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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:49 am Post subject: Rare niceties in Korea |
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1. The odd student who does a very deep bow when they see me.
2. The odd mother that tells her kid not to stare.
3. The stranger on the street that says "ahn young haseyo" instead of "hiiiiiiiiiii!" (again, concerning kids)
4. The strange kid who'll speak English to me without giggling.
5. An ajumma who actually lets me get off the subway/elevator.
6. Instead of jumping into it with an air of entitlement, a really old Korean person who hesitates a bit when I offer up my seat on the subway, insisting I keep it. Of course, I don't let them win.
7. The odd class that insists Korea ain't that great and that Canada is 100 times better. It's funny hearing myself defend Korea and bringing up all of its good points.
8. That old dude who gives me the army salute and thumbs up. |
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nomad-ish
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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9. the student who asks what my last name is so she can call me
"Ms. ___" and not "______ teacher "
10. the ajumma at the subway stop who always gives me back money after i stupidly pay too much for something |
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mrsquirrel
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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| 11. The fact that the sunbeam coming through the window just now is nice and warm and makes me feel really sleepy................ |
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Underwaterbob
Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| 12. One of my seven-hundred plus students actually answering "How are you?" with something other than; "I'm fine, thank you, and you? |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| 13. A private, fully-furnished office bigger than my first studio apartment in Korea. I love going to work. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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rare?
14. Being given an umbrella by a stranger when peering outside at a downpour
(I think this thread will get well into the 100's.) |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject: Small pleasures |
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1. Cherry Blossum in April
2. Fall Colors in November
3. Reliable & cheap public transport / subways
4. Able to walk around at night, without fear of being mugged
5. General friendliness of Korean People |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Rare niceties in Korea |
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| Newbie wrote: |
1. The odd student who does a very deep bow when they see me.
2. The odd mother that tells her kid not to stare.
3. The stranger on the street that says "ahn young haseyo" instead of "hiiiiiiiiiii!" (again, concerning kids)
4. The strange kid who'll speak English to me without giggling.
5. An ajumma who actually lets me get off the subway/elevator.
6. Instead of jumping into it with an air of entitlement, a really old Korean person who hesitates a bit when I offer up my seat on the subway, insisting I keep it. Of course, I don't let them win.
7. The odd class that insists Korea ain't that great and that Canada is 100 times better. It's funny hearing myself defend Korea and bringing up all of its good points.
8. That old dude who gives me the army salute and thumbs up. |
Honestly, numbers 2-7 make me think you've been here too long. |
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rD.NaTas
Joined: 06 Nov 2007
Location: changwon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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| 1.able to pee wherever i want |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad-ish wrote: |
9. the student who asks what my last name is so she can call me
"Ms. ___" and not "______ teacher " |
I had about ten students who used to say "ajosshi! SHUT UP!" pretty regularly when I was teaching. It was the epitome of annoying, but I made them stop.
My good list:
1. The Kimbap restaurant I eat at every day for lunch. I get free coffee, the waitresses are always so polite and everybody smiles when I walk in. Good way to start the day.
2. Cool taxi drivers. I've had a couple really crazy/fun, or simply kind, gentlemanly taxi drivers.
3. People who will go out of their way to help me. On a few occasions, I've left my bag in public places only to find strangers chasing me down the street trying to get it back to me.
4. The old lady next door. I was out on my step sorting garbage and she whacked me in the butt with a broom, it was really cute. She's given me apples and oranges before too.
5. My good students. I do actually have quite a few good students. They give me oranges, and thank me in unison when I do something nice for them.
6. People who understand my Korean. People here complain a lot about Koreans not wanting to speak Korean with them, but I've had a few basic conversations with passersby in Korean and they always seem very friendly and they really like me speaking their language.
7. I know some people hate this, but I really like it when children try to educate me about their culture. Sure, you can say what you want about Korea's culture, but I've never heard of Canadian kids even knowing/caring who their prime minister was so it is refreshing to talk to youngsters that actually have opinions on said person and like to debate.
Last edited by IncognitoHFX on Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject: Re: Rare niceties in Korea |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
| Newbie wrote: |
1. The odd student who does a very deep bow when they see me.
2. The odd mother that tells her kid not to stare.
3. The stranger on the street that says "ahn young haseyo" instead of "hiiiiiiiiiii!" (again, concerning kids)
4. The strange kid who'll speak English to me without giggling.
5. An ajumma who actually lets me get off the subway/elevator.
6. Instead of jumping into it with an air of entitlement, a really old Korean person who hesitates a bit when I offer up my seat on the subway, insisting I keep it. Of course, I don't let them win.
7. The odd class that insists Korea ain't that great and that Canada is 100 times better. It's funny hearing myself defend Korea and bringing up all of its good points.
8. That old dude who gives me the army salute and thumbs up. |
Honestly, numbers 2-7 make me think you've been here too long. |
No argument here...
Actually, I've probably been here about 3 years too long. |
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mr. positive
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Location: a happy place
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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14(?). The moms who make snacks for me after my class is over with their kids - and the mom who brought a Starbucks Frappucino in a bottle for me when she brought orange juice for all the kids in her son's class 
15. The moms who gave us baby gifts when we had our first child.
One group of moms took my wife and I out to a REALLY nice Japanese restaurant, one of the best meals I've ever had in Korea, then gave us three great Christmas presents for our kid that were so big I couldn't carry them home - they had to give me a ride.
The good moms are soooooo good, and the bad moms are sooooo bad. |
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Frankly Mr Shankly
Joined: 13 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:27 am Post subject: |
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| Stepping through the door of the airplane and leaving the Corea for good is the rarest pleasure one will experience there. |
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xeno439
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:15 am Post subject: |
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| Being able to drink a beer anywhere, such as SK telecom store while setting up a new phone contract, without any suggestion that what you are doing is morally reprehensible. |
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JustJohn
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Your computer screen
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| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:38 am Post subject: |
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chris_J2 and everyone after:
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