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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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 Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:15 pm Post subject: Do other Westerners make you more anti Korean? |
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For the first 6 months I spent in this country, I couldn't love a place more.
I never went to expat bars, I had (with the exception of one person) exclusively Korean friends, and enjoyed my job. Although I still enjoy my job, and have decent Korean friends, I can't help but think that since I started frequenting the expat bars, my feelings about Korea have become more hostile. I am still enjoying life here, but those hostile feelings raise their ugly heads sometimes! Does anyone else agree, that an over exposure to Western people in Korea, can exacerbate anti Korean feeling? |
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tsgarp
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| It makes me hyper-sensitive about things that seemed very trivial before as wellas making me hate other foreigners more. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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| tsgarp wrote: |
| It makes me hyper-sensitive about things that seemed very trivial before as wellas making me hate other foreigners more. |
I agree on the hating other foreigners more. There are people I just wouldn't associate with back home, but because you are an "expat" and they are an "expat" people think you got to connect or something.
Some foreigners make me more frustrated at Koreans, but usually it is Koreans who make me hate Koreans. You know, the crazy drivers or con artists etc. |
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Patong Dong
Joined: 06 May 2003
Location: On Nut
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Other westerners are making me anti-Canadian. Not totally of course as I'm a born and raised Torontian. But even previous roomates I really liked just made me cringe at times when they had to knock the U.S. to American friends and they had to tell every Korean who was proud of their country that Korea could fit into Nova Scotia alone and on and on... |
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Cthulhu
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Pink wrote:
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| There are people I just wouldn't associate with back home, but because you are an "expat" and they are an "expat" people think you got to connect or something. |
There will probably be a lot of "amens" to that coming soon. 
Patong Dong wrote:
| Quote: |
| Other westerners are making me anti-Canadian. Not totally of course as I'm a born and raised Torontian. But even previous roomates I really liked just made me cringe at times when they had to knock the U.S. to American friends and they had to tell every Korean who was proud of their country that Korea could fit into Nova Scotia alone and on and on... |
And perhaps a few to that one too. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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I have to agree...I'm usually fairly happy associating with Koreans. Working at a school with other weagooks adds a whole new dynamic- you're expected to ally yourself with them and against the koreans, and they winge like crazy about every little thing...they exert a kind of peer pressure on you that was joyfully lacking when I was the only foreigner at my school. They all have advice on what you should do and why etc and think they are experts on korea and handling koreans...
A lot of friendships I've had with other westerners have actually been pretty shallow, acquintances of convenience. Sometimes you think you've made a genuine connection, but you never hear from them again the minute they fly out of Korea, and you realise that "friends made under starnge or extreme conditions" aren't actually real.
Apart from that, some western attitudes and behavior seems pig ignorant when compared to the ways of koreans... |
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Howard Roark
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Patong Dong wrote: |
| Other westerners are making me anti-Canadian. Not totally of course as I'm a born and raised Torontian. But even previous roomates I really liked just made me cringe at times when they had to knock the U.S. to American friends and they had to tell every Korean who was proud of their country that Korea could fit into Nova Scotia alone and on and on... |
Grrrr...I can't stand people like that! You meet a lot of them here too, not only Canadian either. I used to work with a guy who wailed and moaned every day "In Australia....in Australia....bla bla bla...well, in Australia". I just thought, hey if it's so great in Australia why don't you go there? I didn't say that of course...just thought it. This is by no means intended to insult Australians (I find you gotta be careful on this board sometimes) just an example that comes to mind.
I think that people tend to over-idealize their home countries when they visit another. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
| Some foreigners make me more frustrated at Koreans, but usually it is Koreans who make me hate Koreans. You know, the crazy drivers or con artists etc. |
Korean con artists? Any examples? |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:45 pm Post subject: yes |
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no, I don't want to be in ognorance of what has happened to other people.
Koreans make me anti Korean. Particular ones. |
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osangrl
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Location: osan
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I just find working with other expats makes it more difficult. The constant bitching....just makes the time go sooo slow. I love it now that im the only foreign teacher, well on Kyopo, but its soo much better. For me anyways. |
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kangnamdragon
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Working only with Koreans, I think they have made me more anti-Western. All my friends are Korean too. Seeing so many Koreans, there is no need to be "anti-Korean", but be against certain problems which Korea has, recognizing that every country has problems. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
I have to agree...I'm usually fairly happy associating with Koreans. Working at a school with other weagooks adds a whole new dynamic- you're expected to ally yourself with them and against the koreans, and they winge like crazy about every little thing...they exert a kind of peer pressure on you that was joyfully lacking when I was the only foreigner at my school. They all have advice on what you should do and why etc and think they are experts on korea and handling koreans...
A lot of friendships I've had with other westerners have actually been pretty shallow, acquintances of convenience. Sometimes you think you've made a genuine connection, but you never hear from them again the minute they fly out of Korea, and you realise that "friends made under starnge or extreme conditions" aren't actually real.
Apart from that, some western attitudes and behavior seems pig ignorant when compared to the ways of koreans... |
Would have to agree with much of this. I have only ever worked at hagwons where I was the only Westerner. I think this is a great way to learn a lot about Korea. I still have good Korean friends dating back to the first place I worked over a year and a half ago. The only negative point about being the only foreigner, is that some Korean colleagues will be "distant." This can make one feel a little alienated. I love the place where I work now, but I don't have the social angle with my colleagues, which I enjoyed so much with my first job. However, I am the only man!! I guess this has something to do with it! |
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Corporal
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:28 pm Post subject: Re: yes |
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| Ilsanman wrote: |
no, I don't want to be in ognorance of what has happened to other people.
Koreans make me anti Korean. Particular ones. |
Yes, and in general, the older they are, the worse it is. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: yes |
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| Corporal wrote: |
| Ilsanman wrote: |
no, I don't want to be in ognorance of what has happened to other people.
Koreans make me anti Korean. Particular ones. |
Yes, and in general, the older they are, the worse it is. |
I don't agree with that. I believe that older Koreans treat Westerners and Koreans equally. If anything older Koreans treat us better. I know it is easy to misunderstand their behavior, but at least it is dished out in equal measure to Koreans and Westerners alike. I have also noticed that they are the easiest to impress. Hold the door, surrender your seat, make an effort in Korean, and then you might feel a little different. There are many young Koreans who I just can't tolerate. Ultra competitive, selfish, rude and spoilt are some of ther adjectives that come to mind. Of course there are young and old Koreans who break my stereotypes. I also find more anti-white sentiment in the younger generation. In saying this, my best Korean friend is 25, he isn't any of the negative adjectives above! Just a general observation! |
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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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As a Canadian I've noticed my fair share of young nationalists over here with a chip on their shoulder. Hey, I'm left wing and anti-Bush but just because someone is American doesn't give you the right to launch into a tirade about everything that is wrong with their country.
The only Americans I ever met who do the same are GI's. |
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