Korean Job Discussion Forums

[YTMND]

[Son Deureo!]

[clyde]

To the original poster. My wife is Iraqi Canadian and we lived in Korea for six years. She has quite a unique and nuanced view into this issue. She never really experienced too much racism, other than the typical you are not Korean so you are scum that is common to every other nationality living there. she looks Arab and her last name leaves no question about there she is from. she never had a problem finding a job.

[wishfullthinkng]

[Adventurer]

I do have a friend who is Lebanese Canadian who works here, and he clearly has an Arab name. He works at a hagwon. Don't worry so much about this. There used to be a poster some years back who had the last name Atassi. That's a Syrian last name. You wouldn't be the first Arab-American out there in Korea. That said, there are some people who do prefer blonde, blue eyed people, but that said there are so many people of all ethnic backgrounds here.

Don't worry about finding a job, and Koreans are open about asking questions about religion and race and mentioning that someone's fat and needs to go on a diet, too. Don't worry. Just smile, be friendly, and show that you've got the American know-how they want.

[RLib]

Thank you for everyone's feedback.

As I suspected, the school pulled their offer. I tried to do as others noted and stress that I was raised in America, went to American schools, grew up speaking English and am fluent, etc., etc. I should have just saved myself the time, trouble, and stress over the idea of having to work at such a school, though-- I'm sure I would have spent the year with the principle & co-teachers breathing down my neck.

Sucks all the same, though. But c'est la vie, I guess.

[luckylady]