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Are people leaving/giving up?

 
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somerandomguy



Joined: 02 May 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:40 pm    Post subject: Are people leaving/giving up? Reply with quote

Now I want to preface this by saying I am NOT bailing out on my first Korean trip...

But the protests are starting to make real headlines here in the U.S., and I'm just wondering if any folks are rethinking their decision to head over to Korea. Those of you who are already there, are your directors having more trouble finding teachers? Are people canceling their commitments?

I'm going, no matter what, I'm just curious what this is doing to the market.
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Insidejohnmalkovich



Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: Pusan

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The protests are meaningless outside of the television news. They do not effect my day-to-day life or work in Korea at all. I never was able to buy American beef in my grocery stores here before, I still am not. <shrugs>
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's grating. It's annoying.

It reminds you that you are living in one of the most childish nations on Earth, where the people can be controlled far too easily.

If the US left, this country would find itself at war with somebody within two years. It would be a big mess.
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree that the protests are not having an effect on our daily lives. Some people are posting that the topic is still big for discussions at their schools, but outside of that we are not getting much spill-over effect.

Koreans are quite good at separating how they feel about American people and how they feel about American political policies. Besides, the anger is directed at their own government.

So far we are still safe to quote Alfred E. Newman: What, me worry?
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ya-ta Boy wrote:

Koreans are quite good at separating how they feel about American people and how they feel about American political policies.



Like hell they are. I remember a certain song from not too long ago...
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KYC



Joined: 11 May 2006

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is a childish country. Koreans are like sheeps.

It doesn't affect my daily life and I don't allow it in the classroom. It came up once and I put an end to it.

Student: Teacher! American cows crazy!
Me: Really? Well, I think you're crazy!

Entire class laughed and he was embarrassed. Never brought up again.
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Dome Vans
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
where the people can be controlled far too easily.


Where the hell are you talking about? Korea, China, America, Britain.......I think you'll find it's all of the them BE. Gross generalisation.

To the OP nobody's going anywhere. Korea is perfectly safe for foreigners. Yesterday I went fruit shopping at the shop the shop keeper gave me loads of extra fruit kiwi's, cherries etc because he said I was 'beautiful'. Ahh! Yep, there seems to be extreme hatred here for foreigners.


Last edited by Dome Vans on Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Draz



Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lots of people are leaving but it is not because of the protests.
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Like hell they are. I remember a certain song from not too long ago...


Oh no! A song! Run away Exclamation Run away Exclamation

You exceeded your frequent silliness with that comment.
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Cracker006



Joined: 11 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bassexpander wrote:


If the US left, this country would find itself at war with somebody within two years. It would be a big mess.


You're being generous. You think they'd last 2 years?

As far as my life goes...

I've seen some plastic cows with a Korean flag draped over them.
I get asked by students if it's safe to eat american meat.

People around where I live haven't changed their general behavior towards me in the slightest.
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michael5799042



Joined: 16 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am leaving, but the drop in the Korean currency was a bigger factor for me.
I figure if I am not saving a lot here I may as well live in an enjoyable country.

This country has no resources other than people, so it must trade with other countries. So, with resource prices all time highs and a protectionist population the future for Korea does not look good to me. I will wait and see and if things turn around I may come back.

The mad cow thing is annoying, but like the other posters said it has not affected my daily life.
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

those morons are affecting my life almost every day. My school is right near kyungbok palace and chong wa dae and it is a major pain in the butt getting there in a cab, between the police blockades and the traffic it turns a 15 minute 4000 won cab ride into a 45 minute 8000 won odyssey. i can take the subway but its a real roundabout way to get hime

today i dread having to give a final at 7P i may wind walking home
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creeper1



Joined: 30 Jan 2007

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah there are loads of people leaving.

It probably has nothing to do with politics though. People come and go all the time. The expat community is a transient one. Some people go back home others to another country.

They are replaced by others coming over. Etc, etc over and over.
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Lekker



Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It has been more of a hassle recently with the new visa regulations, but people who have been here for over a year and plan on staying for another find it easier as time goes on. Koreans are always complaining about something. Foreigners have been here for a while. The ones who CONSTANTLY complain EVERY DAY are the ones who have been fed with a silver spoon their entire life and are the ones who usually jump ship after 6 months.
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indytrucks



Joined: 09 Apr 2003
Location: The Shelf

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dome Vans wrote:
Yesterday I went fruit shopping at the shop the shop keeper gave me loads of extra fruit kiwi's, cherries etc because he said I was 'beautiful'. Ahh! Yep, there seems to be extreme hatred here for foreigners.


Word. I spent last long weekend at Songnisan National Park, where it was unusually (or so I thought due to the holiday) quiet in the evenings. The amount of smiling, laughing and service stuff me and my mate got from various reatuarants and chicken hofs was astounding, not to mention the generally pleasant attitude from the crowds of hikers we encountered during the day. We were the only foreigners we saw the whole time. We could have, or should have if you listen to half the shit you see around here, been a fairly easy target.
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