Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mrgisa]

Hi Everyone,


I need some advice. I live in a modern apartment next to the worst possible neighbour in the whole world. It's a long story I will try to sum up.

We have a dog who barks occasionally. He's not that bad. The neighbour next door is sensitive to noise. The first day we moved in, we just knew she was the cranky @#*$ type (we had put boxes there temporarily as we also ordered new furniture and were sorting things) as she told us less than politely to move that stuff.

Anyhow one night about 3 months ago, she knocks on the door and I can hear the anger in her tone, barely being held back. It turns out we aren't supposed to put ordered food plates in the hall (she is our only neighbour in this apartment) and she rudely told us to consider severing our dogs vocal chords. My wife politely told her no and the #@$#@ started swearing and yelling at my wife. Her husband had to drag her back to her apartment and firmly suggested to us to put the food in the staircase.

My wife was upset by this. She washes dishes so that there is no food garbage on the plates we order from. We tried hard to make our dog bark less...

Time goes on, the @#$@ slams her door, swears in Korean at our dog audibly in the hallway several times. My wife is stressed beyond belief...

One day I go to work. As I get on the elevator, the #$#@$ is getting off. As I go down, I hear the #@$# slam the door and my wife doing the same. Just as I step into the office, my phone rings. I pick up and it's my wife. She tells me she got into a fight with the neighbour, that she's bleeding somewhat from her forehead and needs me home.

I tell her to call the police and head home. Sure enough 3 cops are there.

We go to the police station after taking statements. It turns out that the #@$#@ pushed her finger into my wife's forehead repeatedly. My wife pushed her back and the #@$)(*&#@ said "oh, you are pushing me?" and attacked my wife. She has a cut that is still visable to this day on her forehead.

The police officer, after talking to both my wife and the #@$#@ says "someone is lying. One person only wrote what happened to them and not what they did" looking at the #$@#$#. Now she is panicking because my wife is in a position to sue.

My wife declines this only because we hope to move abroad and can't afford a lawyer. The @#$(*&#@ husband comes to the station apologizes several times, even offers us a ride home. The @#$#@ apologizes to my wife and we leave it at that. I take my wife to a clinic to get xrays and some treatment for whiplash...

I figure this is it for the #$#@ because my wife and her talked their points of view out and that she knows she can't screw around as we're willing to go to the police and could have sued.

We've heard nothing from them since. Now here's where the problem starts...

We were supposed to have our monthly bill in the mail but nothing is in our mailbox. We called the security guard and he said they delivered all the bills as normal this month. We've never had a problem with a bill before...

What's worse, my folks sent us a package for my wife's birthday and it's been 4 weeks getting here (usually only takes 2-3 weeks).

I'm in the process of trying to see if that package is still in the mail or if it was delivered. I hope it isn't...but if it was...

I think my neighbour is stealing our mail.

There is a security camera in the hall of the front door where the mail is, but it does NOT point to the mail box as far as I can see.

What can I do? Advice most appreciated!


Mr. Gisa

[Kimbop]

Mail yourself a box with a gps tracker in it.

Change your mailing address to a PO box at the post office.

[Bibbitybop]

It's not too late to do the right thing and sue them. You could send your mail to your office, too. Maybe some superglue in their keyhole would fix the problem.

[DC in Suwon]

If I was you, I'd be more worried about your neighbor poisoning or hurting you dog.

The way I am with my pets, if somebody ever would do something like that to my dog, I'd have to physically punish them. I'd most likely end up in jail for a little bit....but being in Korea would be totally different. I'm sure the Korean police wouldn't appreciate the love Westerners have for their pets, so the neighbor may not get what they deserve for something like that.

I may be getting a little too ahead of myself, but I'm just putting myself in your shoes and would be DEEPLY worried about my dog in that situation.

Good luck with everything, I hope it all turns out alright with no more problems. Let us know what happens.

[justaguy]

Many apts have rules about noisey dogs. In the interests of peace I would get his cords cut. That said, I would speak nicely to the crazy woman's husband. Keep this man to man only. Tell him clearly but nicely that if his wife continues to be confrontational, it may create a problem between you and him. Tell him you don't want that to happen and that you want him to make this problem go away. Do not threaten him. But make it clear that you don't want things to escalate, and they will escalate if this bullshit continues.

Korean men like to see problems dissappear and they are usually good at keeping their women in line. Hopefully this will put a stop to your problems.

As for mail theft. That could be anybody. I caught an old woman stealing my Home Plus cupons from my mail box one time. This problem is not uncommon. Maybe as someone else suggested, getting a mail box at the post office might be a good idea.

Peace

[sineface]

No to make this into an animal thread, but he's quite right not to get his dog's vocal chords cut. It's extremely unnecessary. Dogs will bark, from time to time. Cats will meow. Cows will moo. It's part of the deal. If he lives in a 'modern apartment' anything like mine, you can't hear shit even if you stand outside the door and listen. Further, he and his wife say they're trying hard to train him to bark less. That is where the answer will lie.

And, as for the mail, can you put a lock on the mailbox? Either that, or ask for it to be delivered elsewhere. Your neighbour sounds like a nutcase, so I would also second the previous post about keeping your dog safe.

[ChinaBoy]

it's pretty rude to have a barking dog in an apartment.. you should be evicted

[Straphanger]

Why don't you shut your dog up? I would be mightily pissed too if I had to listen to some yapping little mutt all day and all night. Heck, I'd be pissed if I had to listen to it once a week. Shut your dog up or move.

[gazz]

Does your wife also work? If so how often is the dog left alone? This is when it will prob bark the most.

Although what the woman may be doing isn't right it is soooo frustrating hearing a barking dog all the time. Maybe lock your dog in a room which is furthest from that neighbours apartment.

or beat it everytime it barks with a belt buckle

[traxxe]

Take your dog crap and put it in a package and mail it to yourself. Don't open it if it isn't stolen. If it is... well, you know what happened.

[refikaM]

You have a difficult situation. I hope you get it sorted. However, you may not realize that your dog barks a lot when you are away. I've had dogs all my life, and I love them dearly, but there's not many more annoying things than a dog incessantly barking when I'm trying to relax or sleep. Of course this bothers some people more than others... It particularly bothers me...and your neighbor obviously...I once had a dog which I thought was quiet and well-mannered. I went out one night and left it alone and my landlady called when I got home and said it had howled for the entire time I was away. Who knows what the pooches do when we're not around! Anyway, I'm not siding with the crazy lady AT ALL.. She's nuts and obviously has some problems that go far beyond the annoyance your pooch causes.... But just wanted to say simply that you may not be aware of what your dog's doing while you are gone.. Good luck!

[Jack Meiov]

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

Korean aparts are no place for dogs IMHO. My neighbors are cool. I have 5.1 surround system and sometimes it can get quite loud w/ movies and ps3/xbox 360. However, they are always friendly to me and my wife and I've NEVER had any complaints from them.

[berrieh]

Don't get the dog's cords cut! That's barbaric.

Most dogs can be trained not to bark indoors. Spray them with a water bottle, yell at them, whatever they find offensive enough to understand it means BAD - DON'T DO, and they learn by constant repetition of stimuli. There are no bad dogs. Only bad dog owners.

It might be good to set a tape out or something to record in case your dog is yappy while you're away.

[gangpae]

Probably has nothing to do with the dog. Ajumma doesnt' like the idea of an international couple next door. You need to hire a fortune-teller to counter her fortune-teller and you'll start getting your mail again.