Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Zulethe]

This is in no way intended to knock Koreans but simply to give some sage advice

If you're new to Korea and you think that your fellow Korean workers can answer your questions, think again.

Case in point. I studied everything about the visa procedure before I came here. I told my coteacher yet he refused to listen to me. He took me to immigration before I got my medical check....

I told him that I could get a Korean driver's license by simply taking a written test and exchanging my American license for a Korean one. He told me that I'd have to take a driving test and a written exam written in Korean.

I asked about a health club near my house. He took me to one about two miles away, which the last English teacher used saying it was the closest to my house. On my second night here, I walk 100 meters down the street and guess what I found....

He told me that it was impossible to get cable at my house. I speak Korean and all the neighbors in my building have it.

He told me I had to have mail sent to the school. Not true, there's a mail box for me at my complex.

I have wi-fi and am lucky enough to get a free signal. He insisted that I continue to pay for the plug in variety that the last English teacher used in my apartment.

Yeah, stupid right? I should have stopped asking him questions after number two above.

I'm not saying everyone is like this, just a cautionary note that your fellow Korean workers may not be giving you accurate information.

Z

[T-J]

And your example is different from half the posters on Dave's because??

[Bibbitybop]

[whatever]

T-J



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul


whatever...i'm calling bullshit on you speaking K.

[T-J]

I'm just saying that there are some people who offer advice or give answers to questions without knowing all the facts regardless of their nationality. It isn't really a dis on anyone just stating facts.

The only place it does bother me is in a store when asking a sales person for advice on products. I can't count the number of times I've asked the same question to three different sales people about a particular product and received three completely different answers.

To modify the OP's point a little, it is great advice to not rely on one person's information. Always get a second and third opinion, do your research, and don't rely on one person.

[Scotticus]

[Adventurer]

Why would you think about plugs up someone's arse? Anyway, as far as what the OP said, I have found many Koreans are not so inquisitive about different things and finding how things might be very different and taking a different perspective on things.

A friend of mine kept getting told a week before he was about to leave to Canada by his new Korean co-teacher that he needed to do some medical test. He got irritated and called the board, and she got chewed out, and she was upset that he called the education board or what have you.

I have experienced such things in the U.S. as well. It happens everywhere, but I have experienced such things on a much higher frequency here. I think more people in the U.S. would tend to investigate something before just giving an opinion or so they think this way, but they could be wrong about it or what have you.

[T-J]

[bjonothan]

If you are going to learn Korean, a similar rule applies. It is best to find someone that is real good and just listening to them. Years back when I arrived in Korea, I was told all kinds of weird things. Things like: People who use 4 characters together when writing aren't well educated and their Korean language skills are poor.

I can't count the number of times I was given stupid advice. I hope that this might help someone that might be serious about learning Korean.