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Blue Flower
Joined: 23 Feb 2003
Location: The realisation that I only have to endure two more weeks in this filthy, perverted, nasty place!
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 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Psy wrote: |
It grates to be called a waygookin and stared at. So what? You just had a sample of what most minorities have and are enduring in many of their own countries.
Sure it sucks. Ignore it, laugh about it, or put up with it as many of the people here already have. If you ask most people now, I doubt they notice or even care anymore. Silly waygookin.  |
True - but I would never stop, stare, point, and then say "OOooh, (insert minority here)". To quote sarah in korea, its totally uncool. and irritating. especially when followed with the hello chorus. Children i can understand, but its the adults that bother me the most. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| I hear waegook far too often in one day: i hate that word, its a label Koreans give to us to dismiss, exclude, ridicule or otherwise treat us..... |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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you know, I can understand the stares. I still remember the first time I was in itaewon and I was staring at the african american people because I hadn't seen any in real life before, just on TV.
It depends on the tone of the situation. If it's a sleazy 'you russian?' then I really feel disgusting.
Kids as well, you can sense if it's agressive or just genuine surprise.
The bizzare one I got once was german. Apparently blue eyes+tall=german.
CLG
Last edited by crazylemongirl on Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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I really would think that all these "I hate being called a foreigner" debates would hold a lot more water if Western people didn't tend to refer to people as Asians and blacks. It's the same thing to me, and, even though I rarely get the weigook treatment, it doesn't bother me in the slightest, so long as they don't have any attitude or judgements behind it.
People don't write down your name when you order photos? Damn, Seoul seems like such a heartless place to be sometimes... |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| I really would think that all these "I hate being called a foreigner" debates would hold a lot more water if Western people didn't tend to refer to people as Asians and blacks. It's the same thing to me, and, even though I rarely get the weigook treatment, it doesn't bother me in the slightest, so long as they don't have any attitude or judgements behind it. |
The thing is, it is a judgment. "I judge that it is easier for me to categorize you as someone 'not Korean', even though that is absolutely irrelevant to the business at hand, rather than to recognize our shared humanity".
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| People don't write down your name when you order photos? Damn, Seoul seems like such a heartless place to be sometimes... |
If you were an amputee, and you are known as "The Cripple" instead of your name, would that make your day? |
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Corporal
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| I really would think that all these "I hate being called a foreigner" debates would hold a lot more water if Western people didn't tend to refer to people as Asians and blacks. |
If it's relevant to the situation, we refer to them as Asians and blacks. If it's not, we don't mention it. We don't say "yeah so I was having a drink with my black friend the other day..." the way Koreans do if they had a drink with us. If we work in customer service we don't say "There's an Asian person here who needs some assistance..." |
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Butterfly
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: Kuwait
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| dogbert wrote: |
| Psy wrote: |
Not meaning to be offensive but,
The thing that I find is that many Americans/Canadians, etc. seem to have the sense that whereever they go, they expect to be accepted with open arms.
It grates to be called a waygookin and stared at. So what? You just had a sample of what most minorities have and are enduring in many of their own countries.
Sure it sucks. Ignore it, laugh about it, or put up with it as many of the people here already have. If you ask most people now, I doubt they notice or even care anymore. Silly waygookin. |
Wow...guess I've been schooled. |
I guess you have Dogs  I have found myself biting my tongue not to use that expression. He's a catchy fellow, that Mr. Thanks.
I liked your post actually though Dogbert, we become a premise on which others can make conversation because their lives are so dull, something different. I suppose they don't see foreigners that often, so we become a talking point. That said, I'm quite sure the dull old fishwives back in England do it as well. My Grandfather does, tells me on the phone, "I saw these Koreans (could be any asians I'm sure) on the bus today, this lovely young lady had a smashing smile, do you think she eats dog meat?"
Last edited by Butterfly on Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, in good old Gwangju, you hear it often enough. Though to be honest a lot more when I first came here, than now. I think a lot of if is their own insecurity in seeing or dealing with a foreigner, and hence in nervousness that speaks out loud the obvious. |
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Kimchi Cha Cha
Joined: 15 May 2003
Location: was Suncheon, now Brisbane
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| crazylemongirl wrote: |
The bizzare one I got once was german. Apparently blue eyes+tall=german.
CLG |
I have had some funny queries on my nationality since I've been here. I've been told my face looks Chinese (I can't see it myself but thanks anyway); asked if I'm American, Canadian, British (all fair enough assumptions); Spanish, German (reasonable, creative assumptions); or Filipino (just what have you been smokin'!).
Rarely people get my nationality right at first pick. For the record, I'm a caucasian Australian guy with a tan. I guess the tan made the cab driver think I'm Filipino.  |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| dogbert wrote: |
| Quote: |
| People don't write down your name when you order photos? Damn, Seoul seems like such a heartless place to be sometimes... |
If you were an amputee, and you are known as "The Cripple" instead of your name, would that make your day? |
So, you want everyone to know your name? Holy crap...
Also, whether or not you enjoy being called a foreigner depends a lot on how much negativity you feel that the word carries. Personally, I see it as a pretty neutral word, in relevant situations.
Which ties in with what Corporal was saying, and what I agree with. How relevant is the fact that you're foreign to the situation? I would totally agree that having myself referred to as a foreigner when I walk in to buy ice cream would be asanine, but in some cases it just doesn't bother me. If two people are talking about me on the subway, and they don't know my name, what should they say in Korean?
A: "Hey, look at that guy...he's huge."
B: "Who?"
A: "That guy. Over there. Sitting next to the girl with the goofy hat."
B: "What guy?"
A: "That guy!"
If someone calls me weigook instead, no sweat off my snack.
Apparently, though, you don't like the word, and there's not much I can do about that.
Last edited by Zyzyfer on Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:07 am Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| dogbert wrote: |
| Quote: |
| People don't write down your name when you order photos? Damn, Seoul seems like such a heartless place to be sometimes... |
If you were an amputee, and you are known as "The Cripple" instead of your name, would that make your day? |
So, you want everyone to know your name? Holy crap... |
I think you're missing my point. I was trying to get across the same point Corporal made.
Let's try this again.....Nigerian man goes into Walmart in Anytown, U.S.A., drops off his photos. Instead of writing down his name on the package, the clerk just scribbles out "black".
Aside from the potential confusion if another similarly pigmented customer comes in that day, ... aw, f*ck it, you obviously don't get it. It has jack all to do with wanting my name known.
| Quote: |
Also, whether or not you enjoy being called a foreigner depends a lot on how much negativity you feel that the word carries. Personally, I see it as a pretty neutral word, in relevant situations.
Which ties in with what Corporal was saying, and what I agree with. How relevant is the fact that you're foreign to the situation? I would totally agree that having myself referred to as a foreigner when I walk in to buy ice cream would be asanine, but in some cases it just doesn't bother me.
Apparently, though, you don't like the word, and there's not much I can do about that. |
Dude, I'm not asking you to do anything. If you agree with Corporal and I agree with Corporal, then we agree. |
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Kwangjuchicken
Joined: 01 Sep 2003
Location: I was abducted by aliens on my way to Korea and forced to be an EFL teacher on this crazy planet.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| weatherman wrote: |
| Well, in good old Gwangju, you hear it often enough. Though to be honest a lot more when I first came here, than now. I think a lot of if is their own insecurity in seeing or dealing with a foreigner, and hence in nervousness that speaks out loud the obvious. |
However, when someone sees me and calls me "Chicken" I consider it an honor. |
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dogbert
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:40 am Post subject: |
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| Zyzyfer wrote: |
Which ties in with what Corporal was saying, and what I agree with. How relevant is the fact that you're foreign to the situation? I would totally agree that having myself referred to as a foreigner when I walk in to buy ice cream would be asanine, but in some cases it just doesn't bother me. If two people are talking about me on the subway, and they don't know my name, what should they say in Korean?
A: "Hey, look at that guy...he's huge."
B: "Who?"
A: "That guy. Over there. Sitting next to the girl with the goofy hat."
B: "What guy?"
A: "That guy!"
If someone calls me weigook instead, no sweat off my snack. |
Since you've put out a new example now....yeah, in that situation it is understandable. But that kind of situation is not what I've been talking about, is it?
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| Apparently, though, you don't like the word, and there's not much I can do about that. |
I addressed this before too, but I'll tell you why I don't like it much.
I know that I am a foreigner in this country. I am appropriately called a "foreigner" and similarly, I don't refer to Koreans in Korea as "foreigners" since they aren't.
I go back to North America. I'm no longer a "foreigner". Many Koreans I see milling around, however, are "foreigners". Yet I don't go around giddy with excitement reminding them and others of that every second. In fact, I'm unlikely to refer to their nationality/ethnicity at all.
Yet, those same Koreans will continue to refer to me as a "foreigner" in the land of my birth while not once grasping the idea that a person of Korean birth could ever be considered a "foreigner" anywhere in the world. So, that's why I don't like the word "foreigner" and, actually, it's not the word itself, but the Korean worldview it encapsules. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:59 am Post subject: |
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| komtengi wrote: |
I dont mind being called a waegookin.... I hate being called a miguk saram.....  |
I ahte this too. When I hear it I turn and say "wooooow! Ilbon saram i da!!!" they usually respond in the negative and then I pretend that I dont understand them, "ilbon mal mulla!" This really gets them going. They take it so seriously. At that point I let them know where I am really from. |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 2:02 am Post subject: |
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| Hate to point this out..but..we are foreigners here.... |
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