Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Janny]

My major intention was to blow off steam. I know, above all else, that bitching doesn't change or help anything. But it really feels good to know that a big group of people out there (the foreigner community) go through exactly the same thing. This is why I joined Dave's.

In the years I've been here, I reflect alot about my change in perspective. In the beginning, I was so vocal and outraged about the shit I see or experienced every day. I thought, "how the hell can things be this way?"

Now, I understand that it has NOTHING to do with me, and I have no place to change it or even voice my opinion. They are not interested.

I see and meet new teachers, and I listen to their confusion. They want answers. They can't begin to understand how I've been here so long.

Sometimes I can't believe it myself. But that's the way life goes. I just ...never wanted to be bored. And here...Im definitely never bored. Pissed off? Sometimes. But not bored.

[moosehead]

yeah, it never ceases to amaze me to read posts on here that I could have quite easily written myself - so many of us have exactly the same experience yet it might very well happen to us when we are alone therefore we don't necessarily see it as anything than just happenstance.

then we come on here and read how it happened to someone else, and then the responses of others who it also happened to and wow - it's like, jees - it's really NOT me -

it was a real turning point for me a couple of years ago when I realized just how truly messed up this place is - one has to have a special perseverance to deal with it - to press on, to keep trying - the rewards are few sometimes but it's good not to let it get you down -

everyone should live life on their own terms, don't let others dictate, ever.

[nautilus]

[Adventurer]

Sorry, but can someone explain to me what exactly happened. I read what the OP wrote, but I didn't quite catch what was up?

[nautilus]

[Sody]

[Justin Hale]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Bryan]

[Kuros]

[blaseblasphemener]

Janny,

I thought your post was honest, not mean-spirited, and true.

Thanks for sharing. We've all been there, but things turn around and then we feel better again, just like you implied.

Just curious, when you said you feel like a foreigner when you go back to Canada, what did you mean by that. I'd like to hear examples. Cheers!

[bobranger]

Cheer up Janny.

[Justin Hale]

[nautilus]

When you begin to open up to Koreans in a normal and natural way, they then do something to remind you that you are an alien... and you have to slam the door shut yet again.

A lot of it is the language barrier. Koreans constantly escape censure for all their xenophobia simply because we can't correct them articulately and on the spot in their language.

[Adventurer]

Well, this is Korea. We are not Koreans. Foreigners are still an oddity.
You can barely find foreign restaurants in many parts of Korea. I wasn't there when Janny dealt with those folks. Koreans generally don't bother me. Now, if someone points, I just think they are being low class, but kids don't really know any better in many cases. I kind of give the father a look if a kid points and the father usually tells the kid not to do that. I don't give the father a bad look, just a look that says it's not nice, and the parent usually realizes it.