Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the_beaver]

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[bosintang]

This thread reminds me of a quip out of Riding The Iron Rooster, by Paul Theroux, written after he had travelled around China in the early 80's for a year. In one part of the book he was casually hanging around Chengdu (I think), noting how many other Western foreigners he could see, and he was wondering what they were all doing in China. He asked if they, like himself, were all writing travel books, and then said that that doesn't make him worried, because a travel book tells more about the writer than about the actual place. This certainly holds true on this thread, and most of the criticisms here are examples of change people see in themselves rather than the actual state of the places they left or live.

Myself, I am enjoying myself in Korea, and especially enjoying living life overseas. I feel it is the particularly right thing for me at this time in my life, otherwise I wouldn't be here. However, I have no illusions that I -- as all of us here -- are sucking off the nipple of a life that can only be afforded as an expat living here. We reap the rewards of living here without putting in any of the duties. We have easy jobs with easy hours, make (comparatively) lots of money, and are excused from the social and cultural obligations that the locals have. We didn't have to waste away our childhoods in hagweon-hell, and for most of us, don't have to worry about how we are going to afford to put our children through it. Lastly, we didn't have to put in mandatory military service. It's no wonder we love it.

For most of the criticisms here about life back home being "Soul-less" or "crushing", I can imagine a Korean expat in the West thinking the same about Korea. For example: why work a soul-crushing 9-to-5 salary job in the West when you can work a soul-crushing 9-to-9 job in Korea? Why get obssessed with Western trash-culture when you can be obsessed Korean trash-culture? Why tolerate the sorry state of North-American cities when you can tolerate the sorry state of Korean nature? Why get obsessed about owning a car and a house, when you can get obsessed about owning a small apartment?

For me personally, as I said already, I do enjoy living overseas, but most things I am passionate about remain in the West. Art, literature, music, and yes, sports. No, I don't follow professional sports anymore; but losing interest in professional sports has been a process of maturing as an adult more than anything else -- a reflection of who I am, not the place I live.

[Yaya]

[adventureman]

Why do you people automatically associate not enjoying living and teaching english in Korea with being a "loser" and only being able to find work in low-paying service professions back home?

[The Great Toad]

I'm not a loser and I do like Korea accept for one thing and it's that they don't speak English sometimes. In fact I am going out with a smokkinnn hott Brit English sluuuring Korean Lass Tuesday- will she tell me Polo stories and beg me to drink Earl Grey with her?- or will she want Green Tea- pm me to find out. And also I think sometimes kids stare at me the kindly White Uncle Tom I smile back and Beat them at thier HEEEELLOOOH. Soem non-lovin types tire of the incessantly silly kids- but I don't.

Errr and also every week or so police cars always get on their speakers and say BLala all BLAHH Hangook Mall Something er other. This would not happen in the US cuz in the US they don't think it's illegal or terribly frightening that a road toad bicycle monster is traveling on the street - often faster than the cars.

So I 'd say it'd be way cooler if I spoke the Bear speech. But as Bear people Koreans seem nicer than angry Americans on occasion they curse a bit at me but they have yet to throw things / spit /slap / sideswipe me like in the USA. Maybe if I ride here long enough all the same would happen too... Anyhow at the amount of money I'm saving I'll be able to buy Crazyteachers house in the US. I hope you like Taiwan Crazy it's warmer but they still make Bird talk noises - Bar Bars why can't they learn Greek?

Anyhow AdventureMan is just angry that he can not find cheap and good tasting Kim Chi in America - I bet if he could he'd leave Korea and take a job at a McDonalds and eat all of the McKim Chee super Size Meals.

[Crazyteacher]

Maybe I just need to get out of this shity city I'm living in and move to Seoul or something. Please understand that my living and work situation are horrible. Trust me. It takes almost an hour just to battle my way to work everyday. I live in a shithole and my boss is obsessively controlling and manipulative. Just that just about everybody I pass on the street either spits when they pass me or get's all apprehensive or something. Even here in the P.C. bong, I can feel the tension of the Korean neighbour next to me. All the lip smacking and air sucking through the teeth etc... I feel like everyone wants to kill me even though I try to keep to myself and if eye contact is made, I try to smile.
So, before you jugde my character (sorry for calling you losers) please understand my situation is making me very angry about living in Korea.

[the_beaver]

[the eye]

[mithridates]

I hear where you're coming from too. If you're stuck in a situation like that usually the best thing to do is find something long-term that you can start working on now, something that will help you when you make the move to Seoul and will keep your mind focused on what you're going to do, not the present you're in right now.
If it's an hour to work does that mean you're sitting on the train or bus the whole time? Is there something you can work on while you're there like language, music, some test that you can start the prep for now...are you saving your money right now for something else? If you have some saved up maybe you should splurge on one thing that will improve things. Perhaps a laptop so you can avoid the PC bang. Maybe you could get a Cyworld page and start meeting people in Seoul now, make plans to hook up with them later when you arrive, etc...

[Guri Guy]

Saskatoon??? What kind of loser would come from there? That is like the proverbial armpit of Canada.

I experienced some culture shock too I'll admit. Canada was frankly kind of boring after the initial rush of ephoria of being home. I know I trash Korea from time to time but I do like living here. Asia in general is really fun. I was glad to come back after 2 months of Canada.

[Yaya]

Another question is how much LONGER do you plan on staying in Korea? I wonder how many people said they'll save a nice nest egg and then return to their home countries for grad school or something. In my experience, I've seen many people who saw their two- or three-year plans in Korea linger to more like five to eight years, and some haven't even left yet.

[chronicpride]

I'm beginning to do a lot more serious research into moving on after this gig. The fiery, passionate love affair that I once had with this place is gone, and now all is left is a platonic marriage of convenience. I deeply miss feeling like a babe in the woods, and being thrown into a foreign environment and being challenged to adapt and overcome.

[Blind Willie]

[Chillin' Villain]