Korean Job Discussion Forums

Zyzyfer · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2004 7:51 pm Post subject:

I did hang out with entirely different kinds of people in Korea, but it actually helped me develop. I had been hanging out with a lot of critical people for years, and it was refreshing to hang out with people who were on the other end of the criticism. Change of pace...met some great people...really loosened up(for me, that is).

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Its hard to tell if you've made a real friend here or not sometimes. depends wether they keep in contact with you after they fly out or not.
many times no. However I have had some surprises...people you liked that keep in touch long after- and people you thought were fantastic that stop emailing the moment they leave.
You can never tell.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

lawyertood · Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2004 3:33 am Post subject:

Not to steal or divert this thread but...do you find yourself mostly talking about the bad things about Korea, teaching, drinking or scoring when you get together with your foreign friends here? I've noticed that my friends and I have rehashed some of the same discussions many times. I think it's not so bad meeting new people from time to time to bring you temporarily out of this rut.

Ody · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: over here

although i consider myself to be open and friendly, my experience corrolates with Kiwiboy's post. However, like Butterfly, i find that i share a simular outlook on life with a higher percentage of fellow expats here than i do with random Americans back home.

on the subject of forming friendships with the locals, whether here or stateside, i find my Korean acquaintances to be somewhat distant.

Lawertood's comment is interesting. i know i'm getting tired of the same old conversations.

Sparkster · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

I have only been here 6 weeks but have met a fair few folk from around the world - some good some odd.

One thing I have encountered which totally threw me is some western folk who simply do not want to socialise with other western folk. They simply refuse at all costs and smugly state that they prefer only to kick about with Koreans. I find that a really crappy approach to life and a strange one.

In my opinion it should not matter where a potencial friend is from....all that matters is if you get on with them (and that they like beer).

Wise am I.

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

Sparkster · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

I totally agree - having Korean pals does offer a unique insight into Korea....but actually avoiding socialising with a westerner just because they are not Korean is wrong diddly wrong wrong.

I have a mate who is at a Hagwan with two other western lads. She has just arrived and both of them told her that they did not hang out with western folk....end of story. Not the warmest of welcomes!

Putting up barriers like that is just ...well....silly.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Friends? Yeah, had one of those once. Years ago. Exclamation

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

When I first came here and I entered the honeymoon phase of culture shock, I wanted to network and meet everybody. I had a lot of people that I would call associates and acquaintances, but no really good friends.

That's dwindled a lot since then, where now I have 3 quality friends that I would hang out with in any place on this earth, and have 3 or 4 others that I could see our friendships developing into something like that as well.

But, I do agree with Gwangjuboy on the emotional distance that there is between expats that hang out. It's like we all live at a big train station, seeing people come and go and often there's little time to develop anything significant.

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

Do you think that westerners can become detached from relationships in Korea since many of the people they meet are on the internet?

I mean, everyone talks about not taking this thing seriously, and if it's how you're meeting a certain amount of people, it could follow that the people you meet from the internet are then not taken as seriously...

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Made 3 or 4 REALLY good friends here - foreigners.

Got a lot of acquaintances, both Korean and foreign.

If they fall into a differnet category, got a lot of friends here too. Both Korean and foreign.

Met a lot of people I would happily never meet again. They probably think the same about me though.

I find it is quite easy, usually, to assess someone in the first meeting as to whether or not they will be someone you chose to see again.

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

peemil · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Location: Koowoompa

It's right... You know... I just have a small group of friends. The rest. I mean. You know them when you see them out. Usually because you've met them in a bar or something. But for the most part. It's only because they speak English that you even think of associating with them in the first place.

I don't know... I'm confused and hungover. It just seems sometimes that there is a lack of people. I'm pretty easy going but some people you meet here are so... Full of themselves. "Look at me... I'm in Asia. I'm an English teacher. This is my first job ever... I am a middle class whatever from whatever... I'm paying off my student loans... Big whoop!" Up themselves, never had to do a lick of work in their life. Wanker-s, tossers and the like. God give me strength this hangover really hurts...