Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ytuque]

I am teaching a workshop for uni students who will be going abroad (mostly to the US) for a one year internship. I have 2 male students who are rather effeminate, and I see them occassionally holding hands during class among other things.

Would you tell these students to avoid this behavior in public while in the states?

[IncognitoHFX]

[Newbie]

I would warn them in as polite a way as possible.

Make it sound like what they're doing is okay, but that Yanks are freaky and won't understand.

[M-su]

I would tell them to read my awesome thread!

[ytuque]

They could be going to any number of cities in the US. I am primarily worried about their physical safety, and secondly, they do need to fit into whatever work environment they find themselves.

There is a possibility of getting into trouble if I have a discussion with them about this, regardless of whether it's a polite or very blunt discussion. Many Koreans refuse to believe that there are Korean homosexuals, and many FTs would think that I am some anti-Korean bigot for thinking this behavior is gay. This could cause some serious problems at work.

[garykasparov]

This is not an issue you should risk your job over.

[bogey666]

[bogey666]

[inthezone]

I would tell them to get a room

Seriously though the other poster is right, leave them to it. Not your problem. Not worth the hassle and you could end up coming out the worst.

[bogey666]

the scary thing is they may not even be real homosexuals.

I see this in Korea (perhaps not to this extent, but similar stuff) among my male high school students all the time.

but they may not necessarily be homosexual.

Just a sub species of the average Korean male (which is frightening and amusing all at the same time)

[Raeddie]

I remember when I first came to Korea as a soldier. It was a huge culture shock to see all the Korean male soldiers hugging and holding hands.

[ytuque]

The really scary thing is that they might get the sh*t kicked out of them, regardless of whether they are gay or just appear to be gay.

[Draz]

[I_Am_The_Kiwi]

do a lesson on western culture and what is deemed acceptable and what people find strange

[thatwhitegirl]

My high school students do stuff like this all the time (all-boys HS). Unless I look at them funny, no one notices. But if I look at them questioningly, they sit up straight and take their hands off each other. I don't say anything though, but they other students laugh and call them gay...which I never taught them.
Chinese do it too, as do many other Asians.

I think the idea of a class on appropriate physical behavior in western cultures is a good one. They'll find it interesting, and you can raise their awareness.