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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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 Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:45 am Post subject: Uijeongbu -- do Korean people speak any English here? |
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I know that some suburb/ satellite cities of Seoul are home to good universities, and presumably university students speak some English.
I'm not Korean, but I'm quite familiar with the Korean culture and would like to socialize with Korean people, as opposed to only with ex-pat. Westerners. But, if practically no one but Westerners in Uijeongbu speak English, then that may be difficult.
So, have you spent time/ lived here before? Do people understand English? Any information is appreciated :) |
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carleverson
Joined: 04 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:20 am Post subject: |
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| The American army base and all that goes with it doesn't help how the local Koreans perceive foreigners there. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I know that... Thanks for the input, anyway. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:33 am Post subject: |
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| Plenty of people speak varying degrees of English here. Don't be discouraged. Furthermore, the two army bases are not centrally located and the military only really frequents a few spots downtown. You're not likely to suffer from any stigma due to their presence. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| @definitely maybe: That's useful. Thanks! |
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s10czar
Joined: 14 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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" You're not likely to suffer from any stigma due to their presence."
This pisses me off.
-Do you have ANY idea how much the US military is doing for you over here?
-Do you have ANY idea how hard the officers and non-coms work to keep the young guys out of trouble?
-Do you have ANY idea how it feels to 18-20 yrs old, stationed in a shit-hole place where everybody hates you- including your own countrymen- and then be told to be prepared to put your ass on the line for those very same ungrateful bastards?
...A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, I was an infantry officer stationed at Camp Casey. I absolutely busted my ass day and night to get a bunch of disgruntled, unappreciated, under-equipped men motivated and prepared to finish a war that was forgotten long ago.
Forgotten, that is, by everyone except THE NORKS. Ever heard of them?
huh?
Keep your lowsey comments and your even lowsier attitude to yourself. It's the least you can do for the people who you will be relying on the instant the s*** hits the fan |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| s10czar wrote: |
" You're not likely to suffer from any stigma due to their presence."
This pisses me off.
-Do you have ANY idea how much the US military is doing for you over here?
-Do you have ANY idea how hard the officers and non-coms work to keep the young guys out of trouble?
-Do you have ANY idea how it feels to 18-20 yrs old, stationed in a shit-hole place where everybody hates you- including your own countrymen- and then be told to be prepared to put your ass on the line for those very same ungrateful bastards?
...A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, I was an infantry officer stationed at Camp Casey. I absolutely busted my ass day and night to get a bunch of disgruntled, unappreciated, under-equipped men motivated and prepared to finish a war that was forgotten long ago.
Forgotten, that is, by everyone except THE NORKS. Ever heard of them?
huh?
Keep your lowsey comments and your even lowsier attitude to yourself. It's the least you can do for the people who you will be relying on the instant the s*** hits the fan |
What I meant to say is that the presence of the US military is hardly an intrusion on anyone's life in Uijeongbu, so there is no reason to worry about what carleverson mentioned in his post. They are here, just like everyone else. There are, however, a few spots concentrated in one area of downtown Uijeongbu that see trouble on occasion. These are facts, not wild accusations. Don't make any presumptions about my views or opinions on the military. You simply don't have enough information to do anything more than make a fool of yourself.
But since you brought it up, how much respect do you think the US military is receiving from the people living in and around the Camp Casey area in Dongducheon? Sure, they are doing their best to bleed the military personnel dry, but do you really believe that the majority of the population around there is awestruck with respect for everything the US military is doing? Are they showing their respect by creating a buffer zone of Filipina juicy bars to suck your former brethren dry, forcing the women into near servitude so they can occupy the US military while attempting to keep Korean women as far away from them as possible at the same time? If that's respect, I humbly apologize.
With all that in mind, not to mention your service here, do you really think that members of the US military, good or bad, don't suffer from some kind of a stigma here in Korea? Warranted or not, and I firmly believe it is not, you have no right to attack me for answering a question that in no way insulted the US military. You're looking for fights where there aren't any. |
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s10czar
Joined: 14 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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Are you kidding me?
Do you think for one second that I or any other service member believes that the Koreans actually give a damn about us? They (that would be the military) aren't dumb.
My point is that westerners ought to give 'em a break. Everyone knows the Koreans won't. Not that they would have a country (or you a job) if we weren't there.
Oh and the juicy bars?
Been awhile for me personally but I have some very fond memories. If you have a certain haircut and a certain look, they're just about the only place a man can go in some towns. It's better than whacking off. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:10 am Post subject: |
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| s10czar wrote: |
Are you kidding me?
Do you think for one second that I or any other service member believes that the Koreans actually give a damn about us? They (that would be the military) aren't dumb.
My point is that westerners ought to give 'em a break. Everyone knows the Koreans won't. Not that they would have a country (or you a job) if we weren't there.
Oh and the juicy bars?
Been awhile for me personally but I have some very fond memories. If you have a certain haircut and a certain look, they're just about the only place a man can go in some towns. It's better than whacking off. |
The part I've bolded is clearly your big point, but I haven't argued with you about it. Acknowledging the problems the military faces with perception in Korea, which is what I did in my initial post, hardly qualifies as an attack on the military. I also don't think military service members are suffering at the hands of condemning local citizens on a individual basis too often around here either. Despite the initial vitriol, I think you and I would probably agree on just about every point of contention that's been brought up. |
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Ice Tea
Joined: 23 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:14 am Post subject: Re: Uijeongbu -- do Korean people speak any English here? |
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| DanseurVertical wrote: |
I'm not Korean, but I'm quite familiar with the Korean culture and would like to socialize with Korean people, as opposed to only with ex-pat. Westerners. But, if practically no one but Westerners in Uijeongbu speak English, then that may be difficult.
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If you haven't lived here you actually know nothing about Korean culture. Having a few Korean American friends back home doesn't mean you know about Koreans. That's like observing a lion on a zoo and saying you understand natural lion behavior.
Don't expect many people to speak conversational level English outside of your school. Don't expect Koreans or Korean-Americans to act the same as they do when they are in the U.S. Don't expect them to share the same world view as you.
This definitely ain't Kansas. If Dorothy's house landed here, she would have the best house on the block.
If you want to blend in that means conforming yourself to this culture. And that doesn't just mean eating spicy food. You must learn Korean. You must compromise on strongly-held American values. You must see yourself as a component of a community and not a free-wheeling individual.
You should think very carefully about what life here would entail before making a huge decision like moving to other side of the world. If you think $2,000/month is a lot of money, let me assure you, you will earn every penny of it. |
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interestedinhanguk
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:21 am Post subject: Re: Uijeongbu -- do Korean people speak any English here? |
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| Ice Tea wrote: |
If you haven't lived here you actually know nothing about Korean culture. Having a few Korean American friends back home doesn't mean you know about Koreans. That's like observing a lion on a zoo and saying you understand natural lion behavior.
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Seconded. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Ice Tea:
Having a few Korean American friends back home doesn't mean you know about Koreans. That's like observing a lion on a zoo and saying you understand natural lion behavior. |
So, just as I'm quite familiar with Korean culture you're quite familiar with me, eh? Seriously man, I acknowledge your point, but you know practically nothing about my attitudes or my experiences. |
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drinkyogurtsoju
Joined: 09 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| yea some do |
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interestedinhanguk
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:49 am Post subject: |
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| I'm now curious as to what your experiences are. Namely, have you been to Korea? |
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cyui
Joined: 10 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:12 am Post subject: |
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It the next to fifth stop on the North Line 1 (right before Junga line 7 transfer point).I think it would be hard to make it back from the main Seoul hotspots' before subway closing time. I also heard that there is a Lotte Mart, amongst many other Westernized-type of restaurants and some bars; so the chances of many English Speakers' would probably be next to none ( all secondhand hearsay ,so don't take it all to heart as thw whole factual truth).
http://www.nsubway.co.kr/korea/seoul/seoulsubwaymapen.htm
Hey, are you in Atlanta? Why don't you give me a call? |
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