Korean Job Discussion Forums

[robbie_davies]

[cj1976]

There are oddballs and arseholes everywhere, but here in Korea the worst foreign offenders seem to be the Americans - probably just because of the numbers. There are more of them, so they are more noticeable.
The Irish seem to be either very congenial or bitter and aggressive. Some of the Irish guys seem to believe they have carte blanche to say whatever they want because of their blarney Oirish charm.

[byrddogs]

[yodanole]

The Irish did indeed contribute to the maintenance of the British Empire. You might be "tired of the 800 years bit", doesn't change a thing. The OP wanted to know why some might be less than welcoming to the average Englishman. I'm just sayin' "Are ye daft, mon?"

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-irish-slave-trade-the-forgotten-white-slaves/31076

[cam83]

I think you go to the US, you'll find most Americans very accommodating and nice to English people. I lived in Manhattan for 2 years and was treated extremely well in social environments (obviously an advantage with the ladies-they love the accent), but it helps if you're a nice person too.

I have to assume that the OP is referring to Americans in Korea, specifically, Seoul. This can often come down to group dynamics and because there are more westerners from the US than anywhere else, it can often seem overbearing because culturally, they don't have the same type of wit/sarcasm so even if I say something funny or as a joke, it is often misunderstood by my US friends and vice versa.

In my experience of living/traveling in the US, Americans individually are really cool, but the group mentality in Seoul is simply a result of being here. The Americans I meet in Europe or the US seem nice.

Also to the OP, I find it true that most Americans I have met are under the impression that people from England are arrogant and stuck up... I agree with this. Individually no, but back home most people do look down on the US as either a big shopping mall or (thanks to their gov't and the media) an uneducated bully in the playground.

Here in Seoul, I don't have many American friends because a majority of the ones I meet are simply are 'too much' for me and tend to have a superiority complex, but again I think this is due to being in Korea and the sense of self entitlement it brings to many, maybe due to being the dominant social group amongst westerners? Maybe because they 'saved' S.Korea or 'England' during times of war? That's not for me to say.

[Patrick Bateman]

As an American, I can honestly say that I've never met an American that has a blanket dislike for British people.

I think there are a few things at work that are probably being misinterpreted.

England is like a foreign culture that isn't so foreign to Americans. They usually have a lot of questions and curiosity about England and the way Americans go about getting the answers to them might come off as offensive, but I don't think it's the intention.

Going off that foreign culture thing, I believe England is in a strange juxtaposition to Americans because it's so foreign yet familiar. So we hear a British friend say something like "are you playin out?" And like the novelty a bit, and might use it around British people and they might think we are mocking them. A similar example would be foreigners using "waygook" in Korean, except it's compounded that the 2 cultures involved speak the same language.

Also, though England is still a dominant country, it's not at the level it was before. While it could be argued that the US is in decline, it's still the biggest superpower in the world. So I think Americans might partake in a bit of elbow nudging to try and highlight the similarities of the empires.

That's not to say there aren't a fair share of idiots and jerks from every culture, but I think there's a large bit of misunderstanding that feeds into it when dealing with such different cultures. What was the quote, "Two cultures (UK and USA) divided by a common language"?

[robbie_davies]

[Steelrails]

What's clearly needed is some poster named "fromtheusa".

And in my experience, to this American, Saffas have been the chillest, easiest to get along with bunch. Every one of them I've meet has always been real chill- have a beer and get some meat and watch a game. Always tend to want to keep an evening out festive, merry, and witty.

[Lucas]

[Bondrock]

[cheezsteakwit]

I've got no problems w/ the Brits in my town. I'll bust their balls when they talk 'funny' though ... for example - one friend said he needed a "torch" , & my american friends & I were like, WTF is a "torch" ??? (flashlight)

All in all, we all get along fine though & recognize when we're just "takin' the piss".

I'll bust on the 2 Texans in my town as well, b/c Texas thinks ' its shite don't stink '. Friendly rivalries are fine.

The one night at a local bar, the Americans happened to sit on one side of the table & the Brits on the other. The Brits were tearing each OTHER apart all night & my one Brit friend said , "Ah, look at the Americans just sitting quietly, while we Brits tear each other apart.".

They were from different parts of England, btw.

The only negative 'experience' I've had with a Brit was on St Patrick's Day last year. Some Scotsman was freaking out b/c the ticket machine line at the Sindorim station was too long. (a machine was broken)

The only reason I knew he was a Scot was b/c I was with a bunch of Brits (Welsh & English ). They said that was 'normal' for a Scot & recommended I do/say nothing.

[figshdg]

[byrddogs]

I work with a mixed bag where I am (there are Brits, Americans, Canadians, Chinese, and of course mainly Koreans). One of my junior co-workers is constantly taking shots at the other nationalities (not the people themselves but the country from which they hail). It is a bit tiresome, especially considering that he has chosen to live here as long as he has and work in this particular environment. I bite my lip while thinking that you do realize that Koreans pay your salary and make up the majority of your co-workers, China allows you to live here and make the money you do, and that our homeland isn't so special in many ways these days. Mostly, he is a good guy. He will do most anything for his co-workers and the students, yet is uber-nationalistic to almost being offensive.

[young_clinton]

[lemak]

I'm not Brit or American. To me it's quite the opposite in my experience. Brits endlessly talking crap about "dumb yanks" and "cultureless this and that" America. It all seemed quite bitter and pathetic to me. I'd always just assumed there was some latent hatred directed toward the country who'd taken over the mantle as top dog from an empire upon which the sun long set almost a hundred years ago.

In reverse I'd never really noticed Americans pay concern or lip-service to the UK that much at all.

Everyone always wants attention from the cool kid, I guess.