Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poeticjustice]

There are some white/black foreigners on my street. Some of which I know are English teachers.

When I see them on my street it doesn't matter what I do... smile, wave, flash my cock... they just ignore me. One of them is really fat too. Nothing worse than a fat, cranky, holier than thou white chick who won't say "hello" back.

A few guys always answer me but they're not English teachers. They say "Привет!"

[Old Gil]

[PatrickBateman]

[mateomiguel]

I usually check out the girl he's with, to see if she's better than the girl I'm with. She's usually not

[Old Gil]

[Bryan]

In Seoul it wasn't that special. My environment was a lot different than English teachers, I shared an apartment with tonnes of foreigners and all the apartments next to us had one floor with exchange students. For some reason, all Chinese students were separated from us, haha. They had to sleep in the dorms while we got the nice apartments on the river. I was never really alone--always walking to school with people, whether Korean or an exchange student, so that issue didn't seem to come up.

However, if I lived out in the country I definitely would smile at someone who was a visible minority.

I remember when I first came to Korea I went to Itaewon to get shoes that would fit and some black guy gave me a cool 'black American guy head bob' and I actually felt cool for receiving that, so I generally try to smile at people in case it brightens their day. However, as time went on I started to get tired of being ignored.

[pocariboy73]

Quickly cross to the other side of the road and pretend to be searching for something on my cell phone

[njp6]

sniff butts.

[schwa]

Here in Sokcho I offer a hi & a smile. I think most of us here operate that way. New foreigners arent that common.

Not out of any expectation, just friendliness. Take it or leave it.

[asams]

Run. Far. Fast.

[ldh2222]

Spit on the ground.

Sometimes nothing though, there's so many guy westerners!

[byrddogs]

it is usually a lost cause to try and acknowledge (head nod or smile) other waygooks. i pretty much gave up on that a long time ago, but i still try to from time to time; it is few and far between when it is reciprocated.

[sqrlnutz123]

I had been here about a week when I saw my first foreigner. I was shocked and excited! Then he walked right past me, like I wasn't there. Then to add to the awkwardness, he got in line right behind me at the grocery store and was looking anywhere but at me. What a tool!! The whole experience was by far the most traumatic and confusing thing that has happened to me since I got here.

[English Matt]

I tend to smile and / or nod my head when not passing in a big crowd, however do find myself wanting to avoid having to do this. It's not because I don't want to be civil, it's more that I'm worried they will blank me or think I'm a nutter.

For instance, my school is set a long way away from the main road and so there is absolutely no reason for another foreigner to be on the grounds.....a white girl with 2 Korean guys happened to be walking towards the entrance of my school when I was leaving one day....I was taken aback to see her there and out of habit said 'Hi'....she guffawed and rolled her eyes.

When I first arrived in Korea I was quite overwhelmed....so when seeing another non-Korean after a few days I nodded and smiled....he looked at me as if I'd just asked him if I could have a little tickle of his bollocks.

Now I generally don't bother unless they initiate it.....I've generally found that most, but not all, of the English Teachers I've met here don't bother to acknowledge another westerner for similar reasons to my own. It's like a negative feedback loop.

[roadwork]

I used to say hello. These days I just half smile and nod. Most of the time they're hiding behind sunglasses and blocking out anything with ear buds.