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misher
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
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 Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:22 pm Post subject: Mistaken for military |
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This happened to me 3 times last night when I arrived at ICN. ONce by immi and another two times by airport employees while I was waiting for my bags. I guess it is my short hair.
Is this going to be a problem for me going out and such? Will I be denied entry into certain establishments? Or is that all overblown. From what I've read soldiers get as bad a rap as ESL teachers here. I'm hoping that is just a gross exaggeration.
misher. |
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asams
Joined: 17 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: Mistaken for military |
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| misher wrote: |
This happened to me 3 times last night when I arrived at ICN. ONce by immi and another two times by airport employees while I was waiting for my bags. I guess it is my short hair.
Is this going to be a problem for me going out and such? Will I be denied entry into certain establishments? Or is that all overblown. From what I've read soldiers get as bad a rap as ESL teachers here. I'm hoping that is just a gross exaggeration.
misher. |
Where are you living? If you look like a soldier (short hair, fairly built) then expect to get some dirty looks from strangers (this actually is fairly common for all foreigners in certain places). Most places you should be able to just show your ARC card and get in. The only place you might have trouble is Hongdae.
Funny story:
I lived in Uijeongbu for a month and one night I was walking through HomePlus. These 2 women with 3 smaller children were ahead of me on the escalator and they kept looking back at me. I guess it seemed like I was following them because we both got on on the 4th floor and went all the way to the first floor (I couldn't get by because they had a cart and kept blocking me). As we reached the 1st floor we got off and started to walk out and one of the kids started to walk in front of me. The mother ran over yelling something and grabbed the kid then gave me the worst look ever. I was wearing a black jacket with dark jeans and a dark hat that day - guess I would've scared people in the US also |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I keep my hair short borderline skinhead shaghead. I live really close to Uijeonbu. I rarely have problems with the locals |
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Zulethe
Joined: 04 Jul 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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I'd feel honored to be labeled a soldier rather than an English teacher. I say that I'm a soldier when I can get away with it.
I hate being identified as an English teacher in Korea. I know, that's my problem and I need to get over it but to each his own. |
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iammac2002
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Location: 'n Beter plek.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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| US soldiers are a novelty to females from certain countries. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Zulethe wrote: |
I say that I'm a soldier when I can get away with it.
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How noble of you.  |
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halfmanhalfbiscuit
Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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I used to say anything but English teacher, mainly it's none of their business and they're breaking their own rules of etiquette as well as it's a conversation that leads nowhere anyway.
Talent-uh pet taxidermist (박 제 사 )was a favourite for the wtf?? look on people's faces. |
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sarbonn
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| I used to tell people I worked as a junior executive of Foreign Motors International. Even had business cards made up for it at one point to really confuse the crap out of people. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| they're breaking their own rules of etiquette |
Uhm..its quite common for Koreans to discuss excruciating levels of detail in the first couple of times of meeting someone.
They have a saying along the lines of "after meeting someone 3 times you will know everything about them" including, pay, family status, blood type, job, etc..etc..etc.. |
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halfmanhalfbiscuit
Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:00 am Post subject: |
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| crossmr wrote: |
| Quote: |
| they're breaking their own rules of etiquette |
Uhm..its quite common for Koreans to discuss excruciating levels of detail in the first couple of times of meeting someone.
They have a saying along the lines of "after meeting someone 3 times you will know everything about them" including, pay, family status, blood type, job, etc..etc..etc.. |
They don't talk to strangers(look at any pub) ie they don't approach other Koreans without good cause but for some reason random westerners personal circumstances need to be known. |
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misher
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:37 am Post subject: |
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I'm not teaching English here. I'm just studying at Sogang University for 18 months. I just tell people I'm a University Hakseng at Sogang Daehakyo. I did get the military thing today again. It has to be my haircut which is very short on the sides (almost shaved) and not too much longer on the top. It is jsut a style I've adopted because I'm thinning terribly on top...HAhahaH
My first impression of Seoul so far is that it is god damn frickn big. It is also like Mars here. Everyone is ...well...Korean and they all look pretty much the same. I don't mean this in a face way. I mean it in a style way. No goths, emos, preps, hippies....you know. This culture is also about as far removed from western culture as you can get unless you march into a jungle somewhere to seek out some indigenous tribe.
My girlfriend told me that before I arrived however.
I'm staying in Sincheon about a 5 minute walk from Sogang in a pretty cool Hasook Jib.I'm surrounded by barber poles and "love motels" hahahahahha.... I was also in Hongdae today and Kangnam. I just read that there is a military base near hongdae hence the mistaken identity as a US soldier...ahahah...I guess I will avoid that place. I don't want any punch ups.
ANd yeah I'm in pretty good shape (toned) but I'm by no means some muscle dude so it has to be the haircut. I can't change it because I'm going bald so I'll just have to deal with the question over and over again.
misher |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:42 am Post subject: |
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i've seen some emos.. or at least wannabes, complete with skinny jeans, eyeliner, nail polish, etc on guys.
You will see some variety if you hit certain areas. More with younger people. |
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