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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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AdamH
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Location: Bachman Turner Overdrive...Let's Rock!
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 Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:10 am Post subject: |
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| DRAMA OVERKILL wrote: |
| but they can shampoo my crotch... |
Who told you about my night job?
"Short back and sides, sir?" |
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livinginkorea
Joined: 11 Jun 2004
Location: Korea, South of the border
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| Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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I think that most of us are seen as "losers" by the majority of Koreans. Some of us are more like clowns who play with kids then real teachers and we are happy to do that. Most of us wouldn't be able to teach back home 'cas we aren't qualified so I for one am glad that I could come here with my computers degree. Some of us get married to a Korean just to stay here. Some of us go back and forth to Japan on a tourist visa. Whatever your reason for staying you have to ask yourself - am I better off? Most of us find that we are.
A lot of our co-teachers are jealous of us as we get paid more. If you work in a hagwon the chances are that your co-teacher is getting about half your salary. Koreans constantly lie and tell you that they earn more but most don't. Hagwons jobs themselves are looked down upon by Koreans. They are looked as people who couldn't get a real teaching job.
I think myself that there are a lot of losers here in Korea. Especially people who are unsuccessful with their life (work, girlfriends, feel depressed) back home and come here and suddendly become kings. Women actually like them and they seem to be in the spotlight all the time. Of course who would leave that? They sleep around and teach privates and cause problems for the rest of us. They think that they are so great and then immigration catches them. Then they try and find a way to come back because they want to be that "king" again. They can't go back home where they think that they are losers. Of course it's just a state of mind.
It's the people who are so afraid of leaving that really annoy me. They don't want to go back to their boring life back home. I meet a guy about 4 months ago and he was so scared of his boss firing him. I thought why doesn't he just quit and get a better job? Another guy hadn't been home in 3 years and didn't want to visit his sick mother. Crazy or what?
I was offered a nice cushy goverment job before I came here but I still wanted to live in another country. I'm definitely not a loser as I have made something of my life. If you haven't then I think you are.
I always wanted to see the world and experience life in another country. I think that I am a very adaptable person and didn't have any major home sickness. I saw people who weren't able to adapt or stand up for themselves and went home early. Or maybe they didn't want to become losers?
In the end of the day it doesn't matter what I think or anybody else. It only matters what you think. |
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PolyChronic Time Girl
Joined: 15 Dec 2004
Location: Korea Exited
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| Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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O.K it may seem like a "loser" profession but it seems like you get flamed (by other westerners) when you say you much prefer living in your home country than Korea. I can honestly say that my husband is the ONLY reason I stayed here so long. The work back home is much more fullfilling and better than teaching here even though I make much more money in Korea. I already think 2.5 years here has been too long for me here. Don't flame me....it's just that Korea's not for me at all and never will be. But to others who love it here and love the teaching...I think that's great and it's a great testament to your character for knowing how to adapt here.
But I am leaving in a few days for California....I'm sure there will be some things I'll miss about Korea.  |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| DRAMA OVERKILL wrote: |
| Alias wrote: |
| Remember "maneatinghorse"? The guy was a total jerk but he was right. Many Koreans do consider us to be losers. Also, I know from personal experience that a good portion of foreigners working legtimate jobs over here really don't like esl teachers because of the bad rep we give to all waygooks working in Korea. |
I don't get this... "Foriegners working legitamite jobs over here?"... I have an ESL job - it's quite legitimate... It might not have the prestige associated with another line of work, but so what...
I have met several foreingers here who are not English teachers (you know, the ones with legitamite jobs), and they did not at all look down on foreigners who teach... I'm sure there are a few foreingers out there with "legitamite" jobs who carry a "holier than thou" attitude, but they can shampoo my crotch... We're all just here making a living...
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I'll stop stacking my piles of cash for a minute to bless you guys with the opinion of somebody with a so-called legitimate job. To be completely totally honest, it just annoys me how easy the english teacher lifestyle can be. there are a lot of ESLers working hard, but there are a lot of 20-hour-a-week people. and I do find myself thinking, "what an ambition-less *beep*."
i work 40 hours a week, but i don't earn much more than the average ESL teacher. so when I see a guy teaching privates and showing up at a hakwon for 4 hours a day, and he's earning as much as me, it makes me resentful. and i'm just being honest about this. should i be resentful? no, it's an ugly emotion and there's no justification for it, but i'm human and we feel how we feel inside.
and for your information, the degredation of foreigners working in korea doesn't stop at ESL teachers. A lot of people, koreans, look down their nose at me because I do a job here for less money than i could earn doing it in America. the reason i do it is because
1. they hired me
2. i love living in korea
3. it's good experience for when i go back.
but these reasons fall on deaf ears to people who just see dollar signs.
and koreans have a real love-hate relationship with their own country. there's a certain national self-loathing here that says, "if you came from North America (the big white shining promised land) to our stinky little country, you must be nuts." and it's a shame because korea is a fine country. why should i be in the bizarre position of defending korea to koreans? i don't know. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:01 am Post subject: |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
| there's a certain national self-loathing here that says, "if you came from North America (the big white shining promised land) to our stinky little country, you must be nuts." and it's a shame because korea is a fine country. why should i be in the bizarre position of defending korea to koreans? i don't know. |
What annoys me is the korean assumption that a white person must be
1) American (All whites are from America, didn't you know? And a teacher is just an imperialistic american soldier in civilian clothes).
2) here because they're a loser. (Ahem, my country is virtually unliveable)
3) Arrogant outsider
the korean perception of the outside world is LIMITED to say the least. And due to the laanguage barrier, most of those rabbid unending misperceptions go eternally uncorrected, unchallenged, and the slanted media fills their minds instead.
hearing the words "Miguk" or "wehguk" drives me insane. |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:24 am Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
| billybrobby wrote: |
| there's a certain national self-loathing here that says, "if you came from North America (the big white shining promised land) to our stinky little country, you must be nuts." and it's a shame because korea is a fine country. why should i be in the bizarre position of defending korea to koreans? i don't know. |
What annoys me is the korean assumption that a white person must be
1) American (All whites are from America, didn't you know?
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FWIW, if you've done some travelling outside of Korea, you'll find that this is common elsewhere. When I was in Shanghai 2 weeks ago, "American" was the only nationality that I'd get labeled. Same with some of the thick-accented British that I was on a tour with. When I was in Taiwan, same deal. Same with the Philippines and the kids chasing you and calling you 'Joe', as in GI Joe, just because you are white. Didn't mean to derail one of your excuses tailored to complain about Korea, but you shouldn't haul something up to the soapbox that isn't Korean-centric to begin with. Otherwise, it just looks like baseless venting and the clicking of red heels that you are begging to take you back home.
Man, aren't there any clever bigots in this forum?  |
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scarneck
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 4:06 am Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
Americans have become typecast in Korea as arrogantt ill-behaved people who don't bother to learn anyone elses language- thanks to the GI's. |
What's that about? |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:06 am Post subject: |
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| scarneck wrote: |
| rapier wrote: |
Americans have become typecast in Korea as arrogantt ill-behaved people who don't bother to learn anyone elses language- thanks to the GI's. |
What's that about? |
that, dear boy, is the perception of the average korean taxi driver.
Step into taxi a "I'm from America".
response; Oh yes, America good, america no.1!
taxi b: "i'm from Canada/England/australia"
response: "Oh!! wonderful, not miguk!. I think miguk bad, speak bad english. Bushie bad.
try alternating nationalities and see what response you get. |
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Lao Wai
Joined: 01 Aug 2005
Location: East Coast Canada
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| Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:38 am Post subject: Use the Korean Experience to Your Advantage. |
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I don't think I am (was) a loser for teaching in Korea. I had just graduated from university (21 Years old), and was itching to get away and do something. The thought of more university made me feel nauseous. The whole idea of teaching English in a foreign country has always seemed adventurous to me. I had wanted to do it since high school. So, when I finally made plans to go to Korea, nobody was surprised.
Korea changed me a lot. I became much more outgoing and really expanded my view of the world. I hung out with people from a variety of countries who were in their 20's, 30's, and 40's.
I didn't always love everything about Korea, but teaching there allowed me to travel to Japan and the Philippines. I also expanded my palate. I was such a picky eater before I went to Korea. Now, I'll eat just about anything.
I taught for two years, and in my second year I applied to do my education degree back in Canada. I was eventually accepted (although, for a couple weeks before acceptance I worked at a call centre in Canada). You want to talk about feeling like a loser! There is nothing wrong with this work, but you sure as hell don't need a BA in Psychology to do it.
I wouldn't have gotten into the education program without my Korea teaching experience. Before I even finished my education degree I got a job at an an international school in China, near Hong Kong, teaching grade four. I wouldn't have gotten that job without my Korea experience.
So, I've been back in Canada for about a month now. I enjoyed China, and I got to travel to Thailand and Cambodia. However, I am now ready to settle back in Canada (I think). However, that being said, there's no way I'm settling on the East coast, where I am from. I'm heading to Toronto ASAP. It's diverse, and it has great restaurants.
Actually, I sort of feel like a loser right now, because for the first time in a long time, I have nothing lined up (I.e. a job, or university). All of my friends are settled in their careers, married, and starting families. I have no real possessions to speak of. I'm staying at my parents' place right now, and will be staying with a friend in Toronto until I can find a teaching job. Still, I'm optimistic that things will fall into place. I also realize that this is the price I have to pay for doing all of the travelling I've done, but I don't really mind. I knew it was coming.
Even if you don't make teaching a career like I did, I'm sure that there a number of ways you can make your teaching stint in Korea work for you back home. And, in my opinion, you don't ever have to come home if you're happy overseas. Even though I'm finally biting the bullet and buying into the "normal" life back home, I still don't think others are losers for not doing the same. |
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