Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bramble]

[nautilus]

[Arthur Dent]

[AsiaESLbound]

[Sody]

There are two practical things to consider for people who take meds.

Lots of meds don't work well with alcohol and when you are in Korea, you will be expected to take a lot of alcohol. Drinking alcohol, especially soju, is how many Koreans break the ice and are friendly. You have to drink. Also, you will be expected to eat many lunches and dinners with your Korean co-teachers and sometimes at their houses. If you need to take your meds more than once daily then this might be a problem if you are trying to hide your condition. At school lunches, where you are expected to eat in the cafeteria with all the students you wouldn't be able to take the meds either. It would be frowned upon.

[Banana_Man]

Koreans don't frown about depression, well, maybe some do, maybe, just maybe, but not all.

I have known depressed Koreans and foreigners here - in fact my wife is quite depressed these days as her father has re-married and is now expecting a baby, this baby will be 28 years younger than it's older sister (my wife^^*). So, she is depressed yet, everyone is handling it in a very normal way.

If you listen to the foreigner scare mongering that goes on then none of what I said would be possible - Koreans don't get divorced, frown on depression, will not act kindly to unwanted children, will .... the list goes on.

Come on people, throw out the judgemental closet racism crap.

[Zilong]

Judging by how harsh the word 미치다 is in Korean, I'd say the stigma of mental illness needs an update in this society.

[Banana_Man]

It's not that harsh, unless you say it to a kid.

[CentralCali]

[Banana_Man]

It may not be clinical but she is not just sad as you suggest - this has been on-going depression for over 3 years now, made worse by the baby.

Also just because (you think) Korea is judgemental (and it is your opinion, not one I share) doesn't mean you should be too - are you a child? Mommy, Korea did it first it's not my fault.

[CentralCali]

No, I'm not a child. And, no, I did not say I was being judgmental and racist, let alone doing so because of Korean society. What I suggested, something anyone with even remedial reading skills could've grasped, was that Korean society needs to quit being so judgmental and racist. It's not exactly a secret that Korean society isn't too amenable to issues of mental illness nor is it a secret that racism is prevalent here.

[Banana_Man]

Maybe Korean society hasn't changed as much as you think it should because so many people have been coming here and badmouthing the culture, food, mannerisms, dress sense and just about everything else under the sun.

--->Edited because I don't want to be petty and fight over the internet - I was too harsh with my child comment. Sometimes, people disagree, I disagree with you and you probably disagree with me^^* Many people do^^*

[nautilus]