Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

some words of wisdom before they let them out of the basement and come over here?

Things like....

[Ya-ta Boy]

People of other cultures will act and think differently. That goes with the territory of being from another culture. (Hint: 'Being from another culture' goes farther than wearing quaint clothes on National Geographics TV programs.)

[Ya-ta Boy]

If you find it annoying to talk to people whose command of English is imperfect down that the corner 7-11 store here, chances are you are going to go ape-doo-doo when pretty much everyone around you lacks that desired level of command of the language.

[Ya-ta Boy]

People are not always nice to minorities, so when you step off the plane in a country where you are outnumbered 47 million to one, be prepared to be stared at. Maybe even worse things.

[Ilsanman]

Talking to me costs 35,000 an hour and up. Once I am done work for the day, I have no desire to teach impromptu lessons to children while I walking on the street, buying gorceries, etc.

So when a taxi driver finishes work, do u jump into his backseat and tell him to take you somewhere? Maybe he'd appreciate a little time to rest and see his family. What are we? Walking talking English machines?

[Ya-ta Boy]

You have a telephone book here with connections to a whole country full of people who speak the same language and you whine all summer about nothing to do. How are you going to feel in a country with no usable phone book where almost no one speaks your language and there are the same things to choose to do?

[Ya-ta Boy]

You had me fight your battles for you when Johnny stole your milk money in 1st Grade; I had to fight your battle for you when Tommy beat the crap out of you in 8th Grade because you called him bad names; I had to talk to the principal in high school for you when you got caught drinking at the prom so you could graduate with your class.

I don't speak Korean. What do you expect me to do when you screw up over there?

[Ya-ta Boy]

Do you remember that time, a few months ago, when your mom and I went out to dinner and left you here sulking in front of the TV and you managed to cut off the end of your finger while making popcorn? You bled all over the kitchen, the bathroom and the living room and still didn't have the wherewithall to take yourself to the hospital. And now you want me to bless your plan to move to South Freaking Korea?

[shaunew]

Why you are answering your own post. I think this is the craziest thing I seen today.

[Atavistic]

...you can learn a lot by shutting the hell up, not whining, and just watching, listening, feeling.

[Bibbitybop]

The simple fact that liberal arts American universities (I can't speak for the other countries) don't instill basic cross-cultural information at some point in 4 years is an embarrassing situation.

I read about Asia, Korea and talked to teachers who taught in Korea before I swam across the pond.

[Bibbitybop]

Why don't moms tell their kids these gems:

Gary is not your father. I don't know who your father is. I don't remember much from those years.

You were won in a poker game. It was that, or kill a guy, since we would never have seen the $5,000 owed to us.

The doctors have said you won't live past 25. Enjoy Korea.

I used to be a man, man. You are old enough now to understand, and call me by my given name, Ralph.

[soju pizza]

Some cultures make sandwiches differently.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[pest2]

Replace "tell" with "warn against". But, Korea and Asia in general just aren't very high up there on most western parents' agendas of child care Im afraid. They're too busy with, "look both ways before crossing" and "dont cut in line," and "Dont lie" and stuff like that.