Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Homer]

[Emma Clare]

Hoorah! For a long while now I've been thinking about putting up a post entitled 'Korea makes you ugly', but I thought everyone would reckon I was nuts!

I totally agree with you.

Since I've come here:

My hair and eyelashes have started falling out all over the place. I can't even wear my hair down anymore because it looks so straggly and horrid.

I've developed wrinkles and fine lines all of a sudden, and I look much older

I've had skin problems. I'd never had so much as a single blemish before I came to this country. Not in my entire life. Now my skin is hypersensitive and I get spots all the time. Also, my skin gets dried out like anything (Don't think the ridiculously high amounts of chlorine in the water help much)

I have bags under my eyes even though I sleep plenty.

I feel for you, I really do.

(I will have to spend at least a month on a beach in Thailand before I return home I think)

[Homer]

Emma...ever hear of psycho-somatic diseases...

aka stress having physical side-effects....

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[Mr. Pink]

How long are you in Korea before you feel it makes you ugly?

I don't think Korea has made me ugly.

I have gotten older since I first came here and that shows

Some white hairs are starting to show but no where near the amount my older brother had at my age. His job is stressful compared to mine, and he's got the whites/receding hairline going for him because of that.

I have gained weight...trying to reduce that.

I agree with a lot of posters. Start to eat healthy. Use vitamin suppliments. I use Centrum everyday. Drink lots of water. (I know it's hard, but try!) Lastly make sure you are getting enough exercise.

If you are seriously stressed, maybe Korea or teaching isn't for you.

Good luck.

[phaedrus]

The area around my eyes is a bit darker, and my skin is pastier, and I have some wrinkles under my eyes.

I attribute the darkness to stress.
The pastiness is from lack of being in the sun.
The wrinkles I thought were from stress, but I realize they are extensions of crow's feet from smiling. Teacher's smile a lot--- or should!

I do notice that I see more veins in my body, such as on my hands. This coincided with coming to Korea but my father in Canada says he has the same hands etc. It still seems odd.

[tokki]

I have a way different experience. Korea has made me healthy. The change in diet has been a HUGE reason. Going from the western meat eating diet, to a Korea vegetable and rice eating diet has been a huge reason why I have gone from weighing 95kgs and feeling and looking like a slob, to weighing 75kgs and being in the best shape of my life.

Back home I would eat a lot of fast food, a lot of meat, a lot of bread. I would eat vegetables but not at every meal. I did work out, about as much as I do here, so that isnt a factor. Here, I dont eat much meat. I have several kinds of vegetable dishes at every meal (several kinds of kimchee, bean sprouts, etc). I also eat a lot of tofu, fish, squid, and other seafood.

I went to Europe for 2 months and had to eat wetern food every day, and I saw my body quickly returning to its old state.

[Emma Clare]

[kangnamdragon]

This is very interesting. I think I look younger when I live in Korea. I am a man and I admit I moisturize sometimes because it is needed in winter. I don't drink a lot, but do drink soju like a Korean sometimes. I agree that the sauna is good, at least once a week. I have no white hairs. So, it must be the children which is causing a lot of stress for so many teachers. Eat more kimchi...it is good for you skin.

[Swiss James]

I think living in a country where you don't speak the language and are constantly trying to decipher everything is tiring. I've noticed that I need more sleep now than I did back home, and it reached a peak when I first learnt the alphabet and started to trying to read every damn sign and leaflet I saw.

[rapier]

My preffered exercise is a long run in the warm sunshine and fresh air, with nice scenery to compliment it. Not an option in korea generally. thus, i am probably at my least healthiest now for a long time. The very cold weather outdoors is also not motivating for exercise.
Work/ living in Korea- related stresses prompt me to smoke more than usual. also bad.
Yup, korea makes you ugly.

[Kwangjuchicken]

It's all part of their experiments. THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.

[ratslash]

me too. more wrinkles and lines than ever. i nearly look my age!

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

sorry, but you were ugly when you got here...

[The Man known as The Man]