Korean Job Discussion Forums

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

When we were around 11-13 years old in my small hometown, a friend of mine called the Chinese guy in the restaurant "Charlie".... I'm not sure why that was a bad thing to say, but the Chinese guy flipped out. "Why you call me Charlie? I kill you!" He sort of had us scared but after we ran out we thought it was so funny. Yep. Young and ignorant are a dangerous mix that create idiots.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PolyChronic Time Girl · Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Location: Korea Exited

If the little rugrats say "hello" in the oh-so-cute mocking way just answer "hello" back in Finnish, Japanese, French, German, Russian or whatever your choosing. I did this when a horde of boys kept nagging me to say hello back...just whipped around and gave a hearty "olah! Como te llamas?" The shocked looked on their faces that there might be some other foreigner other than an English monkey was priceless! If they're going to have fun at your expense...you might as well have a little fun yourself.

kermo · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

I understand both sides of the arguement here.

Believe me, this isn't just a Korean thing, it is all over the world.

When i was in indonesia last year a school bus pulled up at the museum I was visiting in Jakarta. Spoiled my whole visit as the basically(including the teachers) followed me around and asked me things in bad english.
I heard Hello Mister about 1000 times in 2 hours.

...or when i lived in Tokyo, got so many bloody, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi!!!!!

If i get a hello from a typical swarmy kid i have two responses.
1. I'll turn around and say to them in korean, WOW your english is very good, lest talk in English (�� ؿ�. �� ) and talk very fast at them. It usually sees them going away rather quickly with their friends laughing at them.

OR

2. If i have no time just go Hello, foolish person (�ȳ� �ٺ� ��) and it will have the same effect

.....but sometimes it is just geniune curiosity and then I'll say hello and give them a cute smile and a wave which leaves me feeling very happy.

just on a side note
I get a lot more hello crap in Seoul and Busan than i do out here in the countryside.

Blind Willie · Joined: 05 May 2004

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

tomato · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:28 am Post subject:

Hello,

!

You might be interested in the ABC theory. This theory postulates that an emotion is not caused by an event, but rather by how the person interprets the event.

I don't resent children speaking to me in English, but I do resent adults speaking to me in English. This is because I interpret the events differently. As I interpret it, the children want a little jocularity, and they thing I would be a good partner for jocularity. (My first name is Thomas. Children call me �丶�� so that I would chase and tickle them. Hence my moniker.)

The adults, on the other hand, seem to speak English to me because they think I'm too stupid to learn English.

But of course, maybe I'm wrong also. Even if I am wrong, though, I hope that the other participants in this thread will be respectful enough not to scold and ridicule me.

Hello,

,

, and

!

If you are not bothered by children on the street greeting you in English, that's wonderful. But it is seldom constructive to scold and ridicule a person for feeling a certain way.

Some of you may remember the prolonged battle between the apologists and the whiners on this message board. The apologists said, "If you're not happy here, then why don't you go back home!" The whiners said, "If you are happy in Korea, you must have been a real loser in your own country!"

As far as I know, no one ever converted from one camp to the other.

Hello,

!

From what I have seen, the smaller and more isolated the community, the less the people speak English to foreigners. That's why I always try to get jobs in small and isolated towns.

polarbearbrad · Joined: 06 Dec 2004

OK so what if they do mock us? I mean duck's back people. Let it slide so we are the foreigners and we stand out, who cares? Ok maybe look at it this way, in many cases it is the only word they know and they do the same childish "dare you to" game that many of us did at 9 and 10 years old. "Dare you to talk back to the teacher!" "Double dog dare you!" and so on. This time around it is "Dare you to say hello to the English person!" then when they do and we answer back they laugh it off not quite sure what we were going to do.

When this happens I reply with "Hello, how are you today?" and if they give a wrong answer, I correct it. I am a teacher and who cares if they are making fun of me, I am not going to be all disgusted by it. It is harmless I think those who are being bothered by this are WAY-over-reacting.

Of course that is just me. Reply and go about your business, it hurts no one.
PBB

Zenpickle · Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Location: Anyang -- Bisan

Blind Willie · Joined: 05 May 2004

uberscheisse · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Location: japan is better than korea.

queencarmie · Joined: 23 Jun 2004

Do what I do. I look at them blankly and respond in Korean.

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

If you think a couple of kids repeating 'hello' is annoying, you're in for a surprise if you ever have your own. Don't start insulting little kids unless you want to be rightfully known as the creepy foreigner.

But, it teenagers throw insults at you, don't get mad. Stay calm. Ask them in very polite Korean to repeat what they've just said. My wife told me it's very important to speak calmly because it's extremely intimidating.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Back home when all the world was white and spoke English it was an isolation one was unaware of, because the community was all the same. Now one is aware the world is a bunch of isolated groups that don't understand each other. And it's hard to interact.