Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Just ONCE I'd like to see some of the "I love Korea no matter what" posters START a thread by saying something/anything POSITIVE about Korea that the rest of us don't know. HELP the rest of us SEE this "perfect Korea" the rest of us never seem to see.

The ONLY posters I see posting anything positive for FTs to do during their off time is OTHER foreign teachers. It's foreign bloggers and foreign teachers who post ALL of the positive things about Korea with regards to food/restaurants, museums, festivals, and other activities. Odds are Koreans and the apologists know more about these things than the foreigners, so fill us in.

How about it, fellas? Can you try to post about tourism or restaurants or food or whatever. Is that too tough? Or will you lose your netizen "cred"- whatever that's worth?

[alpope23]

Awwww. Whats wrong? No newspaper articles about beef or whores today?


You want positive, I'll give you positive!

You can't get more positive than the product of two negative integers!

[giraffe]

I love korea and korean food. I actually miss it..

BUT thats probably because im not an english teacher and i never will be .....

[tzechuk]

I can post something really positive.. though i don't love Korea for it.

Last night I was on the train from Seoul to Daejeon. Had a bit of time to kill, so went to Lotte Mart and bought some RiceTard amongst other things. Got on the train, put the shopping bag and its content on the overhead shelf thingy.. when I got off the train, I forgot to take it.

Got home, called korail customer service.. they actually had a lady who could speak semi-decent English to help me. Took down info, and about 30 minutes later, I got a call from a guy down it Busan, again spoke pretty good English, to tell me that the train had arrived and that they found my shopping. They would send it this morning on the 5am train and I can go to collect my stuff this aftenoon.

I was surprised by their efficiency. Very impressive.

[Joe666]

There is some positive rhetoric on this site. You are not looking hard enough! As "Western Barbarians" you have to expect some discontent and bickering. The savage in us has to show in some form!

All my Korean co-teachers carry weaponary to class. I was thinking of picking up a Louiseville Slugger, a Hank Aaron signature series. Picture this, a bunch of kids walking around with noraA knaH tatooed on their fore heads. Maybe a machete on Fridays, change it up for variety!

[Milwaukiedave]

[Forward Observer]

[bundangbabo]

I went into the 24 hour mart early this morning and bought for 2000 won some spam, fried rice and kimchi on a microwaveable platter - man - it tasted damn good! Now, all I need to do is get laid!

[bobbybigfoot]

I didn't get beat up walking home last night at 4 am. That's positive.

[pkang0202]

Let's see... I don't tip the taxi drivers, wait staff, bell hops, etc...

The supermarket will deliver my groceries to my door and all I have to do is buy 20,000w worth of groceries.

I can ride a subway all the way across Seoul for as little as 3,000w. Taxi's cost a fraction of the price anywhere else.

I get sick and the doctor's visit is 2,000w. The prescription meds come to around 3,000w.

I can get someone to meticulously clean my entire apartment for 20,000w. The person will even scrub everything behind and under the toilet.

I have that 10 times faster, for 1/3rd cheaper than broadband back home.


Those are the ones I could think of right off the bat.

[red_devil]

It's been said by a few people on here before, the foreigners that are relatively happy in Korea rarely frequent these boards - or frequent them only out of a sort of morbid fascination. The collective agreement among most English teachers i meet is that Dave's ESL Cafe is a sewer for all the bitterness and resentment that ESL teachers have built up and it does not represent the majority of the teachers or foreigners living in Korea.

[The Gipkik]

First of all, your premise is all wrong. Expecting anyone, even a child still developing intellectually,to think in terms of "I love Korea no matter what," is disingenuous. Why should anyone love something as complex as an entire country, with all its history, culture and traditions, just because you said so? It is childish. It's like asking a fully grown adult what their favorite song or movie is. There just isn't one or there are many or it changes according to the day or feelings or what you will.

If you asked me if I loved my home country without question, the answer wouldn't be any different. That said, I do like many things in Korea. First, it is convenient, accessible, predictable, not that difficult to understand as long as you put your personal ego to the side for a while. The job is also relatively stress-free and undemanding, but on the flip-side, I would hate to see all my hard won teaching skills and techniques go to waste or let myself just glide in neutral without developing further. The food isn't bad, but it is certainly not anywhere near the top of my list. The women are attractive, but not as charming or feminine as Japanese women. Every time I think of something I like here, there is always the flip side. Anyways, I tried.

[VanIslander]

Jeonju International Film Festival begins its 10th year on the 30th of this month.

Looking forwad to my third trip to it. As good as PIFF, less crowds.

See you there!

(Skip the oh-so-locally-hyped jeonju bibimbap, it's watery and bland compared to how it is elsewhere. I just don't see why it's so great they think; historical rep probably)

[justaguy]

No snow to shovel in March or April here.

[Gimpokid]