my hometown).


Wow, you arrived in Korea when I was 3 Embarassed Did you notice a big change after the Olympics in 88 in how easy the country was to get around for non Korean speakers?


Lots of differences between then and now.

When I first lived in Korea, it was very common to see farmers using an ox to plow fields, instead of the 경운기 tractors you see everywhere nowadays.

Cars were far, far fewer then, with taxi drivers and rich people being the ones who mostly had them; just as well, as a great number of streets and roads were little better than two-tracks. Highway 1 was neither designed nor built to handle the kind of traffic we have today--hence, continuous road construction for the past twenty years to re-do things.

In 1984, in order to make an int'l phone call, you had to call an operator, give her the number you wanted to call, and she would call you back in about a half hour. Compare that with today: cell phones, IM, skype, etc.

Sending money out of the country was definitely not easy. Although there are still some hurdles today, they are nothing like they were twenty-three years ago.

I lived in a traditional 한옥집, complete with outhouse. Apartments were around, but just starting to catch on.

There are many other things, too...

I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything.
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twg



Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...

PostPosted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bluelake wrote:
In 1984, in order to make an int'l phone call, you had to call an operator, give her the number you wanted to call, and she would call you back in about a half hour.

Even Klinger was better than that.
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boatofcar



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Location: Sheffield, UK

PostPosted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

twg wrote:
bluelake wrote:
In 1984, in order to make an int'l phone call, you had to call an operator, give her the number you wanted to call, and she would call you back in about a half hour.

Even Klinger was better than that.


I think you mean Radar.
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