Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Damulgun]

[Fresh Prince]

I have a friend that grew up in Korea until he was in the the fourth grade then his parents moved him to a western country. My friend was very popular in Korea because he studied hard and had a good personality. His parents continued to raise him with their traditional Korean values of studying hard everyday and respecting the rules and customs they were taught in Korea even after they moved.

The problem was, in this western country the values and traditions were very different from Korea. My friend's parents didn't really do much research into the values of the new society they chose to live in and chastized their son when he adopted the new customs of his new environment.

My friend never really fit in with the western kids because he wasn't good at sports and didn't have any knowledge about the one sport that everyone in his new country were fanatical about. He found it difficult to socialize with people and when the westerners would break the ice with a little good-natured ribbing, calling him a, "China-man," he took it personal and missed the opportunity to show them that he was easy going and deserving of their respect.

Although he would need these norms and values to survive and become a functioning member of his new society, his mother told him that there was nothing wrong with him and that it was the westerners that were the problem.

Luckily, my friend decided to go to back to school later in life and study a different subject, one that he really enjoyed. He decided to change his outlook on life and study up on the culture of the country he lived in. He became interested in the sport everyone was fanatical about, and discovered how to poke fun at people without meaning it in a negative way. He made lots of new friends and eventually married a native from that country. When they had children, he taught them the traditional ways of Korea and instilled in them a sense of pride, but made sure to teach them the ways of his new country so that they could be happy and succesful in their environment.

[Vicissitude]

[shantaram]

I have to wonder why just when damulgun's mood lifted someone came along to put him down again. Was that good-natured ribbing vicissitude?

[aphong420]

This whole thread is offensive.

[aphong420]

BLUT

[aphong420]

Here's something I really hate. I have to take a sh-t right now, and the only non-squatter toilet of the entire school is being used. There's also no toilet paper. And our bathrooms reek because native-Koreans apparently don't like flushing TP down the toilet.

I will not use a squatter. I tried once but I thought I was going to poo on my pants. I also feel ridiculous in that position.

This is where my American sensibilities get in the way. Even though I'm Korean, I really don't get the toilet culture. Also, why isn't the friggin toilet paper next to the toilet?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Damulgun]

[Damulgun]

[Alyallen]

[aphong420]

Damalgun,

Hey man - as a fellow Korean, I am offended by your rhetoric. Your views are heavily skewed and your making other KA's look bad.

Get off it dude.

[jvalmer]

Mr. Damulgun, I think you need to work on your English writing skills. Did you really go to America when you were only 9 years old? You drop too many articles at the wrong times. Also, you should know what expressions would be considered racist or not.

[shantaram]

Umm what I said about damulgun's mood lifting was wrong. Calling the older generations of America *f'd* mentally is not exactly light-hearted or respectful. I hadn't read the post properly.

Are you actually teaching English in Korea damulgun?

It's hypocritical to slam Americans for not understanding Korean culture when you say terrible things about American culture. For what reason did your father bring you to America? Did it work out, do you respect his decision?

If you are not teaching English in Korea I think you should come here and broaden your experience, like the OP did.

[babtangee]

Damulgun, you rock like it was 1899. Keep it up, Grand Dragon.