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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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So, SCSA, the 1944 (July 20) German "conspirators" who attempted to "silence" Der Fuhrer were recognizing his "superiority" and "bestowing an honour" upon him??!!
If you really aren't a troll, then, man, get yourself to a shrink and get treatment for your delusions of grandeur! Don't forget to bring a pie.... |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 5:46 pm Post subject: Re: Thank you... |
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Some waygun:
What is the use of comparing two separate experiences?
Socrates had it right when he stated:
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He who is not contented with what he has, will not be contented with what he doesn't have. |
I hope you can come to except ever experience in life for what it is, as opposed to what it is not.
SCSA[/quote]
Whatever I accept,(notice the correct word usage here) there is a huge difference between accepting something and liking it. Korea is what it is, of course I have to accept that, but I do not have to like it.
What is the use of compairing? Well, how else are we to judge anything for ourselves if we don't compair things?
You are right that there is a lot of unnecessary whining on this board, and I am guilty of some of that, but it is also true that there are a lot of valid complaints made on this board. It is not fair to say that all the problems in Korea are caused by foreigners and their own lack of cultural sensitivity.
I do not believe in walking around saying "life is wonderful" and then hoping it will be that way. More often than not, life is hard. Problems are everywhere. There are a lot of things wrong with ESL in Korea, and having worked somehwere else gives me the insight to say thay, "yes, things here are unreasonable and at times, downright stupid here". That doesn't mean all foreigners are blameless. There were clueless backpacker types wandering around Mexico too, pretending they knew how to teach.
What is my point? Only this; if you love Korea, good on you. You're one up on me, but you have no right to tell me that I am just a whiner if I don't "like" Korea. We are all free to choose our own likes and dislikes, last I heard anyhow.
Sure, life would be easier for me if I liked Korea, but I don't. I am trying to find things to make life worth living here. I am studying the language and I am trying to learn about Korea. But the more I learn about this place, the more I wonder why I am still here.
Cheers |
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Austin
Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: In the kitchen
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 10:23 pm Post subject: Fair enough... |
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You said that you have to compare things to be able to judge things, so my question would be, why do you feel that you have to judge things?
Can not we just experience them?
By the way, thank you for pointing out my spelling errors, though I do not know exactly what you were referring to from your post. Moreover, I would like to return the favor by pointing out that it is compare and comparing, not compair and compairing.
I have always been a terrible speller, as my brain is not wired for it, but I try to learn a few words every day.
Thank you for understanding,
SCSA |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2003 3:16 am Post subject: |
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Touche. (sorry, there aren't any French accents on this keyboard)
As I have shown, I am an equally bad speller, but I wasn't referring to spelling. I was referring to the incorrect use of "except" where you should have used accept.
Check this site out if you don't belive me: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
Perhaps judge was a bad choice of words. I can experience an anal probe, and then I can say that I didn't particularly "like" the experience.
There are similarly, a lot of things I don't like about Korea, but in all fairness I can't go around blaming Korea for not being Mexico.
Korea is Korea is Korea and whether I love it or hate it, it is not going to change for me, you or anyone else.
It is a good place to make and then save some money though.
You say that you studied Korean back home, is that right? I am just curious, what text did you use? How would you rate your level of Korean? (Begginer/ intermediate/ advanced)
cheers |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 2:16 am Post subject: |
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Austin, do your initials stand for "Super Cold Steve Austin" by any chance? |
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humanuspneumos
Joined: 08 Jun 2003
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:20 am Post subject: I think that it can be a situation by situation thing when |
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comparing the treatment foreigners and locals. Examples I've seen:
I've seen a local sleep at the work-shop desk and nobody blink. However, when the foreigners didn't stand during all and every class they were "lazy."
I've seen the foreigners taken out for meals while the local teachers were never invited.
I've seen the local teachers not be paid for months while the foreign teachers pay came like clock-work (however, that eventually evaporated and then the owner got cheap even with the foreigner)
I've seen a local teacher get punched repeatedly by a former employer standing in his new work-place only to punch him. I've seen a foreigner get punched and heard of other violences take place physically on the foreign teacher.
I've seen the local teacher fired for ineptness at the job site. I've seen the foreign teacher fired for ineptness at the job site.
I've seen the foreigner scream at the owner and "get-away" with it. I've never seen a local teacher scream and get away with it.
I've seen a local teacher not get paid, go to the labor board, and was rewarded pay at the cost of losing his job. I've seen the same for a foreigner.
I've heard of locals and their family members threatening legal action and carrying through with it to get pay. I've seen similar activity on a foreigner's part for the same.
I've seen owners go out coffeeing/drinking with their key local teachers and the same for foreigners.
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The BIG thing that differs and it's not in the owners control except to control himself because this is true (as we are sensitive when they come to study in our countries)- all this nasty and good stuff can happen and we do not have freedoms under the E-2 to move from place to place. We are out of our element in so many ways. That's part of the reason why the stakes are a lot higher for us on this point. Mom and Dad, Gramma and Grandpa, Aunty and Uncle, 4th cousin far removed and whatever nepotism exists isn't living down the street. Our lawyer isn't in Korea. Our chosen fortresses don't exist in Korea. When the stakes are increased so are food, clothing, shelter insecurities and the hope of actualizing our potential that we dreamed of. One might argue that they are generally paid less. So, that balances things out. I would argue that their tutoring goes unnoticed and know that some of them with freedoms we don't have are making up to 10,000,000 Won a month preparing uni students for TOEIC exams. There you go.
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As for Austin's comments- I think of Aristotle and an Eastern Mystic Guru meeting. The Guru says, "nothing exists." Aristotle gets a kettle of boiling water and holds it over the Guru's head and begins tipping it. The Guru with a look of panic on his face hops over and away from the boiling water. Aristotle says, "My friend, what are you doing?" The Guru says, "You were going to melt my flesh with that water." Aristotle grins a bit and says with smiling eyes, "Oh, my dear disciple. How can something that doesn't exist harm you?" Not 100% of what Austin says is untrue- however, at the end of the day I don't think that he can live with his own philosophy and simply lives within a false bubble of personification and multiple onion layers of defense mechanisms from a harsh childhood- just a theory and not intended to be a flame thrower as much as a reality check. |
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Austin
Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: In the kitchen
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:48 am Post subject: Mirror... |
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How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one's culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction, because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light. |
I appreciate your attempt at trying to understand me, but somethings are not meant to be. Your comments could just be a reflection of self. |
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Mosley
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 6:26 am Post subject: |
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You're a waste of space.... |
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