Korean Job Discussion Forums

NYC_Gal · Joined: 08 Dec 2009

I decided to post some funny childhood stores about racial behavior. I was talking to my mom the other day and she had some funny stories about when I was little. First, you have to know that my pediatrician was Asian, and most of the time, when I was going to the doctor, I was getting vaccinations and the like, so I was terrified of him.

1. When I was an infant, I was at a family dinner, and my uncle brought an Asian friend. I saw him and couldn't stop crying, because I must have thought I was going to get a shot.

2. When I was 3, it was my job to wait at the mailbox every day (my mom would wait at the front door) when the mailman got to my block, and bring the mail to my mom. I loved this job. One day, the mailman was out sick, and he had a replacement, who was Asian. My mom said that I'd never run so fast. She laughingly got the mail and explained to the postman how I'd thought he was a doctor, because she'd just had my little sister, and my mom's OBGYN was also Asian.

Anyway, I got over the notion that all Asians were doctors looking to give me vaccinations the next year when I met my friend's parents.

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

Five years ago during my first hagwon job, one day a student's parent came in with her little sister. She was 4 or 5 years old at best and maybe came up to my knees. She was standing beside her mother and I came walking by, she looked up and the absolute worst look of terror I've ever been witness to came across her face. She started bawling like crazy and hid behind her mother. Twas a humbling moment.

pangaea · Joined: 20 Dec 2007

My aunt was upstairs sleeping in her room after working a 16 hour night shift as a nurse. My little cousin was downstairs playing. I think she was probably 4 or 5 at the time. Her adult brother was supposed to be watching her but wasn't doing a very good job. A man came to the door and she answered it. (I could have killed my older cousin when I heard this, as could my aunt.) Anyway, he turned out to be a UPS delivery driver who meant no harm. Of course, he needed to see an adult, so my cousin turned around and screamed up the stairs:

"MOOOOOM! THERE'S A BLACK GUY AT THE DOOR!"

Embarassed

NYC_Gal · Joined: 08 Dec 2009

The same uncle brought a black friend to dinner. This was before I was in public school, so I didn't have any black friends in girl scouts or at the playground. Of course, my uncle was just too cool, because he wore a leather jacket and had a mustache, so I wanted to sit next to his friend because he would have to have been super cool in order to be friends with my awesome uncle. My mom was so happy that she and Sesame Street had done their jobs in making it so that I liked all colors (I'd since made friends with a few Asians, so now knew that they weren't going to poke me with needles!)

Until I asked if he played basketball.

Of course, she explained to him that it was my absolute favorite sport (still is), because I though the players could fly and I wanted more than anything to be able to hold the ball downwards with one hand (still can't) and spin it on one finger (at least I can do that). Still, it made for an embarrassing 10 seconds or so.

Steelrails · Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System

Not realizing I wasn't white until I was like 8. Well I kinda knew, but I really didn't get it. In fact it really didn't click until bout High School.

Related to that was thinking my cousin, also adopted Korean, was weird and not of the family.

Watching way too many World War II shows/movies by the time I was 6 and drawing a few swastikas in school. Embarassed

That didn't go over well.

Older in life stuff- Simultaneously being the whitest, blackest, and yellowest person at the store/house.

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

When I was still a kid, my family took a trip to Jamaica for Xmas vacation.

On Xmas day, the resort hired a guy to dress like santa claus and sit by the pool to take pictures with the kids. My little sister who must have been 5 or 6, started crying when she saw him. She finally went up to sit on his knee to take a picture, and the santa asked her why she was crying. Amid tears she said: "Santa's not black!" Embarassed

Jeonmunka · Joined: 05 Oct 2009

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

Not so much about people, but growing up I had a racist dog.

It was a little poodle mix that thought it was about 150lbs and it HATED black people.

Living in Cleveland, this was not a good thing. Many of my best friends growing up were black and this dog would go absolutely insane whenever any of them came to the house. It was so bad that we had to lock the dog in the basement whenever anyone would visit.

For the life of my family we couldn't figure out why the dog was like this. We bought it when it was a puppy, so no abuse or anything like that. One of our friends suggested that dogs can pick up on some smell that different people have. However that was debunked when I dressed up like Batman when i was about 12 and the dog about tore off my arm because of the costume.

After about 4 or 5 years we gave the dog away to some distant cousin because we were worried what might happen if the dog ever escaped form the yard and mauled some infant.

R.I.P. 'Lightning' crazy racist dog

Todstar · Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Location: Hakdong/London

Conversation with my wife before we were married and she returned to the UK after first visit back home to Seoul.......

Me - Did you tell your mum you had met somebody?

Wife - Yeah

Me - And?

Wife - Told her about you and showed her some photos

Me - What did she say?

Wife - Not much

Me - Hmm, didnt she say he looks like a nice guy..?

Wife - No, she said 'they all look the same to me'!!

jd126 · Joined: 28 Jun 2010

felixchon · Joined: 10 Jul 2010 Location: Young-in

This happened when I was in Grande Prairie,AB for studying English.

While I was sitting on the public bus, the filipino baby took the bus with her

parents. The 3-4 years old white boy,sitting in front of me, kept staring the

filipino baby. A few moment later, the white boy asked, "mom,

she looks so tan."

His mom did not say anything about that so does the other side..

It was very awkward moment until filipino family got off the bus . Embarassed

Rachet · Joined: 10 Jul 2010

seoulsucker · Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:10 pm Post subject:

My mom remarried a black guy about 10 years ago, and when we went to visit my brother for introductions my 5 year old niece pulled me aside and whispered, "Uncle Seoulsucker, there's a brown man in my blue house." Very heartwarming.

fugitive chicken · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Location: Bucheon

Back in the 80s when my sister was maybe around 5, a black salesman knocked on the door and my sister answered it and promptly yelled, "Mom, the breakdancer is at the door!"

AllIGotWasThisLousyTShirt · Joined: 29 Jun 2009

My family and I travelled to Disneyland when I was seven and my brother was five. This was in the 80's. We grew up in a very small town with lots of white people and NO diversity. We flew out of Pearson airport in Toronto, so there were lots of different people at the airport. Not too long after arriving, my brother started screaming and pointing at a man wearing a turban saying "Look! That man has a broken head"