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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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doggyji
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Toronto - Hamilton - Vineland - St. Catherines
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 Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Reason, you sound you have a nice attitude and outlook. If you can distinguish ignorance from hatred, I think you will be fine, especially with young people. Personally when I was living in Seoul, I don't think I saw even one single black person during the whole years. You will be a rarity for many Koreans and you will have the chance to inflence people around you in a way. Hope you will make good memories there. |
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Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
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| seoulsucker wrote: |
The non-confrontational approach is probably the best here. One of my best friends back in Chicago a.k.a. "Mr. It's 'Cause I'm Black, Ain't It!!" would be peeling his rows after the first week here.
Opening a dialogue is always cool. However, with the language barrier, it can be tough sometimes to find those things out from people and take part in a constructive conversation. |
Dahahaha! I got a homeboy that's just like that.
A light turns yellow as he's approaching an intersection? "It's cause i'm Black, ain't it?!"
A dog instantly starts barking at him? "It's cause i'm Black, ain't it?!"
Never fails.
But yeah, I see the language barrier as being my toughest challenge. I'm asking where the bathroom is, and the dude is looking at me like  .
That's okay, that'll make me learn "survival Korean" that much faster. |
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Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| doggyji wrote: |
| Reason, you sound you have a nice attitude and outlook. If you can distinguish ignorance from hatred, I think you will be fine, especially with young people. Personally when I was living in Seoul, I don't think I saw even one single black person during the whole years. You will be a rarity for many Koreans and you will have the chance to inflence people around you in a way. Hope you will make good memories there. |
True.
All the kiddies are innocent in my eyes. Just a product of their own nurturing. Don't think it's genuine hatred, it's just all that they're taught from birth. Can't hate on that.
And damn?! Seoul is the 10th largest city in the world, and you didn't see one Black person?! Watch, when I walk down the street, everyone's going to be asking me to krump dance, or dunk a basketball or something. |
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doggyji
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Toronto - Hamilton - Vineland - St. Catherines
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Reason. wrote: |
| And damn?! Seoul is the 10th largest city in the world, and you didn't see one Black person?! Watch, when I walk down the street, everyone's going to be asking me to krump dance, or dunk a basketball or something. |
Well, I rarely went cruising around the whole city.. so... 
BTW, it seems you are interested in learning the language a bit.. check the link in my signature. Lots of helpful guys there.  |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Reason. wrote: |
And damn?! Seoul is the 10th largest city in the world, and you didn't see one Black person?! Watch, when I walk down the street, everyone's going to be asking me to krump dance, or dunk a basketball or something. |
I think I might ask you to krump dance, given that I have no idea what that is and am now insanely curious.
There are some neighbourhoods where you see plenty of black people (am I supposed to capitalize "black"?) There are a good number of African-American soldiers and then heaps of Nigerian import/exporters, South African entertainers, etc. And yes, I'm talking about Itaewon. |
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Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
I think I might ask you to krump dance, given that I have no idea what that is and am now insanely curious.
There are some neighbourhoods where you see plenty of black people (am I supposed to capitalize "black"?) There are a good number of African-American soldiers and then heaps of Nigerian import/exporters, South African entertainers, etc. And yes, I'm talking about Itaewon. |
Daha. "Krump dancing" is +HUGE+ here in L.A. You can see shows of it where kids paint their faces like clowns, and do a dance where it looks as if their arms and shoulders are shaking uncontrollably. Looks nice if you see someone doing it right.
And i've heard about Itaewon and it's U.S military presence. I don't think I could live there, but hopefully, and this is truly wishful thinking, i'd be able to find someone on base or something that can cut my hair. That's another one of my major worries, lol. |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
| Reason. wrote: |
And damn?! Seoul is the 10th largest city in the world, and you didn't see one Black person?! Watch, when I walk down the street, everyone's going to be asking me to krump dance, or dunk a basketball or something. |
I think I might ask you to krump dance, given that I have no idea what that is and am now insanely curious.
There are some neighbourhoods where you see plenty of black people (am I supposed to capitalize "black"?) There are a good number of African-American soldiers and then heaps of Nigerian import/exporters, South African entertainers, etc. And yes, I'm talking about Itaewon. |
You've never seen "krumpin'"?? There was a documentary on it a few years back that garnered some acclaim.
It's basically a form of street dance that inner city kids started doing that is remarkably similar to some tribal dances done in some ancient cultures. What's cool is that a lot of these kids had no idea this exact style of dance had been done before, centuries ago, thousands of miles away. Rather spiritual, I think. |
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capebretoncanadian
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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There's enough black folks around that it's not that strange to see one or more. That's not just GI's or Africans either. I've met a fair share of African American people here that are hogwon teachers as well. I haven't heard too many complaints. A couple of snubs from hogwon owners is pretty much it....and they've been known to screw over whitey quite often as well
You'll be fine....you sound like you have a pretty chill attitude.....it takes that from anybody to make it here. |
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Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulsucker wrote: |
| It's basically a form of street dance that inner city kids started doing that is remarkably similar to some tribal dances done in some ancient cultures. What's cool is that a lot of these kids had no idea this exact style of dance had been done before, centuries ago, thousands of miles away. Rather spiritual, I think. |
Daha.
Puts my explanation about krumping to shame.
seoulsucker said, "Reason., step aside, son. I got this."
And completely broke it down.
Last edited by Reason. on Tue May 16, 2006 8:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Reason. wrote: |
Daha. "Krump dancing" is +HUGE+ here in L.A. You can see shows of it where kids paint their faces like clowns, and do a dance where it looks as if their arms and shoulders are shaking uncontrollably. Looks nice if you see someone doing it right.
And i've heard about Itaewon and it's U.S military presence. I don't think I could live there, but hopefully, and this is truly wishful thinking, i'd be able to find someone on base or something that can cut my hair. That's another one of my major worries, lol. |
Ok, I think I've seen something like that in music videos and such. Itaewon is your mecca for hair-related stuff, don't you worry. |
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Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
| Itaewon is your mecca for hair-related stuff, don't you worry. |
Whew.
*crosses haircuts off of the list of "biggest worries about living in Korea"* |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Reason. wrote: |
| seoulsucker wrote: |
| It's basically a form of street dance that inner city kids started doing that is remarkably similar to some tribal dances done in some ancient cultures. What's cool is that a lot of these kids had no idea this exact style of dance had been done before, centuries ago, thousands of miles away. Rather spiritual, I think. |
Daha.
Puts my explanation about krumping to shame.
seoulsucker said, "Reason., step aside, son. I got this."
And completely broke it down. |
And I'm white.
Take that, take that.  |
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rothkowitz
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm a little bit country,a little bit rock and roll. |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:40 am Post subject: |
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Reason,
Your first conclusion should be that these boards should not be your main source of information when you go about getting a feel for what Korea is like....  |
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SirFink
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:52 am Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
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| Reason. wrote: |
| I'm actually more worried about job placement, location, school director, coping w/ the language barrier, etc. |
When I went on my visa run to Japan there were many "people of color" standing in line right along with us white folks. I was a bit surprised at the high number of non-whites because I'd heard all the stories about racist Koreans myself and how hard it is for non-whites to get jobs here. Based solely on my experience, that's not the case.
That said, are you sure Korea is the place for you? It is not a country where one generally finds exotic experiences and memories for a lifetime, unless one likes cheap rice moonshine, Starcraft, horrendous Korean hip-hop and tacky fashion. You come here for money. For fascinating experiences that lead to memories of a lifetime you take an English teaching job in a remote fishing village in Cambodia. |
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