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yodanole
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida
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 Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:11 am Post subject: |
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| Whether a place is boring or exciting depends on what it is that you want, and whether a place provides those things. Obviously. But if you live in paradise ....... Where do you go for vacation? |
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Stain
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:15 am Post subject: |
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| yodanole wrote: |
| Whether a place is boring or exciting depends on what it is that you want, and whether a place provides those things. Obviously. But if you live in paradise ....... Where do you go for vacation? |
You go to hell because paradise just isn't good enough. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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| My bff came back to the States from Korea yesterday and posted this upon her return: 심심한 천국 vs 재밌는 지옥. Sums up both sides pretty well. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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I just spent 4 weeks in Thailand and I wish I could have stayed longer. Thailand certainly has its own problems that you would expect from a developing nation, but the main difference is the people. They might be poor but at least they have manners. No pushing, queue-jumping, incessant spitting, selfish me-first behaviour, etc.
To be fair to Korean people though, there were a lot of younger Korean tourists and they were perfectly well-behaved. By far the worst were the Chinese tourists. No matter where they went they talked at 150% volume and annoyed the piss out of everyone. |
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Enduro
Joined: 26 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:52 am Post subject: |
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| Chaparrastique wrote: |
| SeoulNate wrote: |
Korean people walking quickly?
I must have missed that one sometime in the last 7 years.
I do not believe I have been anywhere where people walk slower than here. |
They have a palli-palli mentality but their walking speed hasn't caught up. |
Neither has their stair climbing speed. |
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postfundie
Joined: 28 May 2004
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:18 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I just spent 4 weeks in Thailand and I wish I could have stayed longer. Thailand certainly has its own problems that you would expect from a developing nation, but the main difference is the people. They might be poor but at least they have manners. No pushing, queue-jumping, incessant spitting, selfish me-first behaviour, etc. |
I would say that this is one of Korea's biggest problems. Many Koreans are quite unhappy here. People in the work force hate their jobs and get no respect, ajossi's are mosyly rude and pissed off, the suicide rate is off the charts...and then they want to make money off of tourism. Would you go to a party where everybody was grumpy, angry, and depressed..? |
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Enduro
Joined: 26 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:04 am Post subject: |
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| postfundie wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I just spent 4 weeks in Thailand and I wish I could have stayed longer. Thailand certainly has its own problems that you would expect from a developing nation, but the main difference is the people. They might be poor but at least they have manners. No pushing, queue-jumping, incessant spitting, selfish me-first behaviour, etc. |
I would say that this is one of Korea's biggest problems. Many Koreans are quite unhappy here. People in the work force hate their jobs and get no respect, ajossi's are mosyly rude and pissed off, the suicide rate is off the charts...and then they want to make money off of tourism. Would you go to a party where everybody was grumpy, angry, and depressed..? |
When I was in Hong Kong last week that annoying "Imagine your Korea" came on tv at least once every 30 minutes. Also pumped over and over on any public video display. |
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Stu_miller
Joined: 23 Apr 2014
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
I just spent 4 weeks in Thailand and I wish I could have stayed longer. Thailand certainly has its own problems that you would expect from a developing nation, but the main difference is the people. They might be poor but at least they have manners. No pushing, queue-jumping, incessant spitting, selfish me-first behaviour, etc.
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There's plenty of queue-jumping in Thailand and other behaviour that doesn't take other people into account, but you're right about not much spitting or pushing.
Thai people are extremely kind and welcoming but, in general, they have almost no ability to apply logic or anticipate anything more than 5 seconds in advance, if that. They will also blatantly lie or make stuff up to cover any inability to answer a question to which they don't know the answer, and they are superstitious to the point of cutting off their nose to spite their face. Also, the driving is horrific (it made me laugh reading the thread here about Korean drivers because it sounds like a paradise on wheels compared to the Thai-style of driving haha!). Finally, their education system is abysmal and corruption is rife everywhere you look.
However, for all their faults (and there are many), I have thoroughly enjoyed living in Thailand and will miss plenty about the country. I have made good Thai and foreign friends there and will definitely return, at least for a holiday. Now looking forward to a new experience in Korea, hell or otherwise!  |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Thai people have humility in abundance. Something that is sorely lacking in Korea. Also, I found driving a scooter in Thailand to be a cinch. Mainly because they drive on the left though lol. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Countries like Thailand and the Philippines still have a lot of development to go but at least they have a soul. Korea is a soulless consumerist society, full of people relentlessly pursuing material gain. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:51 am Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
| Countries like Thailand and the Philippines still have a lot of development to go but at least they have a soul. Korea is a soulless consumerist society, full of people relentlessly pursuing material gain. |
I agree with the part about the lack of soul in Korea. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Some are happy and others are unhappy. No one is content. That's different than happy. Chasing wealth and status can only get people so far in life. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| optik404 wrote: |
| No wonder you got banned from marmots hole. You basically scan the internet for any article criticizing Korea and you troll with it. |
Disagree with Rob K one time and that'll get you banned. |
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Chaparrastique"]
| Yaya wrote: |
Its just that their way of being friendly usually makes westerners uncomfortable. No foreign person wants to tell a complete stranger their age, job and marital status within 2 minutes of meeting them. Expressionless faces are the norm here, foreign people find that intimidating.
My K-friends think I'm waay too aggressive and cold, so I've been trying to be more "friendly" and involve in small talk more. Thats what koreans expect: small talk with anyone and everyone, they view eachother as all part of the same family.I probably will revert to my unapproachable air however. I prefer London. Its pretty unfriendly, but you get left alone. |
I liked London, as I had a cool job. I love the food, which noone could understand. Sausage rolls. yum
The above post is pretty spot on. When I go home, Im always prodded by my folks to smile. A 10-ish y/o boy waved hi at me when I was at home, and what struck me was that. Kids dont smile, and now they dont say hi. The Girri Girri (our group) way is destroying them. But I know People have different norms heres, un fortunately, the local norms are not really helping the majority of people. There is no national consensus on what it is to be "Korean" or principles to live by, just run run run. In my 14 years here, it seems to be getting worse nowadays. Its sad. But for me, Im ok with it. I am always the type who worries about my own more. There is a reason the government allows E-2 to "potentially" save $1000ish every month. Unlike Saudi Arabia, we dont have to live in compounds.
I do wish we had more to shop for though. The lack of variety is a bit underwhelming, but its much better than in the 90s.. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
| By far the worst were the Chinese tourists. No matter where they went they talked at 150% volume and annoyed the piss out of everyone. |
It must have been tough to hold back and not rip into them while they were enjoying their vacation. |
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