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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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 Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:58 am Post subject: |
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The reason I started this thread was because, for the SECOND FREAKIN' TIME, I met someone who has been in Korea for a while and has had almost NO contact with Koreans or korean food.
The first time was a few months ago when I met a woman in Itaewon who was finishing her first year in Korea, (in her 11th month), and she said she had never even tried Korean food! She hadn't even spoken to a Korean (not even once) outside of her school! How do some of you pull that one off?
Last weekend I met another woman who's been here for 6 months and she asked me if I've learned any Korean words. After I told her no, she said that she didn't even know any Koreans. Evidently she teaches at a school where they have few Korean teachers and most of the students already know English. Plus, she had only tried the Korean food at her school- NOTHING outside of school! Some of you are living the Life of Riley!I don't know how some of you pull it off, but some of you are able to live in korea and work here and have no contact with Koreans and Korean food. Must be nice. 
Meanwhile, I'm in KOREA- the REAL KOREA- where no one speaks English, and outside of fast food, ALL food is Korean. Care to join the rest of us? |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:22 am Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| Meanwhile, I'm in KOREA- the REAL KOREA- where no one speaks English, and outside of fast food, ALL food is Korean. Care to join the rest of us? |
Right. So eat Korean food and socialize/date with Koreans - what's the big deal? |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:32 am Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| I'm in Ilsan and I don't even see very many white people in la festa. WTF? |
Then you must be blind, thick or a combination of both. F@ck me man, Ilsan is like cracker central. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:46 am Post subject: |
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You know, IMO, just because we come here to offer our services as English teachers doesn't mean we have to buy into all aspects of Korean lifestyle/culture. Basically, we aren't Korean. We never will be. We are being paid to do a job here. Teach English. We aren't being paid to like kimchi or believe that women shouldn't smoke in public.
There's the rub.
To really fit into Korean (which you never actually will) you will have to give up a lot of western principles like workers rights and womens rights. I arrived in 2000 to see the Daewoo workers on strike getting beat unconcious by the police as they were having a sit-down protest. Korea seems to have a particuarly merciless form of capitalism.
Adjusting to Korean society is fine but agreeing with what goes on here is another thing. Korean society in 2007 has huge injustices towards the poor and women. I also have the opinion that the education and health systems have a long way to go compared to most western countries.
I'm happy to live here but I'm not happy about what goes on here. Funny, because that's exactly what I felt about my home country! |
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europe2seoul
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:55 am Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
You know, IMO, just because we come here to offer our services as English teachers doesn't mean we have to buy into all aspects of Korean lifestyle/culture. Basically, we aren't Korean. We never will be. We are being paid to do a job here. Teach English. We aren't being paid to like kimchi or believe that women shouldn't smoke in public.
There's the rub.
To really fit into Korean (which you never actually will) you will have to give up a lot of western principles like workers rights and womens rights. I arrived in 2000 to see the Daewoo workers on strike getting beat unconcious by the police as they were having a sit-down protest. Korea seems to have a particuarly merciless form of capitalism.
Adjusting to Korean society is fine but agreeing with what goes on here is another thing. Korean society in 2007 has huge injustices towards the poor and women. I also have the opinion that the education and health systems have a long way to go compared to most western countries.
I'm happy to live here but I'm not happy about what goes on here. Funny, because that's exactly what I felt about my home country! |
But who cares about all those things as long as your are making the buck? Money, baby, money. If it does not directly affect you, turn your eyes the other way and make money. Welcome to capitalism! |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 6:11 am Post subject: |
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| jaganath69 wrote: |
| wylies99 wrote: |
| I'm in Ilsan and I don't even see very many white people in la festa. WTF? |
Then you must be blind, thick or a combination of both. F@ck me man, Ilsan is like cracker central. |
Where? Not la festa! If I see 10 whities on a SATURDAY!, that's a lot. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| europe2seoul wrote: |
| wylies99 wrote: |
| Meanwhile, I'm in KOREA- the REAL KOREA- where no one speaks English, and outside of fast food, ALL food is Korean. Care to join the rest of us? |
Right. So eat Korean food and socialize/date with Koreans - what's the big deal? |
How do you do it? How do you live here and have no contact with anything Korean? How do some of you pull this off? Amazing. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:36 am Post subject: Re: How do some of you see so many white people every day? |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| I NEVER see any other white people outside of school or in Itaewon. That's IT! How do so many of you post that you see other native speakers all of the time? WTF? Do you ALL live in Itaewon in the same Office-Tel? |
Where did you see that people were claiming to meet whiteys all the time? |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:39 am Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
The reason I started this thread was because, for the SECOND FREAKIN' TIME, I met someone who has been in Korea for a while and has had almost NO contact with Koreans or korean food.
The first time was a few months ago when I met a woman in Itaewon who was finishing her first year in Korea, (in her 11th month), and she said she had never even tried Korean food! She hadn't even spoken to a Korean (not even once) outside of her school! How do some of you pull that one off?
Last weekend I met another woman who's been here for 6 months and she asked me if I've learned any Korean words. After I told her no, she said that she didn't even know any Koreans. Evidently she teaches at a school where they have few Korean teachers and most of the students already know English. Plus, she had only tried the Korean food at her school- NOTHING outside of school! Some of you are living the Life of Riley!I don't know how some of you pull it off, but some of you are able to live in korea and work here and have no contact with Koreans and Korean food. Must be nice.
Meanwhile, I'm in KOREA- the REAL KOREA- where no one speaks English, and outside of fast food, ALL food is Korean. Care to join the rest of us? |
You're in the Real Korea but you haven't learned any Korean words? That's weird. Babo.
| wylies99 wrote: |
| europe2seoul wrote: |
| wylies99 wrote: |
| Meanwhile, I'm in KOREA- the REAL KOREA- where no one speaks English, and outside of fast food, ALL food is Korean. Care to join the rest of us? |
Right. So eat Korean food and socialize/date with Koreans - what's the big deal? |
How do you do it? How do you live here and have no contact with anything Korean? How do some of you pull this off? Amazing. |
Are you retarded? I'm asking nicely. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:52 am Post subject: |
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| 소주는 나의 적 있다 |
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KumaraKitty
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Location: Bucheon
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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I've lived here 4 1/2 years, I'm married to a Korean, yet I STILL have basic Korean skills. I've tried to study, but it's been very hard to fit into my work schedule. I live in Bucheon and all the schools require traveling to study Korean which I simply don't have time for.
I am an English teacher, I teach students who speak English, i talk to parents who speak English, and all my friends speak English(even my Korean friends!). My boss at my old school spoke very good English as did all the teachers. My husband grew up in Texas and speaks English as his 1st language. Do I feel stupid that I can't speak Korean after this long? Yes, I do. But does it really impact my life? Not really. I survive just fine in "REAL KOREA" with what I have. We eat Korean food everyday, we shop in the traditional markets, drink in Korean bars, and I drive a car here. But I get by just fine.
As for seeing Foreigners, well, Bucheon is full of Foreigners! We live in the SangDong area. WE just moved into a gorgeous brand new 37 pyeong apartment-tel, and our next door neighbours? Korean/East Indian couple, really nice people! |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Qinella- You really want to start your usual BS with me? |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| Qinella- You really want to start your usual BS with me? |
Did you really mean that you knew no Korean words? Or were you just telling that person that? I think it's the latter.
And who cares? |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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I care, sniff, sniff,  and so should you.
Qinella needs to meet some new friends back in the US and leave the "teaching in Korea" issues to the actual teachers in Korea. |
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bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
You know, IMO, just because we come here to offer our services as English teachers doesn't mean we have to buy into all aspects of Korean lifestyle/culture. Basically, we aren't Korean. We never will be. We are being paid to do a job here. Teach English. We aren't being paid to like kimchi or believe that women shouldn't smoke in public.
There's the rub.
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I think the idea of being a happy expat is to be open-minded and learn to adapt when necessary. But it's also finding a balance, and sticking true to your ideals when confronted. If your ideals reject our own culture -- well, fine, if that's who you are, that's who you are. For me, there's nothing particularly proud or exciting about the Korean lifestyle. It's a dreary soul-deadening two-step of living in grey, ugly concrete cages and rotating through one dreary institution to another from early childhood to late adulthood. |
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