Korean Job Discussion Forums

MA_TESOL · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Location: Seoul

I did not have my act together in H.S., I was a bit of an ooutcast. A scrawny kind who smoked on campus, ran with others like myself. Of course, I wanted to be one of the popular jocks with the lettermen jackets, but I was just a scrawny kid. If at at that time we had a "Who is most likely not to succeed" contest, I am sure I would have been a front runner. Fortunately, I was a late bloomer. I eventually matured a bit and got a degree and completed graduate school. I never became a "jock", but I got a lot of PADI Diving certs and got into lots of long distance hiking competitions. Thank God high school is not the defining point of our lives.

I wish I knew what all those popular kids were doing now.

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject:

*shrug*

I played on the soccer and football teams, worked out in the gym with them jocks but was marginal to the subculture; my best friend since elementary school turned into a headbanger wannabe so he and I argued a bit about where us best buds would sit sometimes at lunchtime in the cafeteria, ending up with the weird metalheads (ugh) or the nerdy D&D guys (I was school chess champion cuz my excellent-playin' engineer-minded dad taught me the game real young) or at times floated, but always the two of us together. Best buds. Very Happy

Junior high and senior high is so much easier if you have a wing man. I had a pretty significant role in the grade 10 drama (Reverend Parris in the Crucible) and a comedic role in the grade 11 play (the bumblin' sargeant in Teahouse of the August Moon, with two funny scenes to pull off) but opted out of grade 12's West Side Story because no way was I gonna sing! That was just a recipe for ridicule. I was in honours math so I knew the drama nerds and math geeks but was again marginal to those subcommunities. I dressed like a prep. I think I could have ran for prez or vice-prez if I wanted to, not because I was popular but because I knew everyone. I didn't have any enemies in high school. It helped that the most popular guy in school was captain of the football team I was on and in my honors math class so he twice spoke up in my defense when someone tried to challenge me: "He's alright" he said, and that was that. The metalwork shop boys thereafter left me alone (the only subculture I didn't ever hang with). I always found it easy to talk with people, to chat across subcultures, people often saying I should be a teacher or a salesman, I eventually becoming a journalist and then - gasp - a teacher. I wasn't a teacher's pet because I talked too much in class, but got A-/B+ in most subjects (as long as I got 80% I was happy). I was embarrassed to receive some English lit award in grade 10, having to stand in front of the assembly (gawd that was hard to live down, was teased for years, my school being a grade 8-12 school where memories were long).

What was I then? I felt like I didn't fit in totally in any group and avoided landmines every day. I think I was a keener. But I certainly tried not to seem so. My girlfriend went to a different school and I sure was happy when high school ended. It was like a pressure release valve had been opened. I've felt free ever since.

I was clearly a teacher's pet in university, the philosophy major who asked a thousand questions and did extra background reading and challenged the prof's assertions (I was a weak prof's nightmare). The rules are so different in college than grade school. It was wonderful. I always loved a good-natured competition. I'd have been a boxer if the gloves were puffier: never wanted to hurt someone else. I was a nice guy determined not to finish last.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject:

I was with you OP, high school totally sucked except the heavy metal on MTV, playing guitar, and smokin' pot with the hoodlums part.

Those pretty boys in their lettermen jackets wearing pink polos had parents with a little more money and home structure than those of us who didn't get very involved in high school nor compete on their level. I was an outcast too with my long hair, dysfunctional home life, divorced parents, alcoholic mother, step dad who hated me, older brothers and sister who dropped out of school in the 8th or 9th grade, one older brother who was always in trouble with the police for stealing, no adequate or appropriate clothing, no school supplies, and I was compared and judged by my siblings and parents character. It was a rough way to go, but I persevered and fought to the end with the goal of graduating or dying. No if's, ands, or buts about it, because I was determined to break free from the low class, poverty stricken existence I was born into with a huge disappointment I was dealt this challenge while most people were happy and doing just fine. I was the only one out of 4 who got a HS diploma and college degrees. It was a long arduous uphill battle and the rich kids ended up respecting me in the end and the richest one I grew up with has even been my best friend for the past 15 years and now is my brother in law. It took several years for the wealthy in-laws to accept my sister, but all that tension around social status conflict of interests we had 20 to 25 years ago is dissolved.

I didn't go to the gym, the school exempted me from having to take gym class due to being a reject, didn't play sports, didn't go to dances, get involved with any clubs, didn't buy a class ring, didn't get year books, didn't get my photo taken, didn't go to prom, didn't go on senior trip, and just stuck with the poorest kids as friends. I learned zilch in high school and was passed just for my attendance as they were happy to get some more funds as I pointed this out in 9th grade that I could drop and it's all a loss so you might as well pass me. They let me do what ever I wanted, even work a full time factory job during the day in my senior year! They said I had enough credits to graduate and go do work study since I needed money. I had a lot of catching up to do when I got into college as it took me 5 years due to having to take basic courses like pre-algebra on account of not passing assessment entrance exams.

Today, most of those people I went to school with have big pot bellies, weigh 300+ pounds, the ones with rich parents live easy on that money, others work in public services like utilities, a couple are teachers, some are career military, and a few became white collar workers, but most stayed in the same town and never traveled nor did anything with their lives.

They're quite surprised how I ended up...

MA_TESOL · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Location: Seoul

wow, sojourner, sounds so much like me. I came from a single parent family and am the only one, except my 2 uncles to graduate from college. That includes all my counsins. We were poor and I worked all through HS to pay for clothes etc. Life was rough when I was young, but it has improved year by year and I am grateful

positive · Joined: 05 Nov 2008

I'm stoked that high school wasn't the apex of my life.

SO STOKED.

College was amazing, and teaching English in Korea is incredible. If I smile any more, I'm gonna have wrinkles by the time I'm 26.

nolegirl · Joined: 17 Apr 2008

sharkey · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

i was a gun in high school, university and now.

super athletic, good looking, easy going , just a dream child really

Koveras · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

bundangbabo · Joined: 01 Jun 2008

I grew up in 1980s England - went to a state comprehensive in Wigan - a town with high unemployment and whose industries were crushed by Thatcher so no teacher tried telling us we could reach for the stars - even the bright kids were not going to partake in any grandiose dreams of achievement.

I was a fat kid with an afro, I wasn't a fighter in a place where you had to be - but I could fight though - I just didn't like hurting people even if they wanted to hurt me - I got expelled for knocking out and nearly killing a fellow pupil who was spitting his phelgm in my face - this situation with this cretin had been carrying on for 18 months or so and it came to a head where I had to do something. I must have won 20 out of around 22 fights in school but walked away from a 100 more, I was a sensitive kid in a place where it was seen as weakness and to be exploited. They weren't happy times even if in hindsight I learned a lot about human nature.

I didn't date and had no interest - which I'm grateful for because that was one other problem I could have done without - dating and girls - the girls weren't interested in any of us as they all had GI boyfriends from the USAF base down the road.

I hated the lessons except history - I wasn't stupid and was a avid reader of everything who loved the library so even at a young age I was well learned on a wide range of subjects but I wasn't down to pass one GCSE before getting kicked out.

The teachers had my future down as sweeping the streets - who was I to argue - 12 years in the state education system had my psyche doctored
to such an extent that I wasn't going to argue with their assesments - the careers advisor got me an interview with the abbatoir - I went and joined the army instead.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I was a well-liked nerd and probably still am a nerd.

I was a nerd because those were the people I mostly hung with and we ran our Commodore 64s ragged (actually, I had a Commodore 128). I was well-liked by the other groups because I often made smart-ass comments in class.

samcheokguy · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Location: Samcheok G-do

-I was the sort of nerd who got laid before playing d&d. Even though d&d was a much higher priority. In fact all through university I spent so much time trying to play d&d or join a rick band, with so little success, I realize I should have been chasing girls, as I had a far better success rate than my 'nerd' friends with women.
-Now I'm in Korea with no girls, no d&d, and no band.
*drinks*

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Some good stories. Interesting that people will share personal stuff under a topic like this one. I suppose it is good to write about the past. There was a thread the same as this one before and for those who think they didn't fit in or whatever, I guess it's reassuring to see how many others felt the same.

High school wasn't so bad for me as I mainly kept to myself. I realized years later I had phobia around people. Usually one just gets called shy, but I figure it's more than that, and a pretty common thing too. It's not so bad now as I've found being quiet and polite much of the time to be often seen as a good thing.

One drawback was the separation of kids back then based on religious denomination. It's easy to see how crazy and absurd that was. We had a sanctimonious fool for a principal who didn't like non-Roman Catholics entering the school. Crosses and statues of Jesus and all that nonsense. The other school in my small town had twice as many students and my friends went there. Yet nobody disliked me, I'm sure, despite being one not to mix much. They probably liked that I would let them copy my math homework or something. I also played some sports. One sort of fond memory was that the other students often wanted to hear me read aloud in Lit class. Maybe when I read Hamlet and said, "Tomorrow and tomorrow and again," I was considered entertaining at times.

Jesus, 20 years can go by fast.

JMO · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

I smoked alot of hash because of my brother and later did alot of tablets in final year and first year of uni. I had a thousand part time jobs. In first year got into alot of fights, winning none, but getting in a few good shots and making a few friends once we had chilled out. Made one life long friend and alot of people i call when i get home.

I cried for like a week when my mom told me i had to go to the high school i went to rather than the one all my primary school normally went to. She made the right choice though. It was better academically and i'm sure i would have left school early like my two older brothers at the other one. On the other hand, they make alot more money than me.

It was a convent school that looked onto a beach. The girl's uniforms were sweet. I would go back to final year for a week if i could..mainly cos i miss smoking having quit at 21 and there is absolutely nothing like skipping afternoon classes to have a beer and smoke on the beach with a few good men/girls.

Went to a uni where i also didn't know anyone and smoked more hash and did many many more tabs. Good, good times.

mithridates · Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:51 am Post subject:

Kind of like the_beaver above except I was a banger and all my friends were girls. After gr. 10 I went to the best high school in the city where we didn't have class on Fridays (had a school meeting every Friday instead), called the teachers by their first names, recycled nearly everything and studied mostly on our own.