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new horizons
Joined: 25 Jul 2004
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 Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:15 am Post subject: Gifts from Koreans? |
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| This has probably been asked before. However, I did a brief search and did not find an answer. I have been getting gifts from my adult students. The more I refuse the more they insist. Today I got a leather jacket! In the past I��ve gotten plants, including a lovely orchid, as well as the usual drinks and meals. I do not know how to react to this. I don��t want to insult anyone and, yes, the gifts are nice, but it��s all a bit awkward. I know this is not uncommon. What reaction is expected of me, as a foreigner and as a teacher? |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:27 am Post subject: |
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redbird
Joined: 07 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:24 am Post subject: |
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| Some Buddhist monks accept gifts with grace and then give the gifts to others in need. I'm not sure if you can make this work for you somehow-- accepting the gifts, but announcing that you will give them away to others as prizes or charity because you don't accumulate things. This might be a culturally acceptable way of reducing the number of gifts you get. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| redbird wrote: |
| Some Buddhist monks accept gifts with grace and then give the gifts to others in need. I'm not sure if you can make this work for you somehow-- accepting the gifts, but announcing that you will give them away to others as prizes or charity because you don't accumulate things. This might be a culturally acceptable way of reducing the number of gifts you get. |
This sounds to me like a pretty good way to offend people. I think the giver would lose face if he/she felt that you didn't value the gifts.
Perhaps the OP is wondering whether he/she is obligated to the givers? I can't answer that, but I don't think you need to worry about it. Just be yourself and contribute according to your talents. I've heard that gift giving can turn into a game of one-upmanship, a game of "Who Loves Teacher More?" which might be why this is getting out of hand. |
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