Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poet13]

What about us who no longer feel right in our own culture? From my first visit here many years ago as a tourist, to working here in different capacities, it's the one place in the world where I feel "right" and that I belong here.
Maybe it's the PTSD, or maybe I'm running away from something trying to get as far away from my roots as possible, I don't know, but I do know that North America is no longer where I belong.
Am I strange? Sure. At least the people who know me think so. Am I a good person? Yup. I don't need anyone to tell me that. It's one of the few things in life that drives me.

I've met some very strange individuals here in Asia. Quirky might describe some. Nut job describes only a few. They are all interesting in their own way, even if I don't want anything to do with them.

[Rteacher]

I dunno - but my karaoke singing is definitely getting stranger ...

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/r/bf101338d
http://www.singsnap.com/snap/r/b6f617d1

[harlowethrombey]

The real rub is, would any of us even know if anyone else was 'weird' if we have already turned weird ourselves.

I'm going out on a limb and saying that, in comparrison to most of the folks back home, we're all a little 'weird'. after all, instead of a white house and picket fence we picked up stakes and moved halfway around the world to work in an environment where we are, by far, the minority, a culture that is radically different, and forced to learn a new language.

Not a lot of 'normal' people do that.

Whether or notyou want to be 'normal'. . .






'Just as the man who has walked once to the store is wiser than the man who has never left his door so is the man who travels far from home.'

(or something like that, I totally forget the whole quote and who said it, sorry )

[T-J]

[Joe666]

poet13 Wrote:

What about us who no longer feel right in our own culture? From my first visit here many years ago as a tourist, to working here in different capacities, it's the one place in the world where I feel "right" and that I belong here.
Maybe it's the PTSD, or maybe I'm running away from something trying to get as far away from my roots as possible, I don't know, but I do know that North America is no longer where I belong.
Am I strange? Sure. At least the people who know me think so. Am I a good person? Yup. I don't need anyone to tell me that. It's one of the few things in life that drives me.

I've met some very strange individuals here in Asia. Quirky might describe some. Nut job describes only a few. They are all interesting in their own way, even if I don't want anything to do with them.

Just my opinion, very well stated indeed Mr. poet13. Who is anyone to judge who is strange or not, unless said person is urinating on a public bus in a Wonder Woman costum. I have met a decent number of ex-pats in this country and they seemed fine to me! This whole notion of losers and idiots coming to this country because of X,Y or Z is CRAP. I pop on to this board to get a feel for what's going on in K-Land and to possibly get some info. etc. From reading what my fellow morons/misfits on Dave's are writing, there are some smart, funny individuals in the Hermit Kingdom.

I feel it takes a decent amount of balls (or ovaries, if you will) to hop on a plane and come here and work. I have never taught before. Yes, I think maybe I suck at it right now, hopefully get better, but regardless, it is not that easy. When you can't speak the language, read signs etc., everything is more difficult.

If I am Phucked up, so be it. It's real easy to judge another. Try looking at yourself, you probably need a little work!!

Robot_Teacher Wrote:

Many are people like myself, who are not married with no kids, and probably will never get married and have kids which makes them independent loners.

Me to a tea (or Tee), shit, I forgot which one. Anyway, that's been my motto for some time now. Will it change? I hope not. But, never say never!!

This is a good thread that needs more attention!!

[Summer Wine]

Its very difficult to really grasp what is normal.

Because, many teachers come from different cultures and countries, we have different ideas about what is acceptable or normal before we even meet anyone in Korea.

If it is normal, then in what case are we using the term normal? Koreans think we are not normal because we step outside the group and come to korea. They on the other hand don't feel normal outside the group and so take kimchi on trips overseas so they don't have to eat strange food (except in small AND CHANGING exceptions).

Our friends at home may view normal as a house, a mortgage, a family and may disrespect us because they don't feel that we fit their ideas of the norm.

I have had some hard experiences in Korea,some I created for myself, others were thrust upon me and yet I don't regret living there. I never felt I wasn't the norm except when listening to someone new to the country tell me what they felt is the norm.

My friends in my own country have never left my country and can't understand why I would leave in the first place. We have different ideas of what is normal. I have met many people who considered me not normal, but that had more to do with that we come from different countries, cultures and experiences.

We can't judge others too hard without finding ourselves looking in the mirror.

[jajdude]

Some good and thoughtful replies. It's not hard to lose your sense of normal living in a foreign country, especially in a place where you are visibly different among 99% or so of the local population. It's a bit easier to maintain a sense of normal if you feel comfortable wherever you are. I suppose the stricter meaning of normal is what most people do, what most think, within their own culture at least. I might seem normal enough to many people, and just be regarded as a novelty among others. I really am not normal where I am now because I do not fit in with the people who surround me daily. Normal for them is always speaking only Chinese and living a Chinese life. Everything else for them is not normal. Then even if I become proficient in their language and comfortable living here, in their eyes I'll remain a novelty, which I am here. Foreigners do not really fit into many of these Asian societies, though some find a niche to live in peacefully enough, usually in the bigger cities. For many Asians it must be incredible to live in a diverse place where people from many countries and backgrounds communicate and co-exist. I find the sameness dull at times but interesting at others, in its own way. There's no way for one to know this experience without doing this kind of thing. Not many people would want to, but some do. So I figure this whole experience has added some strangeness to my personality, but I was prone to strangeness growing up in my hometown anyway.

[Cheonmunka]

[Janny]

Am I strange? YES!

Thank God. It's what I call "living".

Being strange= not fitting into a norm, wherever you may be. And feeling fine about it!

The world would be a better place if we could all be .....strange.

[Stones1962]

Here in Prague the policie spend most of their time on the weekends dealing with drunken hordes of Brits...the British embassy is quite busy on the weekends!

There was even talk last year of banning the groups who come over for stag and hen parties but of course the EU would not take kindly to that....

They act like complete drunken fools and do nothing but cause trouble and damage....

our weed is good here....perhaps they should try that instead of so much drink

[Cheonmunka]

^ Are you allowed to have it and, ahem, process it?

[jajdude]

It depends on location and personality, but I have met people who I am sure became stranger over time due to living in a strange place. Years of isolation can do some tricks. Most escape this, but some recede, and fall into weirdness. Asia can be tricky for a foreigner, depending on one's personality and location.

Why is Asia so strange? I know Asia is too large and various to consider a single entity, but really, what is going on here? Why are so many Asian people so clueless about the world? It's a fact. No nice words will cover this up. I think a huge number of people in this continent simply have no clue about anything. I could be wrong. They get news, they read books, whatever, but for actual awareness and ability to deal with anything outside their little boxes, nope. It's weird. This contributes to the strangeness that hits one after a while.

Yet, I suppose it may be the same the whole world over. Everyone lives a narrow little existence. Or, most do. Am I wrong about this?

[JongnoGuru]

I don't really mind strange or socially awkward people, though I'll continue to maintain a safe distance from the "Freakiest Waygook Contest" nominees.

Strange, okay. Weirdo, never.


However, I'm on a permanent war footing against:

Slackers, idlers, quitters, foot-draggers, clock-watchers, goldbrickers, cheapskates, complainers, system-gamers and loophole-exploiters.
But mostly slackers. My boot, Your arse. *#&!*@%!

[Cheonmunka]

[travel zen]

Normal ? Jadude I remember meeting you back in '05 and you were a very cool person in Korea.

I think that all of you guys who take the plunge into other societies (sometimes against your family and friends wishes!) are very brave and into knowledge and exploration.

I would never work for years in Asia, and I wonder about the financial feasibility of it.

Here in Canada I have a Gov job, go to University and have a house and home. I'm not working anywhere else but traveling, even for a year or so is ok.

You guys and gals are very brave, but why not go back home to "ground" yourself again? You are an outsider and must feel the pain of that. I was away for about 8 months and felt it keenly.

Return home to recharge.