Korean Job Discussion Forums

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

After having my head in a vice while management squeezed asking that I satisfy the dictates of the parents and work on my customer service (blood dripping out of my ears from the shrill screams of kids), and feeling the grunt, I've forgotten all about that now. The supervisor, a short Mary Poppins-like professional munchkin ala Mistress Heidi Dominatrix of the SS, ha! I've forgotten all that now because going to Japan, a totally futuristic and smooth alien country, was just so smoothly bizarre and refreshing.

Took the hydrofoil from Pusan which is a machine, isn't it. Rolls Royce jet engine sucking in water and hosing it out the back. A jet ski that holds 100 people ripping over the shark blue water at 80kph. I have a cold and couldn't smell the barf bagging going on as oversensitive Korean gals get mesmerized, then traumatized by the speeding by troughs and wavetops. So barf away, gals, I can't smell you. And then the tromping around Fukuoka glorying in not knowing what the frig's going on. Driving on the wrong side of their car on the wrong side of the road. A sign that says don't smoke while walking down the street. Would you see such an admonition in Korea? There's isn't one spit spot, ciggie butt, bit of wrapper or a damn thing on the spotless street.

And when I go to the postoffice and explain I need a pcbang to get an address off the computer to be able to send what's in my bag at their postoffice everyone, I mean the whole office (ten tellers and their manager(s)) is going 'HI, HI' (not saying hi but saying 'I'm on it, I'm on the case!' is apparently motivated, as a collective group/happy bee mind bent on customer service and harmony, to help me out finding an 'internet cafe'. And a member of the hive is selected, volunteers, to walk me a block to find the place. Hey, I'm not comparing or complaining by default about Korea. Heck no, I love Korea. Korea is relaxed and charming. But I noticed than when speaking to Japanese shopclerks they were right, exactly, poised like Chinese circus performers on the exact balance point of the ball of my request. They were phasar-eyed locked on as if stepping up to problems was seizing the day, the moment, and their thrill. Holy cow. What a place.

Then there are those Japanese women and their fearful symmetry. Admiring the mobile bouncing, various spheres inherent in their round spots as they walk. How dey do that? It's like they have a completely different notion of sexuality, the panthers, the tigresses, the she-lions. They aren't saving themselves for marriage and they seem to step right up to bat for oogling so bring it on, they say. Riding bicycles wearing highheeled boots. Just generally sexy like white on rice, like an old pair of jeans. Part of their damn natures, the vixens. Again, how dey do that? Could they please open a charm school in Korea?

Ah, Wendy's hamburgers open at 7;30am serving chilli cheese fries and caesar salad with coke. Heaven. Gotta be heaven. And the variety of motorcycles, if you're into motorcycles. Korea had a ban on foreign import bikes but in Japan it's the primordial souplace out of which Yamahas, Suzukis, Kawasakis spawned in all their natural variety. Parked like exotic one of a kinds as a matter of course. No wannabe nothins. 400 Yammies with a Triumph look/lay out. Chopper with suicide shift. Those amazing young men on their flying machines with a cool Japanese chick on the back wearing a pink helmet with a silver stripe, scarf flying in the wind, and...of course...high heeled boots. Damn.

In the morning happened across a temple. In the yard a 1,000 year old ginko tree very wide around, squat. The top branches swaying in the wind but the majority of the tree, the heavyweight of it not budging. Pitbull of trees. And at its base two stone anchors from 1280. Left behind when the Mongol's navy failed dashed by the Kamikaze, divine wind. Ships made in Korea as Mongol wanted to push across to Japan, but failed twice. The temple pillars are a woodworker's dream. Just an oil finish, smooth, oak it looks like. Beautiful grain.

Yup, Japan's a dream for a day, that wonderful visa run, that'll make a hagwon grunt forget his snorting problems. Big sky, big sea, a whole different history over there, thinking, worldview, way of doing things. Nope, didn't eat monkey brains. Chilli cheese fries.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

But, do they have Boomerangs? Wink

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

To me, all the women, nubile in their sexual wildness, their sexual ferocity, had boomerangs in the backs of their buttock pockets to which my eyes were caught, returning, again and again. A sexual electric current which jolts my memory; imagine living in such an enviroment. It boggles the horndog mind. And chilli cheese fries.

pest2 · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada

csvfa · Joined: 17 Jan 2006

The OP, what a fantastic piece of writing. It read like a poem. I went on my visa run a week ago and he's spot on.

coolsage · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:45 am Post subject:

Only an hour away on the plane, Japan is as different from Korea as chalk is from cheese. Spotlessly clean, the people so polite, the subways perfumed, nobody shoving you off the sidewalk or cutting in line, no spitting, no puking... but who can afford to live (or save) there?

mithridates · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:47 am Post subject:

coolsage · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:10 am Post subject:

mithridates · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 9:17 am Post subject:

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

rai · Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Location: Osaka

I've lived in Osaka for five years, and I know LOTS of people that save upwards of a 1500 USD a month. If Japan was as expensive as everyone says, service industry people couldn't afford to live here. Just like anywhere, the longer you live here, the more you learn, and I can live cheaply. If you wanna go drinkin' every night, than no, you can't save money. But you CAN have a social life and save cash.

I'm intrigued by your all's take on Japanese women; I've always thought that Korean women were the most beautiful in Asia! Japanese women are indeed stylish and fashionable, but there is something doll-like about many of them. I often find them attractive but not SEXY. Also, you NEVER see foreign guys with the really beautiful women. My girlfriend is an attractive woman, but she's not the one you'd stare at walking down the street. In Korea can the foreign guys score top-notch talent?

And how's the datin' for the ladies? There's a problem in Japan where some women refuse to date Japanese guys, and since Japanese people are 99 percent of the population, these women get lonely. But it's their own damn fault!

Oh, and as far as the no spitting and puking, Fukuoka must be some special government designated "No Spitting or Puking Zone" 'cuz the old dudes spit EVERYWHERE in Osaka. And a late evening train ride would be incomplete without a puddle of puke to dance around in the aisle.

Please bear in mind though, that whatever negative things I might bring up, I LOVE IT HERE!! I've been curious about teaching other places in Asia, but I may have made a big mistake by starting in Japan. I was thinking about Korea at one point, but I've heard so many horror stories (gettin' ripped off by your boss, immigration round-ups of teachers working outside what sounds like a very restricted work visa, overt racism, etc.) that I've changed my mind.

By the way, for those primarily interested in makin' money, remember that you can teach all the private lessons you want in Japan. When you get a work visa, it is yours to keep and you take it with you even when you leave the job that sponsored you for it. I was stunned to read on this site about teachers being sent out on assignment by their companies, and then getting rounded up by immigration because the dispatch assignment was "outside" their work-visa. That is FUC!ED-UP! Also I've read posts about people getting questioned by cops because they have an English textbook in a coffee shop (a sign that they are about to teach a private lesson). Seriously, is this crap true??!! This NEVER HAPPENS IN JAPAN!

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

In 1998, after I lost my job at Halla Heavy Industries in Seoul due to the IMF crisis in Asia, I was going to head over to Osaka and find a job visa etc.

But then my wife made me marry her and we moved back home, bought a house, and the adventure was over.

Sigh...

now i live vicariously, as a dog, through YOUR posts. Razz

rai · Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Location: Osaka

Um, sorry. Wish my life was more exciting Sad

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

That was an enjoyable thing to read, Kirk; you might take up writing when you tire of this Asian thing.

fatpat · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Location: The bright lights of Namchang

[quote="rai"]I've lived in Osaka for five years, and I know LOTS of people that save upwards of a 1500 USD a month. If Japan was as expensive as everyone says, service industry people couldn't afford to live here. Just like anywhere, the longer you live here, the more you learn, and I can live cheaply. If you wanna go drinkin' every night, than no, you can't save money. But you CAN have a social life and save cash.

If I ever decide to come and teach this way again, it will be Japan for sure! The only reason I went against going there was because people on websites were saying it's too expensive Mad

[ quote = "rai"] I'm intrigued by your all's take on Japanese women; I've always thought that Korean women were the most beautiful in Asia! Japanese women are indeed stylish and fashionable, but there is something doll-like about many of them. I often find them attractive but not SEXY. Also, you NEVER see foreign guys with the really beautiful women. My girlfriend is an attractive woman, but she's not the one you'd stare at walking down the street. In Korea can the foreign guys score top-notch talent?

The Korean girls pretty much look the same in general. It's just that some of the guys on here get a bit excited. Pay no attention.