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lostandforgotten
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
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 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:29 am Post subject: Using the "because you're a Foreigner" argument al |
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| Can Westerners/Foreigners listen to a problem without using the 'foreigner' argument to justify a problem all the time? Having both Korean and foreigner friends, I know that many of the problems westerners/foreigners face in Korea is sometimes not a 'foreigner' thing but a Korean thing as well because many Koreans also go through what many 'foreigners' go through. I become disappointed and hopeless each time I share my problem with a westerner because it's the same old "because you're a foreigner" argument all over again and it really gets tiring after a while. I've given up opening up about my issues/problems to a westerner. It's a waste of time, effort and energy. |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:33 am Post subject: Re: Using the "because you're a Foreigner" argumen |
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| lostandforgotten wrote: |
| I become disappointed and hopeless each time I share my problem with a westerner because it's the same old "because you're a foreigner" argument all over again and it really gets tiring after a while. |
How about giving us specific examples of what you're talking about.
Being required to pay a 200,000 deposit on cellphones isn't a problem Korean have.
Being required to pay 1-3 years of cable/satellite service upfront isn't a problem Koreans have.
Being refused international ATM cards isn't a problem Koreans have.
Being refused letters of release isn't a problem Koreans have.
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Zaria32
Joined: 04 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:17 am Post subject: |
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| You only had to pay a 200,000 won deposit? Gee, I'm jealous. After a year of on time payments, KT demanded a 400,000 won deposit or another Korean co-signer... |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:00 am Post subject: |
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If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here.
most waeguks look like they've just camped out in the woods for 2 weeks and then been dragged through a hedge backwards.
remember, in korea, if you leave the house looking like a tramp, you get treated like one. |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:14 am Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here.
most waeguks look like they've just camped out in the woods for 2 weeks and then been dragged through a hedge backwards.
remember, in korea, if you leave the house looking like a tramp, you get treated like one. |
Whatever! I wear 80% polyester Korean suits with a pink shirt and pastel flowered necktie, have my hair trimmed into an awkward bowl cut, and use moisturizers and lotions after completely shaving my face and body. That doesn't stop me from getting told I need a cosigner on my cellular service or a stamp on my passport to send money home. |
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Young FRANKenstein
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
| If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here. |
Yeah, the policies I outlined above don't apply if you wear a suit.  |
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it's full of stars
Joined: 26 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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I like to wear jeans, short-sleeved shirts and Ts, boots or trainers. Not too different from the average Korean Joe. All the idiots wearing suits just haven't been home to get changed after work, tramps.
I'd rather look very casual than be hot and sweaty after a hard day inputting data. |
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Grab the Chickens Levi
Joined: 29 Apr 2008
Location: Ilsan
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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| djsmnc wrote: |
| nautilus wrote: |
If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here.
most waeguks look like they've just camped out in the woods for 2 weeks and then been dragged through a hedge backwards.
remember, in korea, if you leave the house looking like a tramp, you get treated like one. |
Whatever! I wear 80% polyester Korean suits with a pink shirt and pastel flowered necktie, have my hair trimmed into an awkward bowl cut, and use moisturizers and lotions after completely shaving my face and body. That doesn't stop me from getting told I need a cosigner on my cellular service or a stamp on my passport to send money home. |
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flakfizer
Joined: 12 Nov 2004
Location: scaling the Cliffs of Insanity with a frayed rope.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:28 pm Post subject: Re: Using the "because you're a Foreigner" argumen |
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| lostandforgotten wrote: |
| Can Westerners/Foreigners listen to a problem without using the 'foreigner' argument to justify a problem all the time? Having both Korean and foreigner friends, I know that many of the problems westerners/foreigners face in Korea is sometimes not a 'foreigner' thing but a Korean thing as well because many Koreans also go through what many 'foreigners' go through. I become disappointed and hopeless each time I share my problem with a westerner because it's the same old "because you're a foreigner" argument all over again and it really gets tiring after a while. I've given up opening up about my issues/problems to a westerner. It's a waste of time, effort and energy. |
Are you opening up about your issue/problem to us westerners? |
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blurgalurgalurga
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here.
most waeguks look like they've just camped out in the woods for 2 weeks and then been dragged through a hedge backwards.
remember, in korea, if you leave the house looking like a tramp, you get treated like one. |
Not true man, I look like a fifteen-year-dead Curt Cobain exhumed and dressed in a kid's hobo halloween costume, and still I have people lining up to kiss my ass. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:11 am Post subject: |
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I just have been told that to keep my Visa card i have to pay Three years of fee in one go, in advance, cause i am a foreigner.
That is 290.000.....
How fair is that? My wife was gong stir crazy when i told her that such demands are illegal and that we should take counseling to see if we can chance these peoples minds on this subject.
On top of that, they never told me this when i signed up for it, and i have the VISA for three months now. |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 2:21 am Post subject: |
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| djsmnc wrote: |
Whatever! I wear 80% polyester Korean suits with a pink shirt and pastel flowered necktie, have my hair trimmed into an awkward bowl cut, and use moisturizers and lotions after completely shaving my face and body. That doesn't stop me from getting told I need a cosigner on my cellular service or a stamp on my passport to send money home. |
You're mad!
Foreigners sweat and stink. That's why we have our own coutries. With everyone stinking so much it's a mutual stink-up, nobody notices individual stinky elements. |
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anyway
Joined: 22 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:17 am Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
If foreigners looked after their appearance more, they'd get treated better here.
most waeguks look like they've just camped out in the woods for 2 weeks and then been dragged through a hedge backwards.
remember, in korea, if you leave the house looking like a tramp, you get treated like one. |
Do you mean like a foreign tramp or a Korean tramp? |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:11 am Post subject: |
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| anyway wrote: |
Do you mean like a foreign tramp or a Korean tramp? |
Dunno but I get embarrassed when I see half the foreigners out and about in: ragged jeans topped off with tatty sneakers, stubble and wild hair, sweaty T-shirts or knee-length short pants and flip-flops: hippy/heavy metal fashion statements etc.
It looks stupid, ugly, tatty, and very low status.
Ifd you insist on dressing casual..try mixing in at least a touch of class. wear a jacket with jeans for example. or an ironed shirt with your 5 yr old pumas.
Seriously, I have always noticed the difference between how koreans ..and any nationality for that matter..react to a smart appearance and how they react to its opposite.
its not everything, sure, but it accounts for a lot. In the west credibility hangs on a disregard for appearances. Not so here.
Korea finds the garbage pail kids in its midst. Is it any wonder they assume most foreigners don't take their work, or being here, seriously? |
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yoja
Joined: 30 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:31 am Post subject: |
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...react[ion] to a smart appearance and ... to its opposite...[is] not everything, sure, but it accounts for a lot. In the west credibility hangs on a disregard for appearances. Not so here.
Korea finds the garbage pail kids in its midst. Is it any wonder they assume most foreigners don't take their work, or being here, seriously? |
You are absolutely right. It has been my experience that Koreans (in general) have elevated making assumptions and judging themselves and others, based solely on appearances, to an art. Thus, as you point out, why should we be surprised when they also apply their assumptions and judgments to foreigners who do not share their culture?
However, I must disagree with the implication that those who have been judged are responsible for the resulting judgment(s). Feel free to judge me all you want. Just don't expect me to care. I didn't come to Korea because I'm looking for approval from Koreans, or from anyone else, for that matter. I don't care if Bogey666 finds my body hot or not. I don't care whether or not Koreans think I'm a trendsetter when it comes to fashion. Quite frankly, I also don't care if anyone makes ASSUMPTIONS regarding my work when those assumptions are BASED SOLELY ON MY APPEARANCE.
Regarding the OP: I wonder if the underlying issue that is frustrating you with the whole "because you're a foreigner" argument/justification is that it logically follows that the solution is out of your control (no matter what you do, you'll ALWAYS be a foreigner in Korea) and therefore you are unable to make any changes that would positively impact your problem. If you were able to find some way to take action or responsibility to help resolve your situation (whatever that might be), it may seem less frustratingly futile to you.
My own experience in Korea tells me that there are some problems or situations that it is possible for me to positively impact, and there are some that are not possible for me to effectively change, aside from my attitude about them. It can be frustrating, as apathy doesn't come easily to me.
Good luck with finding a resolution for whatever it is that is causing you to struggle. |
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