Korean Job Discussion Forums

[traxxe]

So I just came back from an amazing vacation in Boracay. It was terribly hard to come back... the people there are polite, they smile... they appologize after knocking into you. They are genuine kind-hearted people.

My New Years resolution?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3705893056322999507&q=we%27re+not+going+to+take+it&total=2043&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3

So I get off work and my co-worker and I hail a cab. We get in the back of the taxi and inform the driver of our station. The driver turns and tells me, "You're too fat-uh."

I pause, a scowl breaks my angry face. "You're a little fat too, and you are seriously balding. You might want to look into getting some plugs. Your cab stinks and I think it is because you have terrible body odor. Try bathing in something other than garlic."

His mouth drops and he gets angry.

I add, "Sucks when someone points out your flaws, doesn't it? Go f*ck yourself."

It was a silent drive of my friend choking on his own laughter and the cab driver is speeding and being wreckless. A couple moments later we arrive at our destination. The cab driver holds out his hand and looks like he wants to brawl. Unfortunately I can be intimidating and he just does that huffing sound Koreans do when they are pissed or irritated but are not willing to raise Caine.

I pay the 2 thousand won fare in coins, because f* him, that's why. I had enough of rudeness here. I'm not taking it anymore.

Bad attitude to have, sure... guess I should be passive when I'm offended. It's not my culture or country after all. Blah blah.

[tzechuk]

Did you say all that in Korean?

[traxxe]

I told him he was fat in Korean. The rest was in English. He spoke pretty decent English when he told me I was too fat and held out his hands wide for emphasis. I imagine he caught some of what I was saying. At least enough of something to justify his reaction.

I don't really care though. I wish I knew Korean in order to say it in his own native toungue. I would have certainly done so.

[ryouga013]

I had a student of mine irritated at me (he was still holding a grudge from the other day when he tried to punch me with real intent and I swung his arm around and put him in a choke hold with his own arm until I was able to step away from him) and said that I was "pig-man." Ah the joys of dealing with younger kids with tempers... anyways, since he's trying to get laughs and he was asking for some punishment, I turn and say, "then, your new name is 'badung.' [babo] because you want to fight me + [dung] because you smell really bad." The other kids began using it as well and the kid slunk in his chair after giving the typical huffing sound of anger.

In the same class one girl that was always climbing in the windows and generally being weird, but usually nice started to hit another kid in the back of the head over and over. I pulled her away and found out the reason that she was so mad was that she was called "crazy" by the boy. This was after she had called him crazy...

When we look at these stories and compare them with the original post we learn something.

Moral of the story: Korean men are no better at dishing out insults/taking insults than children.

Something better to know: Nobody is perfect and we each have our flaws, unless you're trying to help the person out, randomly commenting on their flaw won't do any good. When I hear "oh, you fat" after the months of exercise and dieting that I have been doing I think "wow, that person is truly ignorant of the situation." Also, since comments like those are from the worse of the students I teach, I think "wow, you are stupid, you still don't know how to say that grammatically after 4 years of studying English." The thing is, I don't slam into them, I just think it.

[Suwoner10]

[crusher_of_heads]

[traxxe]

My friend has reminded me to point out that after I gave him the change. I informed him that the best parts of Korean history were when Japan conquered it.

In my anger I said a lot of things I guess. I had forgotten completely about that.

As for shoving and pushing I'm not tolerating it anymore. I'll floor anyone from now on that is not blind or crippled in some manner that prevents them from noticing me. Then I'll distinctly tell them I'm sorry when they look up at me.

As for my students... I don't mind that. Children are children... I politely point out that what they say is hurtful. Strangely though all my seven year olds I teach never say much about my size. I told them I was Santa Clause my first day there... (they were amazed at my full beard and size). Ten months later a couple of their parents actually put cards from their presents with my name.

Kids don't know any better. It would be crappy of me to point out their flaws... I just correct their behavior.

I get more comments and crap from Korean adults at school. I had one manager asked if I could hurry and lose weight. I had another give a cookie to everyone in a meeting and then say they thought I shouldn't have one. I had one person tell me I would be a better teacher if I wasn't fat.

I took it in stride because I had tried to fit in to the customs here. I brooded in silence and vented to friends. I'm done being peaceful though. I'll give ten times worse than I get.

[the eye]

Yeah, i had a great welcome return from vacation a couple months ago.
Busan Airport, hailed a taxi, got in, and he started driving away.
I told him to go to the train station which is a 5-6,000won fare.
In transit he immediately says he wants to charge me the 10,000won flat rate that they usually charge when going TO the airport.

I said meter.

We argued.

I counted a handful of shipseckies, a few jaesopsuhs and one unintelligible insult. I promised my self to keep cool... stay in my happy place.

Arrival at the train station. I paid him, and began taking my suitcases out of the trunk.
He was still so caught up in his own anger that he took out HIS OWN satchel from the trunk and set it down on the curb.
Then he drove away.

I don't even know what was inside it. I just walked away.

[mistermasan]

live aloha, brah.

[whatever]

Dig your story, the eye.

A couple of weeks ago I told off a driver who was driving far-beyond recklessly...his reaction?

...He had been counting paper money in his hand at the time that he became incensed...I was exiting the opposite side of the vehicle, so he jumps out of the driver-side door and throws all of the money he had in his hand at me. I'm supposing he's meaning to impress upon me that he didn't want my money after all (the fare was around W4000)...and he just jumps back in and speeds off.

We were just laughing our asses off. So, I look down at my feet and pick up the money...I can instantly tell that it's far more than my 4k. Not some gangster roll, but a sizable wad for sure. My friend and I were expecting him to realize his dumbass move and stop and come back demanding it, but he didn't. We just remained in the same spot...people were all around looking stunned...most were also laughing or trying to contain it.

We counted the money and it came out to be just shy of W80,000! Even though I was still highly annoyed and we'd been out drinking, we quickly decided that we'd wait for him to come back. It was just too much, and the 'punishment' in no way 'fit the crime'. Had no idea what company it was, any identification...nothing. We hadn't called for the cab, just picked it up on the street.

So, we end up waiting about twenty minutes and then decided it was too cold, and getting late. Oh, well! The next day, we grabbed a couple of Korean friends and took that money and partied with it. Everybody had a blast.

[endo]

I got a good ones guys.

A while back I had this Korean taxi driver actually try to speak English with me.

The nerve of that guy, eh?


Then, this still pisses me off, he started thaking me for helping Korea during the war!

Saying that his country would be living like dogs if foreign countries like Canada weren't there to help.

True story.



What an a-hole!


honestly this was a true story and I just used the sarcasm for comedic effect

[bellum99]

I saw a Korean taxi driver get in an accident. He was very calm, respectful and didn't once shout, scream or act like an idiot. He was a perfect gentleman.......he hit a police car.

--Not joking.

[Atavistic]

[jackson7]

My favorite thing to do when dealing with rude Koreans, Korean students, etc. is to tell them (in Korean if you're able) how kind they are, thank them, all the while wearing a sincere smile on your face. They will almost always immediately doubt their very poor English ability and wonder if perhaps they had said something nice instead of the insult they had intended. Always funny to me. Sometimes they think it was their pronunciation that was off, so keep repeating it, as I do the same, "와, 너무 착해요! 고맙습니다!" Good stuff.

[caniff]