Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Homer]

In the spirit of that other thread assessing the problems of Korea...I will sacrifice myself and tackle that other burning issue.....


Drum roll please...

1 Refusal to accept that different does not mean inferior

Simply put this is the sadly too common habit of Foreign teachers seeing the differences in Korea and automatically switching to an us vs them system where Korean cultural norms and habits are essentially classified as inferior to Western ones.

2 Gross over-estimation of one's worth

This usually manifests itself at the very begining of a Foreign teachers arrival here or during his or her job search. This is basically a trend that sees the teacher ask for the moon with very little to warrant such a claim. Only reason: I deserve it.

3Sweeping judgement of large groups based on nothing more then limited and often very superficial information

Simple trick that leads many Foreign teachers to call all Koreans crap based on one or two personnal experiences. Very nifty trick and if that is applied to their own home country, the shields go up.

4It is their job to adapt, not mine

A very amusing trait that sees some Foreign teachers refuse to adapt to any Korean cultural behavior. It goes further with the teacher expecting Koreans to adapt to him or her. Not very logical but it sees the light of day quite often.

5What? I have to teach (i.e. work)

A very common shock encountered by many Foreigners upon arrival here to their new jobs. It seems they expected to be paid for nothing or to be on some sort of working holiday. When faced with actual teaching duties they balk and suddenly realize they do not really want to be teachers, they were just looking for a chance to travel.


Well thats the top five. It is no more valid then the other top five.

Have a good one fellow teachers.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Cedar]

Homer, I am struggling to think of what to add to your list...

[Tiger Beer]

1. Some teachers think that - can't generalize all teachers think that.
2. True.
3. Yeah, true. Sweeping judgements aren't good on a group of people.
4. Another sweeping judgement on all teachers.
5. Yet another sweeping judgement which definetely isn't true.

I'd say you were most correct with #3.. and probably should have left it at that.

[Real Reality]

A Society that Spares Greetings
A police officer said that the expression "sorry" seemed to be very hard to say, adding that people often fight over small things such as saying sorry and came to the police station. There are many people who point out that it is rare to hear basic words like "sorry" or "thank you" in Korean society.... Professor Han said that due to the "rushing modernization," referring to a mad dash to accomplish one's goals such as attaining social success, Korean society is seriously lacking in consideration of other people.
by Yi-Young Cho and Soo-Jung Shin, Donga.com (January 7, 2005)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2005010857368

Koreans Flock to Emigration Fair
"It's hard to work in Korea," said Moon Young-ah, a 38-year-old dental technician came the COEX to get information about emigrating to Canada. "There is always too much to do, too much stress, and not enough free time," he said.
By Mike Weisbart, Korea Times (March 27, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200503/kt2005032719145611990.htm

More Koreans give up citizenship
Faced with the question to be or not be Korean, a growing number of Korean-Americans are opting for the latter, renouncing their Korean nationality, statistics released by Korean missions in the United States showed yesterday.
by Lee Sun-young, Korea Herald (January 17, 2005)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2005/01/17/200501170007.asp

We live in an era where the escalating divorce rate, alcoholism, anxiety and depression affect the psyche of every Korean in some way or the other. Just about every Korean suffers from soul-deadening mental, physical or emotional tiredness. Professor Chey would like Koreans to "look inside" and explore their inner worlds. When she returned from the United States nine years ago, she noticed a lot of anger and stress in Seoul. "Koreans tend to think the problem is caused by someone else, that it does not lie within the Self," she said.

"But first of all we must do complete self-examination. Our history testifies that Korean people have lacked serious self-examination," he [Professor Rhee Dong-shick] explained.
Korea Times March 18, 2004
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200403/kt2004031817153511680.htm

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
Overall living conditions, including education, housing, medical care, transportation, immigration, and access to the Internet are pointed to as inconveniences. Not only inconveniences caused by different systems and customs in Korea, but also special discriminating practices, such as the practice of submitting two years of monthly rent in advance like a deposit, which is required of foreigners just because they are foreigners, are ubiquitous. "Even though Korea has achieved some degree of globalization in going abroad, it has still a long way to go for globalization in embracing foreigners inward," said foreigners residing in Korea. An official in the International Cooperation Division of Seoul City admitted, "The same complaints regarding visas, transportation, education, and environment are raised every year without being solved, due to the lack of cooperation from government agencies involved and their passive attitudes."
by Jae-Dong Yu and Soo-Jung Shin
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

Foreigners fear for safety in South Korea
The US embassy warns American citizens to stay away from certain parts of the capital Seoul as a homegrown campaign urges foreigners to leave...
by Conor Purcell, Greatreporter.com (March 17, 2005)
http://www.greatreporter.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=359

Korean 'well-being' slogan for some, not others
By David Scofield (October 20, 2004)
Asia Times - News and analysis from Korea; North and South
http://atimes.com/atimes/Korea/FJ20Dg01.html

Man Cannot Live on Slogans Alone
EU Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) President Frans Hampsink had some harsh words for Korea the other day. He said the country has no long-term development plan worthy of the name,... And that's just the free zones: imagine the red tape in the rest of the country. "Few official documents are translated into English," Hampinsk also noted, "and the low standard of accuracy renders understanding of legal provisions difficult." Nothing much has changed, he says, despite repeated requests for deregulation over the past seven to eight years. No action has been taken to match grand slogans like "open commercial country" and "Northeast Asian economic hub."
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200504/200504070040.html

[Homer]

I was not being very serious folks...just showing what general comments can do....

There is however some truth behind some of the comments I made in the list.

RR, you need to take one tall glass of warm milk, sleep and then relax...
That was one heck of a link fest!

To be more accurate: add the word "some" to the list statements.

[Ilsanman]

I disagree with #1. I think the us vs them thing is started on the other side. We just allow it to blossom.

[Ya-ta Boy]

The other thread has been deleted. Anyone know why?

[Real Reality]

[coolsage]

I can't disagree with the "Soul-deadening" reference. That one jumped out at me. Unfortunately, it is, in these parts, too often, too true. Dead souls rushing off to this, buying that, but without interior lives to call their own. Unexamined and unreflective lives are scarcely worth living, but for themselves.

[Captain Corea]

[Zyzyfer]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

1. My boot in your ass.

2. People that think that just because they hooked up and had a kid they can look down on others.

3. People that think that things can be summed up on a list.

4. Cutesy avatars.

5. Idiots telling me to make less money.

[The Bobster]

The lackluster quality of responses to a VERY well thought-out OP illustrates a very good reason that 10 PM on a Saturday night is a lousy time ever post a new topic that requires intelligent thought - just note that only one of the replies so far displays tiniest bit of it ... and come to think of it, Real Reality, why AREN'T you drinking?



PS - Come to think of it, I'm not at all sure why The Bobster can still type semi-coherntly at 4AM, let alone recognize rationality when he sees it ...

Good going, Homer.

[Blind Willie]