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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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| Are you truly happy in Korea |
| Yes, I absolutely love this place and will stay here forever. |
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14% |
[ 15 ] |
| Yes, I like it very much but I would like to try a different place one day. |
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37% |
[ 38 ] |
| It is ok, I'm mostly happy but think I can do better in a different place. |
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19% |
[ 20 ] |
| I am neither happy or unhappy. |
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7% |
[ 8 ] |
| I am not very happy but I can bare it alright. It surely would be nice to leave though. |
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15% |
[ 16 ] |
| I am quite unhappy and can't wait for my contract to end. |
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3% |
[ 4 ] |
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| Total Votes : 101 |
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The Man known as The Man
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Location: 3 cheers for Ted Haggard oh yeah!
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 Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| pest1 wrote: |
| Barefootbelle wrote: |
I'm not interesting. |
Sorry to hear that. |
Pity. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Your avatar has a huge nose. Plus she died big time in that movie. Having a moment or not.
Total shame. |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| pest2 wrote: |
| laogaiguk wrote: |
Funny, you are trash-talking your Korean coworkers who aren't "in the room". How do we know you actually are socialable? How do we know you didn't always complain about THEIR language and their nasty food? I am sure your experience is true and you did try, but the hypocricy of that post is horrid. |
Dont be so sensitive loagaiguks, I didn't "trash talk" them. I just said they're really difficult to become friends with.. Im sure they're nice people inside their little cultural bubble.
It's a little off-topic to question the truthfulness of my post... I assume you did that because I implied there could be more to the story about the key and the couple replacing the couple in the other post. Well, I mean, yes, OK, I could be lying. But what I did in that post was to hypothesize that HER HAKWON was lying, not that SHE was lying. (As everyone knows) Koreans lie like sleeping babies to save face... I dont think most people who post on here do that, however (no reason; we're all anonymous)..
Even if I did trash talk them, the situation would be a little different... see, I made an effort to try to befriend them whereas they did no such thing for me, despite that I am an OUTSIDER to their entire click.. believe, trash talking them NOW is completely without guilt (or shame if you've really adapted to the culture here).
Strangely, I am pretty sure they trash talk me, based on a few comments my students have made... like, I'm so rude because I didn't learn Korean well enough to keep up with them .... |
I can't believe you defended that hypocricy and consistently say people are unhappy here after looking at the poll results. Oh well. |
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pest2
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:28 am Post subject: |
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| laogaiguk wrote: |
I can't believe you defended that hypocricy and consistently say people are unhappy here after looking at the poll results. Oh well. |
No hypocrisy unless you and I and they become personally acquainted.. and let me tell you that is HIGHLY UNLIKELY loaogaiuk... at least one part of that 3 way aint gonna happen...
Seems like some people are happy and some aren't but it seem pretty clear that only a small portion plan to stay
| Quote: |
Yes, I absolutely love this place and will stay here forever.
15% [ 14 ] |
And one thing that seems to be the case: People who read and contribute to this website are more dedicated, adapted, and longer-lived in Korea than average foreigners. Most on here speak/write at least a little Korean; yet, I only know 2 or 3 people out of about 20 foreigners, personally, who fit that status... well, say what you want, but this poll cannot be taken for an accurate representation of foreigners in Korea. Just people who are bored enough to spend hours of thier time contributing (Im one of those too at the moment).
How about some stats on avg foreigner time spent here? You know, there is that US Embassy-Korea warning about getting ripped off in Korea... I think I'll email them and see what they have in the way of statistics. |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 3:49 am Post subject: |
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pest2, as I indicated to you earlier, I would venture to say that the avg "term" of a foreigner here is about 2 years (perhaps a tad less).
The canadian consulate posted a similar document informing canadians about teaching in the ROK, the advantages, challenges and pitfalls. That is just common sense. Everyone knows some people get ripped off here. Sometimes through their own fault and sometimes through no fault of their own. This does not discredit this poll in any way, shape or form.
I do agree that this poll cannot be taken as representative of how most foreigners feel being in Korea. Then again, neither will any email the US gov sends you (if any) because people contact their governments when they encounter problems.
You want a real poll: build one with neutral questions and then have it run by an English newspaper here. Try to get a national sample (foreigners from across the peninsula) of about 1300 people (an accepted number for a poll to be scientifically valid).
Use this link as a starter: http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/Courses/ResourcesForCourses/MarginOfError.html
Let me know how it turns out pest2...or...keep using your opinion as a representative sample of foreigners situations here.  |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:03 am Post subject: |
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To be happy takes a mental toughness and ability to take what's given at face value and enjoy it, live in the moment.
You gotta add 'teaching English' to the 'are you truly happy in Korea?' question. And there you've got kids that can be unruly, two-faced and bosses that can trump the kids in that department. Plus you're working with Korean teachers living at home and doing this job they don't respect as something to do before marriage. The Korean teachers don't see the kids as wonderful and Korea as wonderful. It's, from what I can gather, more of a mundane grind for them. Look at them in the office when there's a lull and they appear to wish they were dead.
Kids are excellent at living in the moment and enjoying what's given and taking it as face value and so heartily enjoying life here and now. I enjoy working with kids. For the most part. And try to ignore the apparent low regard society has for hagwon work. Consider it as a low regard from those who don't know because they haven't worked with kids. And are all wrapped up in being all grown up. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 6:24 am Post subject: |
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| pest2 wrote: |
| [ well, say what you want, but this poll cannot be taken for an accurate representation of foreigners in Korea. s. |
But if it had been the other way, you would be defending it. It is a more accurate sample than your own personal opinion anyway.
As for me, I am quite aware of why people are miserable here. It is because the vast majority (not all but the majority) were miserable back home, and would be miserable wherever they were. They tend to have low self-esteem because of how they were treated back home. Then they come here where they are treated much better and think "Why are people so nice to me, a total loser? Boy these people must be really bad, if they think that I am any good!" And then they take their issues out on the Koreans. |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| Wow, Urbanmyth, that's so convoluted it's sick. It's funny it's so twisted. Hmmm, low self-esteem (roots around fumbling, looking). Huh. Need a poll re; 'do you have low self-esteem?' to confirm this convolution of yours. |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Location: Next to a River
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:39 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| It is because the vast majority (not all but the majority) were miserable back home, and would be miserable wherever they were. |
I am curious how you would substantiate such a claim?
If it is done by someone else who is supposedly not miserable, then its like someone looking through a window of a house and describing how the food must taste inside. Unless you actually cooked it, tasted it and ?
Unlesss you are them then how can you really know what they are like or what they think. Its rather arrogant to think that because you have been taught supposed signs of misery that you can determine that people are miserable or must be by looking at a person.
Maybe they are faking it, did you ask them, how do you know truly that what you think is correct? Just because someone isn't like you? That isn't completely a bad thing, maybe its a good thing.
It seems that many people seem to be of the ideology that a person must have sucked in a past life to be here in Korea, or they must have sucked in a past life to have their attitude which is not completely happy to being here or anywhere, when in fact most people here have never walked in anyone elses shoes so have no understanding of truly what they are like or how they feel.
Or for that matter, how much of a cultural difference and national/social difference makes them different from you.
(changes made post edit)
Last edited by Summer Wine on Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:50 am; edited 4 times in total |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| captain kirk wrote: |
| Wow, Urbanmyth, that's so convoluted it's sick. It's funny it's so twisted. Hmmm, low self-esteem (roots around fumbling, looking). Huh. Need a poll re; 'do you have low self-esteem?' to confirm this convolution of yours. |
Yeah, I was following the explanation up until the point where the low-self-esteem waygooker turns against the Koreans for treating him better. I was thinking, "hmm... and the low self-esteemer suddenly falls in love with Korea & the Koreans for liking him, turns against everyone and everything back home, registers on Dave's and..." But no. He turns against the Koreans.  |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:02 am Post subject: |
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| Hmm, maybe the Koreans spot the foreigner with low self-esteem and give them an English teaching job as a sort of lowly fulfillment for them. Which the lowly-feeling already foreigner has a passive aggressive reaction to, enjoying being put down, so, happily, sulks. And skulks around but really they're happy to be put in their place and feeling lowdown. And not blaming anybody or transferring their issues or projecting or anything. Is that too normal a scenario for a crazy person? Hmm, maybe that's it. Cunning, the mad are. |
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pest2
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:01 am Post subject: |
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| Homer wrote: |
Let me know how it turns out pest2...or...keep using your opinion as a representative sample of foreigners situations here. |
I am sure some source out there keeps real data about how long foreigners stay here. I bet it's less than 2 years.. .like 1.5 or so.. vast majority of ppl stay thier year and then jet.
poll sounds like a great idea but again, the newest-comers here probably don't read that paper... I didn't when I got here and I never knew anyone who did... probably something that old-timers learn about... and we know that ppl who are still here now are likely to be happy here (or lazy idiots) otherwise why wouldn't they have left yet.
Or, I could just rely on your all knowing wisdom and just become happy because I'm so lucky to be here now.... |
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pest2
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:04 am Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
As for me, I am quite aware of why people are miserable here. It is because the vast majority (not all but the majority) were miserable back home, and would be miserable wherever they were. They tend to have low self-esteem because of how they were treated back home. Then they come here where they are treated much better and think "Why are people so nice to me, a total loser? Boy these people must be really bad, if they think that I am any good!" And then they take their issues out on the Koreans. |
And then there were those people who were sociopathic people-users back home and no one liked them so they came to Korea and fared quite well in Hakwons and havent left since. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Summer Wine wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It is because the vast majority (not all but the majority) were miserable back home, and would be miserable wherever they were. |
I am curious how you would substantiate such a claim? ...
Or for that matter, how much of a cultural difference and national/social difference makes them different from you.
(changes made post edit) |
One can make the judgment by the posts. Generally people who constantly complain were the same back home. They don't completely become opposite personalities just because they move to a different country. If you are a positive person you can continue to be so, no matter where you are. Likewise if you are a miserable person you are likely to continue being miserable no matter where you are. This seems particularly true of the people who constantly complain, yet stay here. Why? Because no matter how miserable they are here, they know that they will be more miserable elsewhere (less money, more hours,...) Otherwise if they could be making more money in a place they like why stay in Korea? |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| JongnoGuru wrote: |
| captain kirk wrote: |
| Wow, Urbanmyth, that's so convoluted it's sick. It's funny it's so twisted. Hmmm, low self-esteem (roots around fumbling, looking). Huh. Need a poll re; 'do you have low self-esteem?' to confirm this convolution of yours. |
Yeah, I was following the explanation up until the point where the low-self-esteem waygooker turns against the Koreans for treating him better. I was thinking, "hmm... and the low self-esteemer suddenly falls in love with Korea & the Koreans for liking him, turns against everyone and everything back home, registers on Dave's and..." But no. He turns against the Koreans. |
It's quite a common phenomenon. The Koreans treat him well, and he thinks they are worse than him for not treating him like everyone did back home. Would you fall in love with people you regarded as worse than you?
Most people who are happy to be here do not "turn against everyone and everything back home." Can you point to one post by one "apologist" in which said apologist "turns against everyone and everything back home". Simply prefering Korea to back home does not equate to that and it takes a particular turn of mind to think that way. Some people are comfortable no matter in which country they are. I've been happy in Mexico, Philippines, Japan, Korea, and Canada.
Bottom line: Life's too short to constantly focus on the negatives about it. Enjoy life (especially while you're young or healthy). Plenty of time for regrets when you're older. Except that the more you enjoy life NOW, the LESS regrets you are likely to have when you are older.
But I guess for people like you and Mr Kirk, that's a sick and convoluted philosophy. I'll let you and the other whiners get back to crying in your beer.
I'd say "have a nice day", but that would be just too ironic, don't you think?  |
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