Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

If you work in a Korean school, rituals are part of the Korean setup. Example -at school, foreign teachers are 'invited' for those meals and drinks because that is part of the ritual, but they are meaningless.

When Koreans have the chance to voluntarily invite foreigners to their homes for a celebration, like Chuseok - this does not happen. Very few foreigners would have the chance to step into a Korean home during this time.

You can criticize the U.S. for a lot of things, but one thing you have to admire about the U.S. is the way ordinary citizens in the U.S. reach out to foreign students or visiting faculty during Thanksgiving time. If you are a foeigner living in a College town in the States during thanksgiving time, you will be invited to a lot of homes to partake in the thanksgiving ritual.

Not so in Korea, where most foreign teachers simply spend Chuseok alone or with a few foreign friends. This can induce a feeling of boredom and loneliness, exacerbated by the fact that all the Koreans are merrily enjoying their time eating and drinking, while paying no heed to the welfare of the foreign teachers during this time. We are basically 'invisible' during this time, because we are not needed in the classroom.

Our presence and significance is nil! Korean families, in their vast majority, have no desire or curiosity to get to know the teachers who educate their offspring. It would not be hard to invite a few foreign teachers to the home of one of the students' during this time - but it ain't going to happen in Korea! In all the other countries I have taught in, if there was a major holiday for a few days, there would be scores of invitations for meals and outings, but not here.

At the end of the day, we are alone here in this hermit kingdom, and we have to be resourceful enough to find things to do on our own, because your Korean employers and neighbors will have nothing to do with you at this time.


Ghost in Korea

[pest2]

[Ginormousaurus]

I was invited for dinner by one of my student's mom. I politely lied about having other plans.

[laogaiguk]

1) I have been invited to Chuseok every year I have been here. I have also been invited to Sollal too. I didn't go this year though because I had other things to do.

2) It is not the same as our Thanksgiving. They are praying to their ancestors. They will only invite someone they really think will not cause any trouble and such. Some people take it really religiously, some make it a 9 hour TV day. Depends on who you work with.

3) While not directed at the OP, one of the funniest things I find is when loud, annoying or just generally antisocial people don't get invited out after they have caused several scenes when invited out previously and then mope about it.

[Atavistic]

I got invited by my vice principal, my taekwondo kwanjangnim, and another friend.

Also, Ghost, you do realize that half of the married adult population frickin' HATES Chuseok right? Do you really think they want one more mouth to feed? One more person to take care of?

Although foreigners don't want to admit it, we put STRESS on a situation, especially when we don't speak the language. My family may have invited a lot of int'l students to gathering in the States, but every one of those students spoke English. A Korean family inviting someone who (probably) doesn't speak jack Korean makes for a much more uncomfortable situation.

[Jellypah]

I've been invited the last couple years as well. This past year it was my friend and former co-worker who asked me to come to her parent's home. As much as I'd like to join in, I didn't think I could handle three days on a pear farm in a really countryside setting complete with an outhouse, no shops or restaurants around, and a nine o'clock bedtime.

[twg]

Chuseok is a brilliant time off from work. Enjoy it, because the locals aren't allowed to.

[diver]

I wasn't invited anywhere either.

I am married to a Korean woman.

I was ordered.

[the_beaver]

Been to a friend's house several times, but it's as boring as boring gets.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Yeah. BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jaganath69]

I for one relish the chance to do nothing and letting the locals get on with whatever it is they do. Chances are that if invited, something yet to happen to me in four years here, I would politely decline.

[oneofthesarahs]

I was invited to a friend's home for Sollal this year. About half of the family spoke English, half did not. The English speaking half talked to me on and off and the non-English speaking delighted in making sure I ate lots and lots of Korean food. The father of the family asked me to help him come up with a good English name. It was fun. As nice as everybody was, I do feel a bit like I put extra pressure on their family event. They asked me again for Chuseok, but I said I already had other plans. My other plans involve me sitting around my apartment and reading.

[indiercj]

Hey, I have never been invited to a Chuseok gathering by anyone outside my family in my life. And I am Korean.

[JongnoGuru]

Okay. I'm now mentally prepared for the Chuseok ordeal in terms of the logistics, the transportation, the forced smiles, and the endless hours of small talk with people I don't know too well and the gawdawful boring TV. And being waited on hand and foot by the womenfolk, that's all good, too.

[ChopChaeJoe]

I have attended two Chuseok meals. The bowing ceremonies are charming, but i would say probably quite personal. In an American thanksgiving, there's always enough food for one more and it wouldn't change the event at all. For a korean Thanksgiving it's not the time for anyone but close family.