Korean Job Discussion Forums

[RACETRAITOR]

There's no such thing as a perfect culture. The closest they ever got was North Korea, and just look how all that perfection's treating them. Not well.

[blynch]

[stevemcgarrett]

numazawa:

That's a classic McGarrett line, and in the episode where he said it his eyes were glinting more than the sun off the Hawaiian ocean.

Speaking of Hawaii, I've often thought it comes closest to embodying the best of East and West--certainly more than Hong Kong or Singapore. But then one gets "rock fever," even the head of 5-0.

4 months left:

I'm inclined to agree with you but my attitude is still based on first impressions. I do know that the Chinese government now issues a special resident visa with free multiple reentries for long-term expats who genuinely contribute to the country's development. So far, I've found Koreans more standoffish.

Reflections:

I found Costa Rica the exception that proved the rule as far as Latin America was concerned, and I mean that in a mostly good way.

ALL:

Another outlook is a state of mind known as the transcultural. Some of the finest universities now have centers for transcultural studies. Globalization and the increase in multiethnic marriages has furthered focus on this outlook. But I wonder if it's possible to be truly transcultural if one is from monoethnic heritage?
[/b]

[blynch]

haha i learned a new word from mr.mcgarrett tonite..."transcultural."

[jdog2050]

[PimpofKorea]

There are some folks here who think if they spend 10+ years in country...a korean wife in tow..a couple of kids....that they are now accepted. The average Korean puts you in the same boat as the guy that just got off the plane in Incheon 2 hours ago. You're both a non-korean..you're both a non-person. No amount of Korean language skills or trying to assimilate...will ever change that. If anything...being here for a long time kinda makes the average Korean think your a fruitloop. I have only been here about 2 years..and I always get the "so when are you going back to your country?"

[Gamecock]

[kimchi_pizza]

Take a deep breath and don't think too much or take things too seriously. I remain focused on my job and making the best of the time here, which may be for quite some time, and so far I feel completely at easy here after 1.5 years (+1 military).

Instead of finding a country that has adapted to your tastes, how about adapting yourself to the society that you are a part of? I can honestly say that I'm a different person depending on the country I live in be it the U.S., Japan, Taiwan or here. For me, it's here that I've adapted to and accepted more easily than the rest.

[stevemcgarrett]

Gamecock:

I traveled briefly in Sweden, Denmark and Finland but not long enough to get a pulse on the region. All kidding aside, what our their health care systems like? How about social safety nets? Teaching prospects? Chance to be an entrepeneur? Just curious. Scandanavia is often held up as a beacon of progress by the mainstream media in the West. By the way, I do know about their laizze-faire attitude toward pornography. I saw racks of hardcore color porn magazines in the Copenhagen airport next to teen pop music magazines. And I know prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, perhaps elsewhere up there. I also read some time ago that the majority of Scandanavians are content with their lives. Perhaps it's because of a lack of ambition?

PimpofKorea:

I appreciate your wry candor (McGarrett always likes bruddahs who tell it like it is) and I can't blame you as I'm also here primarily to save salary while in an academic holding pattern, as it were (long story, not enough time). My postdoctoral research has me thinking about these questions, however.

I've noticed that you seem certain that most Koreans regard us as outsiders, no matter how long our sojourn here. I've heard this sentiment expressed by many posters to this forum. I can't say I agree or disagree although I have yet to make a single authentic Korean friend after living hear more than a year. Even one of my Korean colleagues, who is single and very nice never tries to approach me about socializing in any way shape or form. This was hardly the case when I lived and taught in China and Malaysia. So that could signify much.

[mithridates]

I felt pretty out of place when I saw that apparently this is a new hobby of quite a few people back home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4RxQfcCW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHqvc2UNiok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn4BAkEz-F4

(Don't worry, it's safe for work, just stupid)

[mithridates]

[Omkara]

....

[Omkara]

To answer your question:

Cultivate thoughts which will counter the negative ones so as to overcome the sense of isolation and suffering.

One practice I do which is powerful is to just walk, breath and watch my thoughts as they were a movie--remaining detatched from them. I quickly notice when I practice this that a great many of my thoughts are negative, that I judge others quite harshly. I just let these thoughts pass, and smile inwardly and look for what is good in the others. The isolation begins to show itself for what it is: illusion, a consequence of my psychology, ideals, and thinking.

We relate to others as we relate to ourselves. Hence, when a man bolsters his ego -- as we all do -- , it expresses his unconscious struggle with himself. What we condemn in others, we condemn in ourselves. Especially telling are those thoughts and condemnations which have strong emotional content.

Take care.

[Gamecock]

[mateomiguel]

You will never find a culture strong enough to withstand your powerful desire to rise above it and look down with a sneer. And you will never find a place, a time, or a person who you cannot belittle and scoff at.

Sucks to be you dude.