|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Wishmaster
Joined: 06 Feb 2003
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:58 am Post subject: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
 |
|
| Okay, I went to the good 'ol GS-XXV and bought a few items. The total came to 5,050 won. So, being that I didn't want a lot of 1,000 notes as well as 950 won in change, I gave the clerk 10,100. Now, this completely threw her off. She looked at it and was completely bamboozled. It was like a UFO had landed in the store...she just stared. Then getting her focus back, she uttered something in Korean and proceeded to give me that 100 won back. Then she gave me 4 1,000 won notes and that lovely clump of 9 100 won coins and a nice shiny 50 won coin. Thanks. Sure would have been nice if you could have given me a crisp 5,000 won note and a solo 50 won coin. I guess I know why she is working as a cashier. And this has happened before at other places, ad infinitum...so the point is...this seems pretty basic...what is the problem? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Pak Yu Man
Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
| You've been here how long and figured out that Koreans can be idiots.....not all of them. Just most. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
doggyji
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Toronto - Hamilton - Vineland - St. Catherines
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Interesting. On Korean boards, you constantly hear Americans can't do math in life, too. It's usually about not being able to do quite simple math without a calculator. Personally, I haven't encountered that many seriously not-so-bright people here in Canada. I just remember one of the cashiers we fired for stealing money couldn't deal with the exchange rate for US dollars. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| doggyji wrote: |
| Interesting. On Korean boards, you constantly hear Americans can't do math in life, too. It's usually about not being able to do quite simple math without a calculator. Personally, I haven't encountered that many seriously not-so-bright people here in Canada. I just remember one of the cashiers we fired for stealing money couldn't deal with the exchange rate for US dollars. |
Right. It's funny how some Koreans are totally convinced that they are better at math than foreigners when most of them didn't get an A+ in highschool math or never studied math or physics at university. On average, Koreans score better on math test than foreigners, but there still is an awful lot of foreigners that are better at math than the average Korean.
Last edited by Hollywoodaction on Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:30 pm; edited 5 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
indiercj
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| Wishmaster wrote: |
| Okay, I went to the good 'ol GS-XXV and bought a few items. The total came to 5,050 won. So, being that I didn't want a lot of 1,000 notes as well as 950 won in change, I gave the clerk 10,100. Now, this completely threw her off. She looked at it and was completely bamboozled. It was like a UFO had landed in the store...she just stared. Then getting her focus back, she uttered something in Korean and proceeded to give me that 100 won back. Then she gave me 4 1,000 won notes and that lovely clump of 9 100 won coins and a nice shiny 50 won coin. Thanks. Sure would have been nice if you could have given me a crisp 5,000 won note and a solo 50 won coin. I guess I know why she is working as a cashier. And this has happened before at other places, ad infinitum...so the point is...this seems pretty basic...what is the problem? |
Why in the world anyone would hand 10,100 won for a 5,050 change! Giving 10,050 saying "o-shib won isseo yo" and get the 5,000 note would make sense but.  And then you call the poor girl stupid? What the hell was that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
you must feel really good right now putting someone down. They don't do things the way YOU do, so THEY must be strange. 
You're in a foreign country and culture. They are not thinking the way YOU or YOUR culture do. Deal with it with a more positive attitude next time Jack. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| indiercj wrote: |
| Why in the world anyone would hand 10,100 won for a 5,050 change! Giving 10,050 saying "o-shib won isseo yo" and get the 5,000 note would make sense but. And then you call the poor girl stupid? What the hell was that? |
This really MUST be a concept that Koreans don't understand, that whole change-giving thing. Does it really not equate at all to you?
| cubanlord wrote: |
you must feel really good right now putting someone down. They don't do things the way YOU do, so THEY must be strange.
You're in a foreign country and culture. They are not thinking the way YOU or YOUR culture do. Deal with it with a more positive attitude next time Jack. |
Hey, look! It's the apologist's response! Yay! I finally got to call someone an apologist...sweet.
-----
It hasn't happened to me in quite a long time, but this change issue used to happen all the friggin' time when I lived in the boonies. Except, in my case, I would be giving them like 10,050 for 5,050 in purchases, and they'd be all like "........  " I wish I knew how to say in Korean in a sarcastic tone that I don't want a pocket full of change and 1,000 won bills. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
indiercj
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| It hasn't happened to me in quite a long time, but this change issue used to happen all the friggin' time when I lived in the boonies. Except, in my case, I would be giving them like 10,050 for 5,050 in purchases, and they'd be all like "........ " I wish I knew how to say in Korean in a sarcastic tone that I don't want a pocket full of change and 1,000 won bills. |
The magic word is "jan don isseo-yo". I never had any problem with change issue in Korea with the proper manner. Just giving them the extra money and hoping them to understand your intention is just dumb IMHO. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| indiercj wrote: |
| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| It hasn't happened to me in quite a long time, but this change issue used to happen all the friggin' time when I lived in the boonies. Except, in my case, I would be giving them like 10,050 for 5,050 in purchases, and they'd be all like "........ " I wish I knew how to say in Korean in a sarcastic tone that I don't want a pocket full of change and 1,000 won bills. |
The magic word is "jan don isseo-yo". I never had any problem with change issue in Korea with the proper manner. Just giving them the extra money and hoping them to understand your intention is just dumb IMHO. |
That's great. Now if only you'd learn to express things in a way that get your point across without coming across like an ass, people might actually take your (good) advice.
"What the hell was that?"
"...is just dumb IMHO."
Is it really that hard to not be rude? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
indiercj
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| indiercj wrote: |
| Zyzyfer wrote: |
| It hasn't happened to me in quite a long time, but this change issue used to happen all the friggin' time when I lived in the boonies. Except, in my case, I would be giving them like 10,050 for 5,050 in purchases, and they'd be all like "........ " I wish I knew how to say in Korean in a sarcastic tone that I don't want a pocket full of change and 1,000 won bills. |
The magic word is "jan don isseo-yo". I never had any problem with change issue in Korea with the proper manner. Just giving them the extra money and hoping them to understand your intention is just dumb IMHO. |
That's great. Now if only you'd learn to express things in a way that get your point across without coming across like an ass, people might actually take your (good) advice.
"What the hell was that?"
"...is just dumb IMHO."
Is it really that hard to not be rude? |
Well, here goes the cutural difference. English is not my first language. Your post to me, was equally arrogant and rude as you may have interpreted mine.
But I am really curious, do people give 10,100 just to get a 5,050 change? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: Geez...is math that difficult??????? |
|
|
| Wishmaster wrote: |
| Okay, I went to the good 'ol GS-XXV and bought a few items. The total came to 5,050 won. So, being that I didn't want a lot of 1,000 notes as well as 950 won in change, I gave the clerk 10,100. Now, this completely threw her off. She looked at it and was completely bamboozled. It was like a UFO had landed in the store...she just stared. Then getting her focus back, she uttered something in Korean and proceeded to give me that 100 won back. Then she gave me 4 1,000 won notes and that lovely clump of 9 100 won coins and a nice shiny 50 won coin. Thanks. Sure would have been nice if you could have given me a crisp 5,000 won note and a solo 50 won coin. I guess I know why she is working as a cashier. And this has happened before at other places, ad infinitum...so the point is...this seems pretty basic...what is the problem? |
I do the exact same thing and haven't had the same problem yet. Maybe I have an aura of mathematical confidence that others feed on. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Not getting back a mound of coin is only one side of the coin. The other side, I've always felt, is simple courtesy to the cashier. Instead of handing her 10,000 for a 9,050 purchase, if you have a 50 or 100 won coin handy, hand it over. This is a culture where customers don't extend a wit of courtesy to the person serving them. You may well have been the first person in her career as a cashier that ever did something to ease her burden and she was tripped up by that.
I remember once I went into my local GS25 (nee LG25). Just as I was about to enter I could see the over tired cash jockey sitting down outside for a smoke break. He really looked tired after the whole school rush. Anyway, he went back behind the cash and checked out my samgakimbap purchase. While handing over my product, I kind of motioned to the outside and apologized for interrupting him during his break. He seemed rather touched someone would apologize to him.
Heck, just the other day I went to put milk in my coffee at Starbucks and none of the milk bottles were at the milk bar. So I went up to the counter and asked "ooo yoooo joooo seh yo". They kind of looked around confused and realized the milk jars had been refilled but not put back at the bar. The woman offered me one, holding the other one in her hand. I offered to take both back to the bar for her. She handed them over and gave me a little bow in thanks.
Like what kind of man in her life is ever going to offer to do a subservient job for her? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Wishmaster
Joined: 06 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Indiercj, damn...are you sure that you aren't that cashier in drag?????? You must be an idiot. Again, my choices were: 1) give 10,000 won and receive a mountain of change or 2) I had a 100 won on me, so I figured I would use that and only get one coin back(instead of 10 coins). Do you understand? Or have you lived in Korea for so long that you are adopting their logic? Again, does it make more sense to count out 4 1,000 won notes plus 9 100 won coins as well as a 50 won coin or merely giving 1 5,000 won note and 1 50 won coin? Again, you must be a complete retard. I'm sure that Korea is a perfect fit for someone of your ilk. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
indiercj
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Wishmaster wrote: |
| Indiercj, damn...are you sure that you aren't that cashier in drag?????? You must be an idiot. Again, my choices were: 1) give 10,000 won and receive a mountain of change or 2) I had a 100 won on me, so I figured I would use that and only get one coin back(instead of 10 coins). Do you understand? Or have you lived in Korea for so long that you are adopting their logic? Again, does it make more sense to count out 4 1,000 won notes plus 9 100 won coins as well as a 50 won coin or merely giving 1 5,000 won note and 1 50 won coin? Again, you must be a complete retard. I'm sure that Korea is a perfect fit for someone of your ilk. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mateomiguel
Joined: 16 May 2005
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
wasn't there another thread about this last week? Oh yeah, it was the thread about things koreans will never understand. Well I'll have you know that I tried this today at my local Buy the Way and the cashier only paused for a moment before giving me the correct 500 won coin in return for my 4,100 payment.
I'm not apologizing for anything or anyone, just adding in my empirical evidence to the statistical study on korean changemongering. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
