Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pompomouse]

If you could make a list, of say 5 things foreigners should do/be/have/ in order to have successful year in Korea, what would that list look like?

Or ....

What are the common mistakes foreigners make when living here for a year or two that leads to them having an unsuccessful year here?

(When I say successful, I think what I mean to say is the idea of having an overall good, positive , worthwhile experience. Obviously, measuring success is subjective, but nonetheless I'm interested to hear what others have to say on the topic.)

[wwidgirl]

1. A good attitude
2. a good work environment
3. good friends
4. a few simple korean phrases
5. non-pickiness towards food.

[peppermint]

[Ya-ta Boy]

Interesting question.

1. Tolerance for isolation.
Moving to Korea is socially isolating, much more so than moving from one city to another back home. Starting over making friends and finding the places you need to find is a whole lot easier when the number of people who can be your friend is larger than your shoe size. I find Koreans exceptionally friendly, but you have to speak a common language if a real friendship is to develop. It��s great having the convenience store ajumma smile at you when you come in everyday, and you know she would be the first to help out in an emergency if she knew what you wanted/needed. But that isn��t enough. And the odds are that a fair proportion of the foreigners you work with are dysfunctional. It��s just the way it is.

2. Innovative
I think a person needs to be innovative in order to solve problems here. What do you do when your pidgin Korean doesn��t get the point across? Miming and drawing pictures will get you a long way. But what about when your free time is when everyone else is working? How do you fill the time productively?

3. Tolerance for ambiguity
So many things happen around you and you will never know why they happened. You have to just shake your head and go on with your life.

4. Tolerance for being functionally illiterate
We learn very quickly here what it is like to be illiterate and mute. It is very frustrating to not be in charge of most things in life��filling out forms, ordering a pizza on the phone. Being back in the helplessness of young childhood is a condition that many don��t handle well.

5. Being able to hold on to your sense of humor and adventure.
I think it��s vital if you are going to be happy here to be able to laugh at yourself and your situation and remember the sense of adventure you started out with.

Mistake
I think the biggest mistake is to spend a lot of time with other foreigners. It can be hard to meet Koreans outside of work, but it is worth the effort.

[Hater Depot]

I'm amazed every time I meet a person who's been in the country several years and hasn't learned any Korean beyond the most basic phrases. I met a guy who'd been living in Korea for 9 years and couldn't say jack. He spent all his time complaining about his life. I wonder if he'll see the connection.

[Kalhoun]

1. Being able to develop a social life that does not revolve around either/or both alchohol and video games. Instead, eating right and making good nutrition/excercise a priority.

2. Finding people who share common interests.

3. Willingness to take up some new hobbies~ or continue old ones.

4. Learn to live in the moment and enjoy interaction with those around you. Develop friendships with Koreans.

5. Avoid cynical negative people as often as possible.

[Kalhoun]

1. Being able to develop a social life that does not revolve around either/or both alchohol and video games. Instead, eating right and making good nutrition/excercise a priority.

2. Finding people who share common interests.

3. Willingness to take up some new hobbies~ or continue old ones.

4. Learn to live in the moment and enjoy interaction with those around you. Develop friendships with Koreans.

5. Avoid cynical negative people as often as possible.


And most importantly. Deal with by bringing closure to things back home that are negative and causing you much grief. (Eg. Ex-girlfriend, quazi-boyfriend, etc.) Axe the silly distractions and you'll have much more peace of mind.

Also travel~ crossing Asia in a caravan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[seoulhiker]

[tomato]

Sorry, Pompomouse, but I can only name one: willingness to learn the language!

[Paji eh Wong]

[joe_doufu]

1. A goal. Mine is a financial (savings) target that I'll meet before I leave. It keeps me focused and also helps keep me from spending too much on drinking and toys.

2. Patience of the Tortoise.

3. Some kind of a hobby. When you work at 3pm, the long mornings give you too much free time to either (1) get really depressed, bored, and go insane, (2) sleep too much and get fat, or (3) go shopping or something and spend too much money. I tended to do all three of those things until I started a Korean class from 10 to 12 every morning, and now I feel much healthier and happier.

4. Come alone. People who come over with a friend/buddy/roommate tend to spend a lot of time crying and moaning to each other about the Koreans, and that kind of negative atmosphere just feeds off itself and gets worse.

5. And for goodness sake, don't drink so darned much. If you must do something with friends each and every Thursday-Sunday evening, learn to love Karaoke or the movies or the Board Game Bang.

[Hollywoodaction]

Landing a highly intelligent, open-minded, and sexy girlfriend, who has since become my wife, did the trick for me. The icing on the cake is that we've been extremely fortunate with our finances because of my wife's good business sense.

I agree that you don't have to hole yourself up at home or give up your hobbies just because you're here. You can easily find Korean friends who have the same tastes as you. I've made some very good friends that way. Think about it. You've made it halfway around the world and you're going to deprive yourself of cycling, skiing, bodybuilding, knitting, or whatever you do for a hobby simply because it would involve interacting with the locals? That's just plain dumb.

[Babayaga]

[quote="joe_doufu"]


4. Come alone. People who come over with a friend/buddy/roommate tend to spend a lot of time crying and moaning to each other about the Koreans, and that kind of negative atmosphere just feeds off itself and gets worse.[quote]


Good point. A variation on this point is: live alone. As has been pointed out, living with a room-mate can involve a lot of listening to your room--mate whine and moan, which can create a lot of stress.

Living alone can you give you privacy and space to do what you like the way you like to do it. I know when I got a new job with single accomodations, I felt so much happier and freer. No put--downs or abuse from frustrated loser room--mates :clothes, cooking and other personal preferences.

[mchristophermsw]

Korea can be a virtual play ground of adventure--it all depends on the perspective.

Outside of work, Korea has a really cool R&B and Hip-Hop scene.
When it comes to fitness, theres a cool bodybuilding subculture that exsist and then theres the artsy scene etc.....

If your the average person who will not leave thier comfort zone, then you wont have much of a choice.

[itaewonguy]

actually all it takes is motivation!!
you dont need to learn the language! you dont need to learn the culture!
all that stuff is outside the box! it all begins and ends with you!
if you are happy or you know what you want to do.. everything else is just a luxury!
you want to make the most of your one year here!
have an open mind and travel around as much as you can!

I know many foreigners and Koreans who have not seen korea!
all they have seen was that one weekend trip 3 years ago up to Donghae!
its easy to get stuck in a grind here.. and most koreans havent even seen 90% of korea!
so if I was you.. if you are only going to be here one year..
travel!! check out the traditions, culture and food etc..
dont get stuck in the foreign scene as do so many, all they learn at the end of one year is.. that they spent all their money and need to sign another year! and then at the end of that year they use the money on a trip to South East asian on their way home! still a cool time was had!!

everyone is here for different reasons! ask yourself what it is you want to get out of you time here!! if you are only here for MONEY and thats all!!
then start up another thread !