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TINKERBELL
Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Location: GWANGJU
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 Posted: Tue May 13, 2003 1:46 am Post subject: |
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I'm quite happy to chat to any pleasant foreigners who cross my path and always smile when walking past any. Mind you, after reading all the comments about foreign females, I'm wondering whether I should run in the opposite direction if I see a western guy!!!  |
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orpheusdown
Joined: 29 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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down
Last edited by orpheusdown on Wed May 28, 2003 9:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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>. I'm usually on my way somewhere so unless i've chatted w/ them before it's not like i'm gonna go outta my to stop & strike up a drawn out conversation. I usually just keep walking & if it's possible greet them with a nod & a big drawn out ... Annyoonnggg Haseeeeyooo  |
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ratslash
Joined: 08 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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wierd...
i was going to post something saying exactly the same thing.
i see, on average, one western person a day. when i first arrived in korea (about 3 months ago) i use to acknowledge other western people. you know, a smile, a nod of the head - anything! did i ever get acknowledgement back? did i ***k! i think it is very bizarre because everybody is in the same boat. you must hardly ever see other western people so how about, you know, saying hi to the ones you do see? it is also very rude to blank somebody when they have said hi to you. i'm not saying, you know, start a friendship or conversdation or hop into bed with each other. but how about just saying 'hi'?
seoul is unfriendly enough without western people (who should know better!) also being very unfriendly.
think about it..... |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thinking..thinking..thinking...hmmm..ok done.
Ratlash,
Why is Seoul unfriendly?
Why are all foreigners in the "same boat"? Because we are white..yeah thats a strong bound.
Because we are all foreigners..owww thats strong.
Think about it |
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NearlyKorean
Joined: 15 Mar 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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 Being here 4 years myself, when I see a foriegner, I usually acknowledge them, by raising my head slightly, and making eye contact, and saying "hello", or "hey, how's it's going?"
If we start up a conversation or they simply responded, "fine", and keep walking or don't respond at all. It is nice to talk other foreigners, but if I don't that's fine, too.
For the ones who don't respond, again, I don't have a problem with it.
There are many reasons for their behavior. Having a bad day, in a hurry, didn't hear me, thinking about something else, could be they don't speak English, or they are not social by nature. I don't know them, and they don't know me, so I don't take it personally.
I feel the same way in the US, when I greet someone on the elevator, or in a doctor's office, sitting next a person in church, at a ball game, or on the bus. I didn't greet ever person walking by on the side walk.
I don't usually assume anything. When I see a white skin person here in Korea, I don't assume they can speak English, or that they are teachers.
However, when speaking English in public, I do assume that the Koreans around can speak English, and might be listening to my conversation.
If I don't like a person's behavior, I am probably not going to be their friend anyway... For example, I am a friendly and social person. Some people don't like that. If they don't like my behavior, we are not going to be friends. I know alot of people, but few of them I would call a true friend.
Just my 10 won worth.
Have a great day! |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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Master Blaster! Blaster from the pasture!
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When you see me walkin' down the street and I start to cry each time we meet,
Walk on by, walk on by
Make believe you don't see the tears just let me breath and cry
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vox
Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Location: Jeollabukdo
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| Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| FierceInvalid wrote: |
| Maybe it's different in smaller, more tight-knit communities.. |
It is different in smaller, more tightly-knit communities, quite different, and sometimes those folks posted in the sticks come out to see the big city once in a while. But you can usually smell the anti-socials in the city.
Walking down a street in Insadong once, I turned a corner and suddenly came upon a patio table with two scraggly-faced foreigners and just from being surprised, I said, 'hello, how are you?' Their heads were turned aside and the scraggliest one looked us up and down and said in a weird slow tone, 'just fine...' they looked like they were in the witness protection program and thought I had somehow blown their cover.
Other than this I usually meet radiant social types, but now that I think of it, those experience are in satellite cities of Seoul, or outside Gyeonggi.
Is it Seoul? |
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rawiri
Joined: 01 Jun 2003
Location: Lovely day for a fire drill.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="crazylemongirl"]I do the eyebrow thing... everyone from New Zealand should know what I'm talking about.
CLG[/quote]
Word!, i also chuck in a "how's it going mate" for a fella, or a "hey, how's it goin?" for a fellese. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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| vox wrote: |
| FierceInvalid wrote: |
| Maybe it's different in smaller, more tight-knit communities.. |
It is different in smaller, more tightly-knit communities, quite different, and sometimes those folks posted in the sticks come out to see the big city once in a while. But you can usually smell the anti-socials in the city.
Walking down a street in Insadong once, I turned a corner and suddenly came upon a patio table with two scraggly-faced foreigners and just from being surprised, I said, 'hello, how are you?' Their heads were turned aside and the scraggliest one looked us up and down and said in a weird slow tone, 'just fine...' they looked like they were in the witness protection program and thought I had somehow blown their cover.
Other than this I usually meet radiant social types, but now that I think of it, those experience are in satellite cities of Seoul, or outside Gyeonggi.
Is it Seoul? |
It IS Seoul.
You can easily see 100s and 100s of different foreigners a day in Seoul easily.. and you'll probably never see another one of those ones you just saw again anytime soon.
So the idea of striking up conversations with 100s of new people a day just for the heck of it, doesn't seem all that interesting. (Unless a person was REALLY lonely for company, I guess??!!??)
Granted if you live in the country.. and you see a new foreigner.. you should say hello.. as its highly likely you'll be seeing them everyday from then on out - probably just got a contract there. Doesn't apply in Seoul however. |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:18 am Post subject: |
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There is an exception. No matter where you are, if there's drinking involved, anyone should be cool enough to have a strange straggler join. Not that people are always that cool, but they "should" be, dammit. If you see a group of English speakers drinking and you want to join for a beer or three, speak some real English, there ought to be a law that says you can.
Ok, I'm just being silly. Who would want the likes of a jerk like me joining their fun? But if I was as cool as, say, Tiger Beer, I'd be welcomed any time. 
Just foolin with ya man. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Amazing how this conversation stopped three years ago and now just started back up again as if it were yesterday. |
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Cheonmunka
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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People must be very paranoid or too wary of their surroundings not to say "Hi."
Well, here's a big "Hi!" |
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ratslash
Joined: 08 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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| SuperFly wrote: |
| Amazing how this conversation stopped three years ago and now just started back up again as if it were yesterday. |
you bored superfly?!? this is the second post you have dragged from the doldrums! the post about smoking by great wall of whiner is the other one i am referring to.
don't post here very often now coz i am not living in seoul anymore. funny reading something that i wrote three years ago. i still agree with myself though. we, the waegook, should say 'hi' to each other. unfortunately, due to the lack of response, i gave up many moons ago when i am visiting seoul which has been a couple of times a year. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Ratslash...
Yeah I was reminiscing the old days, what are you up to now-still teaching somewhere? I kinda miss GWOW. |
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