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neb
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:19 am Post subject: midwesterners in korea |
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Just curious, but are there many people from the midwest in korea? I'm sure there are. Being from the mid-west, we can have culture shock just moving to the east coast, how did you deal with the culture shock.of moving to Korea? |
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flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:21 am Post subject: |
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Wrong forum. |
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Thunndarr

Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:22 am Post subject: Re: midwesterners in korea |
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neb wrote: |
Just curious, but are there many people from the midwest in korea? I'm sure there are. Being from the mid-west, we can have culture shock just moving to the east coast, how did you deal with the culture shock.of moving to Korea? |
The same way we deal with everything else: booze. |
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ChopChaeJoe
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:31 am Post subject: |
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People like to talk about the midwesterners. What about the mountain state folks? You know, those isolated folks to the west of the midwest and east of California.
Pretty much the same as a midwesterner, but more paranoid and racist. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:27 am Post subject: |
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You just keep telling yourself that the locals are like the other quirky folks you've had to put up with before, but the winters are milder.
a) In terms of geography, when you get a blank stare from a Korean when you mention Taiwan, think of that New Yorker you met who was more than vague about everything between the Hudson and the Sierra Nevadas.
b) In terms of Korea having 4 distinct seasons, think of the Californian who takes personal credit for their weather.
c) When a local froths at the mouth about what Japan did to them a couple of centuries ago, think of that un-reconstructed person of the southern persuasion who...well, you know, and just nod sympathetically while searching for a better table to sit at.
d) When you get blind-sided for the 12th time in one day by a NotAmerican just remember the last blizzard you lived through and try to remember that their ancestors thought living up there with the French was preferable to being free. You'd be peeved at Grandpa for that one, too.
e) If some Brit gets snooty (yes, it happens), just look off to the left, furrow your brow, and say, "Oh, were you speaking English to me? I know a good speech therapist if you're interested in correcting that impediment." Then duck.
And as a general all-purpose bit of advice, listen to the poster who mentioned the benefits of keeping yourself a bit numbed with soju. It can't hurt and it just might help. |
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Lemonade

Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
c) When a local froths at the mouth about what Japan did to them a couple of centuries ago, think of that un-reconstructed person of the southern persuasion who...well, you know, and just nod sympathetically while searching for a better table to sit at. |
Why should YOU get up and move. No, I just go on and on about how wonderful, nice and polite the Japanese are towards visitors. I make sure to give plenty of great examples. Watch their shocked looks. As the Koreans get up and move say "arigato" and smile real big . Turn that culture shock around back at them. |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:00 am Post subject: Re: midwesterners in korea |
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neb wrote: |
Just curious, but are there many people from the midwest in korea? I'm sure there are. Being from the mid-west, we can have culture shock just moving to the east coast, how did you deal with the culture shock.of moving to Korea? |
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formerflautist

Joined: 30 May 2006
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:20 am Post subject: |
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The only thing that shocked me was all the hills and mountains. Seriously, I'm from Ohio and it's really flat there. The rest I took in stride. |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:28 am Post subject: |
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I don't really get the post.
Midwesterners adopt to almost everything.
As far as I knew.. most midwesterners blend in just about anywhere and everywhere.
The majority of U.S. states that are receiving 'domestic immigration' comes from the Midwest.. but its usually the Californians (a cool group of people) that everyone targets. Midwesterners are always under the radar. Always.
Let's not mess that up!  |
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Lemonade

Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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formerflautist wrote: |
The only thing that shocked me was all the hills and mountains. Seriously, I'm from Ohio and it's really flat there. The rest I took in stride. |
You haven't been to the entire eastern side of Ohio apparently. |
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Satori

Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: Above it all
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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My favourite american friend so far was from South Carolina. Not a real hill billy, but he lived next door to some genuine hill billy's. As teenaged boys they were once out roaming the hills and came across an old still that had obviously been left for years and years. The liquor was sitting on top of a perfectly compressed layer of charcoal. They had a camp fire that night, and downed the brew, said it was the wickedest smoothest fire water they had ever tasted. Then, naturally two of the hill billy brothers started fighting, and one shot the other in the ass with a shotgun! Brilliant!
I know South Carolina is not the midwest, but I just thought I'd put this story here anyway...sue me  |
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formerflautist

Joined: 30 May 2006
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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Nope, I'm on the border of Indiana. I've heard there are hills there but I can't say that I've ever seen them. Good to know that those rumors are actually true.  |
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Lemonade

Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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formerflautist wrote: |
Nope, I'm on the border of Indiana. I've heard there are hills there but I can't say that I've ever seen them. Good to know that those rumors are actually true.  |
"Rumors?" This is Eastern Ohio... just as hilly as most parts of PA or even Kentucky for that matter:
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seoulsucker

Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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Born in Indy, spent the better part of the last 15 years in Chicago. I love the city life, so it was fairly easy to adjust to every day life in Seoul. |
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Nowhere Man

Joined: 08 Feb 2004
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Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:52 am Post subject: ... |
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Quote: |
Being from the mid-west, we can have culture shock just moving to the east coast, how did you deal with the culture shock.of moving to Korea? |
Go to college in New England before you arrive.  |
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