Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bonaducci]

The Herald does it again ...

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/10/04/200610040011.asp

Having fun at the local Family Mart

"Sure we get the odd harsh look from Korean passersby," said Matia Saragoca, English teacher and part-time musician. "But we're not doing any harm." In fact, many Busan English teachers credit this Portuguese Canadian's love of sipping a beer at a humble set of PVC tables and chairs outside a convenience store with helping them make new friends and easing their transition into Korean society.

Introduced to the joys of convenience store drinking by "Louie" - a French Canadian English teacher from Montreal who was his first roommate in Korea and a recovering alcoholic - Saragoca believes that Korea's mature attitude towards the public consumption of alcohol is what has helped him preserve his sanity while meeting a variety of fascinating people as well.


Matia Saragoca (right) and a Korean friend discuss the merits of beer outside a Busan Family Mart.
"One evening this summer, I spent nearly 7 hours sipping cans of Hite at my local Family Mart," he said. "I didn't plan on it going down that way, but the beer was flowing and all these great people kept strolling by. I met so many Koreans who sat down and tried to communicate with me, and you know what? I really felt like part of the community." But it was not always this way.

Arriving in Korea early last year, Saragoca said culture-shock drove him indoors to a life where he became desperately unhappy, spending ever-increasing amounts of time alone in his apartment, sometimes going a whole weekend without speaking to anyone.

"My life was so miserable but the alternatives were pretty limited," he said. I hate clubbing and am not into the meat-market bar scene. I just love social drinking and wanted to enjoy a cool beer in a relaxed cafe setting."

One of five children of a Portuguese family in Vancouver, Saragoca said his father poured him his first glass of homemade wine when he was eight years old. He remembers always drinking in large social groups made up of extended family members and friends and longed to recreate that kind of feeling in Korea.

After first experiencing the pleasure of alfresco imbibing Korea style in a crowd of foreigners drinking together on the beach at Haeundae, and in the surrounding garden areas, Saragoca could not get the experience out of his head.

"As far as summers go, it was really special" he said. "All these Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Africans and Westerners were together soaking up the sun and ogling the girls. We were all downing drinks and having a great time until the sun came up"

Not wanting to forget those Mardi Gras-style memories of summer 2005, Saragoca soon started drinking by himself at his local Family Mart in Haeundae New Town in the hope of attracting likeminded companions.

"People are naturally suspicious of someone who drinks alone," he said. "But I've never understood that. Koreans were always cool with my public solo drinking. They would see me by myself and more often than not, take that as an invitation to join me for a drink and a chat. I made a lot of friends that way."

Slowly but surely, Saragoca also began attracting foreigners to his table and before long; had a regular group of about 10 English teachers from across the English-speaking world who now call the area's Family Mart home. At any time, a dozen or so English teachers can be seen enjoying a "session" after work or on the weekend.

"It's perfect," said Davis Lawler of Australia, who takes the subway out from downtown Busan to enjoy an evening of low-key drinking and socializing. "There's a big English teacher population around here that likes to mingle and live it up without breaking the bank. Drinks and nibbles on a shoestring budget work for me."

"Frank," a Canadian who works and lives in Haeundae New Town said he started drinking with Saragoca and the other "regulars" as a way to stave off boredom and loneliness.

"Life gets pretty insular here at times but these guys helped bring me out of it and are a lot of fun," he said. "I first spied them from my apartment window and eventually worked up the courage to go down and introduce myself. After a few drinks, everyone was comfortable with each other, it's great to hang with people and enjoy the camaraderie of the bottle."

Saragoca rejects criticism that boozing in the streets sets a poor example to Koreans; instead, he argues that the practice helps foreigners to better able to break down the barriers that have been built up between themselves and the locals by increasing their visibility in society.

"Koreans usually only experience foreigners on TV or in the movies," he said. "By drinking outside a Family Mart, they can see we're human beings and enjoy the same pleasures too. I like to think of our drinking as liquid ambassadorship. After all," Saragoca smiled, "When in Rome."

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By John Scott Marchant

[RACETRAITOR]

So where's the news in this?

[uberscheisse]

family mart drinking is fun as hell. especially near a busy subway station, or in an area with lots of nightclubs/hofs.

first - no smoke. smoking is the one of the lowest forms of human activity... i mean murder is worse but at least when you murder someone you don't smell like an ashtray afterwards. unless you immolate them.

second - you're outdoors. that rules. picnic atmosphere.

third - your choice of anju. you don't have 30,000 won plates of fruit and mayonnaise or 9 different kinds of phallus-sausage thrust in your face.

fourth - local entertainment. "aaaissh shippal!" is the indicator that something interesting is about to happen.

fifth and most important - IT'S CHEAP.

the only reason why someone wouldn't like it, i think, is that they were a fan of mixed drinks. not all family marts sell various kinds of grog.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think this is known as a human interest story.

[Ginormousaurus]

I think I'll start my evening tonight with a beer or two outside in Hongdae. Most of my usual drinking buddies are busy tonight so I'll be flying solo (at least until I meet some Koreans) Say hi if you see me.^^

[JongnoGuru]

[pidgin]

Did you drink outside a Family Mart this Chuseok?


Nope. A mini stop.

[tiger fancini]

I'm a big fan of Family Mart drinking, and indulge at least 2-3 times a week. My town is not exactly bubbling over with decent bars, so among the foreigner community Family Mart always gets the vote. As others have mentioned, its cheap. Its outdoors. No obligations to buy anju. And the best reason of all, it never closes!!!

[Peter Jackson]

I have always found drinking at the convenience stores to be perfectly acceptable behavior as long as you drink from cans or those supersized plastic jugs. I've raised a few eybrows when I have drank from glass bottles..not sure why.

The one taboo that I've only really seen westerners do is the walking with the beer trick. Koreans seem to frown upon walking and drinking but walking and smoking is ok...

The other disgusting westerner habit is the guy who brings his own bottles of Chung Ha to a club and chugs them from the bottle! I've seen this dude more than once and, guy, get some class!

I'm all for paying for a few ludicrously priced drinks in a club, getting the hand stamp, then zipping over to the Family Mart for a cold one or two...just to speed up the boozing process and meet the local color at the shop.

[pidgin]

[rocklee]

Do you'all realise that you're taking drinking to another level...lower.

[pidgin]

You're right. We should move the party to the alley.

[DCJames]

Drinking there with a friend or two is fun..

Drinking there by yourself is pathetic.

[SPINOZA]

I agree getting utterly shltfaced outside family Mart - the more foul-mouthed and loud, the better! - is great fun, but it sucks when some of your students catch you (er, I would imagine).

[jajdude]

I frequently have a beer outside, often by myself. It's fine with me. Sometimes I do it when I get a sandwich or something and want a beer to go with it.

It will soon get cold though.

It's fun with a drinking buddy of course. Cheap, easy, you can watch people go by, sometimes have some strangers stop and maybe even join the fun.

You can meet some characters that way.

I think this is one of the things I like about Korea (Asia).