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The Truth about working and living in Korea (A Must Read)
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12ax7

Joined: 07 Nov 2009

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 5:03 am Post subject:

transmogrifier wrote:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

So bizarre that some posters can't read that other posters get annoyed by microaggressions and just think 'oh, okay' but instead have to try and argue about it.

And yet, you are the person who writes:

12ax7 wrote:

Ground down by the constant "othering"? Funny, but I've been here for nearly 20 years and I don't feel like I don't belong.

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

Then no offense, but you probably live in a reality inside your own head.

It takes a special type of person to complain about people arguing on one hand, while on the other dismissing people's actual experiences as something mentally delusional....in order to win an argument.

Self-realization not a strong point, I take it?

Hardly deserves a reply. Suffering from culture shock is not being mentally delusional. It's quite common and very normal (denial is one of its stages, by the way).

isitts

Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 5:53 am Post subject:

12ax7 wrote:

"Do you need a fork?" (trying to be helpful because they think foreigners prefer to use forks)

Only, that's not what it means. It may seem that way at first, but not when they're still asking you that after you've been here several years (and they know it).

12ax7 wrote:

"When are you going home?" (because you come from an awesome country, and so you probably wouldn't want to hang around here too long)

Ok. Nevermind what I just said. I thought you were being serious.

Last edited by isitts on Mon May 07, 2012 7:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

The Sultan of Seoul

Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Location: right... behind.. YOU

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:12 pm Post subject:

12ax7 wrote:

transmogrifier wrote:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

So bizarre that some posters can't read that other posters get annoyed by microaggressions and just think 'oh, okay' but instead have to try and argue about it.

And yet, you are the person who writes:

12ax7 wrote:

Ground down by the constant "othering"? Funny, but I've been here for nearly 20 years and I don't feel like I don't belong.

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

Then no offense, but you probably live in a reality inside your own head.

Hardly deserves a reply. Suffering from culture shock is not being mentally delusional. It's quite common and very normal (denial is one of its stages, by the way).

this, basically/

soyoungmikey

Joined: 29 Jun 2009

Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:21 pm Post subject:

12ax7 wrote:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

Quote:

Ground down by the constant "othering"? Funny, but I've been here for nearly 20 years and I don't feel like I don't belong.

Then no offense, but you probably live in a reality inside your own head.

I've known guys in SK as long as you with Korean wives and kids, who say they still get treated as outsiders even by their spouses familly and co-workers whom have known them many years.

Cheers.

Korean wives? Sheesh. If they refer to their wives as "my Korean wife", then who really has a problem with perception?

Insulting someone while avoiding to answer a well-intentioned question. What does this mean? If you act like this in everyday life there is no way in hell you haven't been othered by Korean society. This direct speaking is against the collectivistic saving face and group harmony so deeply valued here. I gather now not answering is just to signify how much of a jerk you are. Thanks for clarifying it for us all.

12ax7

Joined: 07 Nov 2009

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 2:22 am Post subject:

soyoungmikey wrote:

12ax7 wrote:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

Quote:

Ground down by the constant "othering"? Funny, but I've been here for nearly 20 years and I don't feel like I don't belong.

Korean wives? Sheesh. If they refer to their wives as "my Korean wife", then who really has a problem with perception?

Thanks for clarifying how easy you are to upset.

comm

Joined: 22 Jun 2010

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 5:15 am Post subject:

12ax7 wrote:

soyoungmikey wrote:

Thanks for clarifying how easy you are to upset.

Pointing out how ridiculous your response was probably didn't require him getting "upset".

The Sultan of Seoul

Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Location: right... behind.. YOU

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 6:15 pm Post subject:

Is it only me or do others suspect, alphonso, kimchininja, 12x7 and a few others have migrated over from sentry recently? There is a large crop of recent posters whom are clearly elder Korean males / overseas Koreans and are quite antagonistic. Not that I have a problem with it, just pointing it out for small talk / general interest purposes. Hope that's okay.

12ax7

Joined: 07 Nov 2009

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 6:27 pm Post subject:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

Is it only me or do others suspect, alphonso, kimchininja, 12x7 and a few others have migrated over from sentry recently?

There is a large crop of recent posters whom are clearly elder Korean males / overseas Koreans and are quite antagonistic.

Not that I have a problem with it, just pointing it out for small talk / general interest purposes. Hope that's okay.

Have you even bothered to check how long I've had an account here (it's written under my nick to the left of the screen). It's my second account. I was probably amongst the first 1000 people to get an account here. Antagonistic? No, I'm speaking from experience. I've heard the same complaints here before (this forum tends to attract the complainers, not the vast majority who are enjoying their time here). It gets tiresome after a while (which is why I will probably stay away from this site for another 2-3 years again at one point).

I've noticed that those who complain most are in the early to mid 20's and have been here for a relatively short time. Immaturity? Lack of experience? Culture shock? All of the above? Either way, they could save themselves a heap of trouble if they had kept an open-mind and checked their unrealistic expectations at the door when they boarded the plane on their way over.

Last edited by 12ax7 on Wed May 09, 2012 6:59 am; edited 5 times in total

TheUrbanMyth

Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 6:45 pm Post subject:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

"elder Korean males" generally don't have decent English skills (unless they are in a job requiring them to have said skills) nor do they tend to haunt FOREIGN job boards to talk to FOREIGN teachers.

And maybe the posters wouldn't be so quite "antagonistic" if they didn't have to read the misinformation and xenophobia floating around on a daily basis. Heck when that misinformation and xenophobia gets directed at us (in a newspaper article or newcast) many posters on this site get downright outraged. You'll see plenty of "antagonistic' posts on this site then.

The Sultan of Seoul

Joined: 17 Apr 2012
Location: right... behind.. YOU

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject:

Lol, how predictable. What you claim as misinformation and xenephobia is of course open to debate and is subjective. Anyway, just making an observation. Carry on.

Alphonsus Jr.

Joined: 04 May 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 7:20 pm Post subject:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

I'll assume that by "alphonso," you're referring to me.

I don't know what sentry is. A school? A security company?

I'm not Korean. Rather, I'm a member of that tribe against which society harbors the last acceptable prejudice. In other words, I'm a white traditional Catholic straight male. O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!

As for being antagonistic, I admit that I do speak unequivocally and unfashionably. This may be what you're referring to.

At any rate, cheers to you sir!

blackinque

Joined: 07 Apr 2010

Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 8:37 pm Post subject:

I would just like to point out that probably unlike in the case of Japan, in Korea you face microaggressions at home, when browsing the internet. Tangible examples: Want to register for Gmarket? Go to the foreigner registration page! It appears your browser is in English! Would you like to be directed to the foreigner Cyworld website? etc.

soyoungmikey

Joined: 29 Jun 2009

Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:16 pm Post subject:

12ax7 wrote:

The Sultan of Seoul wrote:

BTW I'm in my 30's have an MA and TESOL and teach at a top 5 university in Korea. Have almost 10 years of experience. Married to a a Korean and have lived abroad in a few different countries in my life. So much for your astute observations about the complainers. I posted this to have an intellectual conversation about racism and discrimination. I suppose these ideas are only for complainers? Do us all a favor and make your hiatus more than 2-3 years. Make it permanent. Thanks.

isitts

Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: much ado

bojangles wrote:

Why is this particularly a racial phenomenon?... People treat other people in the exact same way based solely on status&economics. "Micro-aggressions" sounds like suspicious terminology made up by some over-active Ph.D candidate.

Right. And why is it unique to Japan and Korea? Foreigners are "othered" all the time in the US...even through "cultural sensitivity". Advocates of cultural sensitivity mean well, but don't realize their offensiveness, mostly because they've never actually left the country. And if you try to point this out, they just look confused.

This article is interesting, and perhaps helpful to know about, but it's nothing special.

comm

Joined: 22 Jun 2010

Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 10:57 pm Post subject:

blackinque wrote:

I would just like to point out that probably unlike in the case of Japan, in Korea you face microaggressions at home, when browsing the internet.

That really doesn't count... If you're using English on your browser, a company has every reason to think you do your shopping in English as well.

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