Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aboxofchocolates]

I came back to Canada a little while ago and I discovered people look at me funny a couple of seconds into simple exchanges. I started noticing at the cash at Tim Hortons. The cashier greeted me with a big smile, and then his smile sort of faltered and fell as I continued to give what I thought was a perfectly normal order. I was perfectly nice and pleasant. I just assumed I was looking at him a bit intensely trying to discern if he understood what I was saying like I might have in Korea. I kind of found that funny and it didn�t really bother me about other cashiers in other stores when they had the same reaction. Then I went to train at a new gym, and I sort of got the same reaction from the instructors at that gym. What happened? I came back from Korea a freak and everyone can sense my freakiness!! I swear I was normal when I left! Did this happen to anyone else?

[crash bang]

no. youre a freak

[sillywilly]

Are you bowing?

[aboxofchocolates]

[mole]

Folks still ask me what country I'm from, even though I'm back in my hometown. Frustrating when they really act like they have no idea what I'm saying.
Kinda makes me feel "worldly."

[Robot_Teacher]

Maybe it's not you, it's them where their attitude and outlook has changed. Cultures are in a constant state of change so our home countries will not ever be just like the way we left them. It's surreal going home after you've been gone a few years. I was in Europe for 3 years and when I returned, I noticed Americans weren't as friendly and restaurant and other services were lower quality than before. I noticed morale generally was declining.

I also adopted a bit of the British accent so most people didn't know I was a fellow American and treated me as a foreigner. That also could had been why I thought service quality went for the worst, but I did notice the restaurants and streets were dirtier with more tacky dressed poor looking people. I expect when I return, I'll see less smiling people at peace with it all.

[Kuros]

You need to learn how to title your threads.

Before you pounce on me with, "but you came in and read it, didn't you?" know that I did so only to admonish you for such an ambiguous thread title.

[aboxofchocolates]

[aboxofchocolates]

[oldfatfarang]

If you have taught in Asia for a while, you've probably adopted the habit of putting micro pauses between your words (so non native speakers can understand you). We -- all --slip -- into -- this (for -- survival).

I felt really funny speaking (at normal speed ) with native speakers when I returned home (after 3 + 1/2 years living in Korea and Thailand). I felt like I was mentally impaired, but after 4 months I lost my exaggerated speech. But then I came back to Korea speaking quickly and, of course, nobody understood me for 2 weeks until I slowed down.

Don't worry. It's called Reverse Culture Shock, and it gets better.

[Dev]