Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Young FRANKenstein]

[hugekebab]

about korea ive had:

"isnt that a military dictatorship?"

"why?" (actually, maybe this was a good question, lol.)

"Did the earthquake get you?"

"Are there any ladyboys there?" (mixing it up with Thailand)

[RJjr]

It seems some in the US think we teach in Korea as some sort of humanitarian mission. I've heard things like, "Oh, that's so kind of you to go teach kids English."

[kentucker4]

My dad always tells me to watch my back when I walk home at night or go running at night. He says the minute I get too comfortble someone will mug me or something.

[ReeseDog]

[RJjr]

[freedomyears]

[Ruthdes]

My fave so far when I was home in Australia between contracts, talking to a guy I met in the pub:

Me: I've been working in Korea for a year.
Him: Oh! For an aid agency?
Me: Er, no...it's a first world country...

Ok, maybe my reply was a bit of an oversimplification. He did have the sense to be embarrassed by his question though

One of my favourite Korean questions is when my new students are asking me where I'm from (these are supposedly intelligent business people). This is how it has gone more than once:

Student: Where are you from?
Me: Where do you think I'm from? (if we've talked enough for them to have listened to my accent for a little while).
S: Are you from America?
Me: No
S: Canada?
M: No
S: Britain?
M: No
S: Germany? (I'm a natural blonde)
M: ???? How could I be teaching you English as a native speaker if I was from Germany?

I know that there's a very slight possibility of this being the case, but really? They guess Germany before Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa?

[jajdude]

Many people simply don't know any better and are probably just trying to make conversation. Ask me about various countries in Africa or South America, and elsewhere, and I'd be clueless too.

One guy in Canada I spoke to after my first year In Korea, though..."Oh, that's great, so you must be fluent in Korean, it's good to learn other languages."

Hmmm.....

And it's always,

where are you from?

Canada

Toronto? Vancouver?

Yes, all Canadians are from Toronto or Vancouver. They really ought to rename the country Torcouver.

[Fishead soup]

The misconseptions about Korea are pretty funny. Particularly when you are in hicksville.

Do they have televistions in Korea?
They make televisions in Korea.

My redneck brother in law said" You will probrubly end up in some bamboo hut in the middle of the jungle with a gook soldier guarding it".

Another person said" Do they wash their clothes in the river"

Surprisingly you still get lots of people saying the woman want to marry you for a Canadian passport.

[roadwork]