Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

A thread dedicated to the BEING BOTHERED in KYOBO BOOKSTORE.

Got hit up three times yesterday:

1) Cambodian guy looking for donations.

2) Random woman coming up and asking me where I'm from. Then told me about her foreigner friend who just left for Maryland. Why did she choose me to tell this - who knows?

3) An Import/Export guy who thought I'd be a great foreigner who had a lot of extra free time more than willing to correct his little pile of English correspondence to potential clients.

Three is maximum for me so far within an hour period. Usually it's just one or two - generally kids where I have to pose for that photograph and answer 'favorite food' questions.

Please feel free to add more to the thread... Cool

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

I found out last semester that a collegue would send his students on assignment to interview foreigners, and suggested Kyobo as a prime spot to find hapless victims.

I cuffed him hard behind the ear and we haven't spoken since.

nautilus · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I got razzed there once when not in the mood, so I put on a good impression of someone with a severe speech deficiency. Acting retarded gets rid of 'em fast.

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Two of my students are in competition with each other to see which can help the most foreigners in subways and bus stations. Their first adventure came two days after we did 'subway vocabulary' and they were headed for Itaewon to look for helplessly lost foreigners. They found a pair together, separated them, and each helped his foreigner read the subway map.

Then last weekend one of them went to Busan and spotted a victim in the 고속 bus station. 창민 says he doesn't believe 진철's claim.

Our new rule is that the helper can only have a confirmed claim if he brings back an ear as proof.

babtangee · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:43 am Post subject:

A guy boldly sat next to me on the subway the other day, and by way of introduction asked, "What's the difference between 'meant to' and 'supposed to'"?

"Fooked if I know," I said, "sound synonymous to me: you got super-fast internet connections... go look it up... I'm trying to enjoy my damn book before another curs'ed four hours of English-teaching Hell! Crikey!!!"

Hopefully I've done my little bit to increase the nation's fear of conversing with English speakers.

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

Just ignore them, they usually get the message if you act like they don't exist.

Woland · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul

No one ever bothers me. With my Don't-screw-with-me face on, I am fearsome to contemplate.

plato's republic · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Location: Ancient Greece

OP, I know the feeling. I just stick on a pair of headphones whenever I'm in a bookstore and nobody bothers me anymore.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:12 am Post subject:

Wow Babtangee, that's a bit harsh. I have never been bothered in a bookstore or coffee shop, but few seem very warm and friendly I can tell you that much. I get all stared at a great deal which I am very insecure about while in public, but looked over with out anyone talking to me, except when I go to Seoul and still it is rare to meet friendly people. I think I am simply living in area where hardly anyone speaks English with most local adults lacking interest in English and foreigners. I would be happy to possibly make a few contacts or even someone to talk to and experience the good qualities of Korea, but I am just frowned upon for the most part. Perhaps this is why many of you are being so harsh on the few strangers who are willing to talk to you.

When I call kids for phone teaching, I found a few parents who speak English, but surprisingly, they have no interest in talking to or getting to know who is educating their kids. Strange...

(off topic) When I lived in Germany, few people spoke English and no one was out to get a free English lesson either, but I met and made friends with a few who do speak English. A German actually become the very best friend I have every day and I had the time of my life. I was invited for garden parties, road trips, and bar hopping and had a wonderful time despite most of my friends' friends not speaking English. The vibe was that I was liked, respected, and welcomed as a human being; it was warm and friendly as could be. People did ask me the correct ways of saying things in English which is a part of talking to people in foreign countries which I don't mind. Upon leaving, my best friend offered for me to stay with him, but I opted out since the job market is not suitable for non-E.U. citizens.

I would be happy to make friends here as that might would enable me to stay a long time in Korea and enjoy it. I would happy to see more local interest in making a cultural exchange with my neighbors and town people, but it just isn't so.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I think jaganath put it well. It's the way people talk to you, the intent behind it. I really believe many Koreans have simply shut the door and find it hard to see any others as real people. It's often a language thing, but not entirely. As an old Korean man on TV said once, "Korea is close-minded when it comes to foreigners." You just have to accept it living here and hope to run into some cool ones.

mateomiguel · Joined: 16 May 2005

The last time I went to Kyobo bookstore, I went there to meet a Korean friend to buy some books. She got there an hour before I did, and she stopped a western guy there to ask him something. He didn't even listen to her, just said he didn't have time to talk and kept on moving.

An hour later when I showed up she pointed the guy out who was still there and said, "He is a bad man." I asked why, did he grab your butt or something? She told me the story, and I just laughed.

Then, when we were looking around for books, not ten minutes later this ajumma asks me what book she should use to teach her 5 year old kid English. I said I've never taught anybody so young and furthermore I think its a mistake to try to teach a kid that young another language, but she wouldn't give up and kept pestering me for ideas I didn't have.

Then my friend started speaking to her in Korean and as I still can't understand Korean I lost interest and wandered off. A few minutes later she walked up to me and said that the ajumma was asking her my life story, and if I'm a teacher, and can she please have my phone number. Thankfully my Korean friend declined to pimp me out to a stranger.

After she met back up with me and told me the story I asked her which was the better choice, mine or the other foreigner's. She got a very thoughtful face.

And after living here for four years, I too think that Koreans have trouble viewing non-Koreans as real people. They are the definition of closed-minded provincials. I have learned a lot from this time in Korea, and I will make sure to never, ever be like that.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Kyobo is the only bookstore in the world where I feel (far) more tense and agitated amongst the aisles of books inside than I do in the congested, horn-honking, big-city hustle outside.

vlcupper · Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Location: Gangnam

My general rule of thumb is not to answer if they don't say my name. If the person doesn't know my name, he or she has no business talking to me. Seems rude to the apologists, but I've been here for four years, and I still don't give a shit what they think.