Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ste bass]

If you've lived in this country for over a week you will be aware of the fact that there is a significant percentage of fruit cakes amongst the foreigner contingent here.
You know what I'm talkin about, right? Screwballs, headcases, divvies, crazy-boys, doughnuts, wackos, crackers, etc.
What are the give away signs?
You see I'm begining to worry that I might be one of them. Recent social interaction has planted the seed of doubt in a previously solid self-confidence.
Does anyone out there have a kind of self test that I could do? What red flags should I be lookin out for?
Let me know so that I can either confirm my insanity and revel in it, or go back to believin that the correct number of sandwiches are in my pic-nic hamper.

[Felix the Cat]

Do you lose arguments with yourself?

[Guy Incognito]

[J.B. Clamence]

Here are some test questions that I came up with..

Do you get your mail at the bar on the corner? And if someone needed to find you and had no idea where you might be, would they call there first?

Do you have a permanent scowl on your face?

Do you have a permanent stupid grin on your face?

Every time a relatively attractive Korean girl/guy walks in to the room, do you get all excited and giddy, as if you've never seen a woman before?

Do you explode at the slightest provocation, such as the question, "How are you today?"

Do you try to play the role of "culturally enlightened" by making it a point to overpronounce every Korean word, and make sure to correct the pronuciation of others, even though your Korean sucks?

Have you ever had the nickname "booger"?

If you answered "no" to these questions, I'm sure you're ok, don't sweat it man..

[Canadian Teacher]

Having been in Korea forever, I know FF's (foreign freaks) inside out. I swear that all these are true:

-Do you believe in the inherent superiority of Nova Scotia?

-Do you drink at lunch?

-Do you spend your vacations at Angeles City or Pattaya?

-Have you ever woken up on Hooker Hill, sans pants and wallet?

-Do you hang around Yongsan garrison looking for guys (gay or straight, it up to you)?

-Do you refuse to eat western food because "it will dilute my Korean experience?"

-Do you swill so much soju at home you can't make it to the toilet?

-Do you think of a new nickname to tell your students every month?

-In your desparation to marry a Korean woman, do you marry an ugly old skank?

-Do you find it necessary to tell everybody your job is the best in Korea?

-Do you work at Wonderland?

-After three years in Korea, are you still in a hagwan?

-Do you know the name of every bartender in Iteawon?

-Have you ever been kicked out of a soju tent (this takes some doing)?

-Do you wear a hairpiece?

-Do you hit on or date your students?

-Are you so obsessed with saving every dime you can you lock youself in a dark room and eat only ramyon?

-Are you so cheap you won't even buy a TV?

-Are you so cheap you stay in your room during vacation?

I could go on but if you answered yes to at least two, perhaps you should be careful before you call someone else a freak.

Canadian Teacher

[Bingul Bingul]

Phewww CT !

OK, I have been here over 2 years at a hagwon, but can honestly say no to all your other suggestions.

I mentioned some of the `characters` I have met here in an earlier post about what I would miss about Korea. However I seemed to upset someone. Maybe they saw themselv ..... nah !

[Guy Incognito]

[Anda]

Make sure that you don't work with other foreigners who might tell you how strange you are! Work in a Korean public school where 150 teachers and staff consider you normal, that is for a foreigner and believe them.

[IconsFanatic]

[sickboy]

Yeah, implying we are western puts us in league with Saskatchewan (who cares?) and Alberta (the Texas of Canada). As for BC, well they have good dope, so they are okay. And the Beachcombers and the show about the Brother and Sister who solved crimes... not Danger Bay, the other one. Sweet as.

Having lived in Winnipeg as long as I have, I think a more appropriate term would be South Central Canada.

The murder rates compare!

-sick

[Hotuk]

[Guy Incognito]

[kimcheeking]

I lived in Vancouver.

No-one is from Vancouver. The city is filled with immigrants - external and internal form other provinces.

Winnipeg is the armpit of the universe. Lived there for 25 years 9 months 1 day and 21 hours before I finally got to leave that hole. Its a frozen wasteland in the winter and a over heated mosquito infested cesspit in the summer.

You may have the impression that I am exaggerating, but really I am not - just telling the truth. my take on immigrants travelling across the prairie in wagons back in the day.

Hey bob why don't we stop here? There's two rivers, lots of farmland.

Sure why not.

Hmmm... there sure are a lot of mosquitoes. They already sucked the blood dry from two babies. I'm sure it won't be this bad next summer.

Billy, yeah that right. Hey, it's getting mighty cold and the snow is piling up higher than that there tree.

half of everyone has died or been buried in the snow. Holy shit this place is cold, but it won't be this bad next winter.

Should we leave?

Nah we got these two rivers and plenty of farmland.

My ancestors were all frozen or had the blood sucked out of them. I can't understand why anyone lives there.

[matko]

I was born and bred in Vancouver. My parents weren't. I tend to agree with you, though. At the school I taught at in Vancouver, of the 10 teachers there, 5 were from Ontario, 2 from Alberta one from Winnipeg , one from the States and me.
Also, four were visible minorities (including one Korean}. The owner was an immigrant from Hong Kong and the director was an immigrant from Europe.
Almost all of the teachers were bilingual and all but one teacher was in an inter-racial relationship, including myself.
Haven't spent alot of time in other places in Canada, but I can't imagine a city that could be more multi-cultural than Vancouver.

[sickboy]

Wow, that sums it up rather well.

And NO, I am NOT being sarcastic.

Cheers,

-sick