Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cerriowen · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Location: Pocheon

OK I have a question for you Americans out there...

Do you have problems with your Aussie co-workers?

I work w/ some Aussies, and they really hate me. About 6 months ago I made some crack about them saying "Alumanium" vs "Aluminum", and I didn't think it was offensive or anything... but they were really pissed off. I didn't find out that I'd offended them for about 2 months, and when I did I apologized, but they still hate me for it.

I've talked to a couple of other people here who say that in general, it's traditional for the Aussies to hate the Americans, and that if I hadn't said anything they would have fished out another reason to hate me just because I'm from the USA.

I always thought Aussies felt the same way about the US as we do about them. I spent 3 months in Australia and I thought it was amazing, and I'd love to go back. I stayed in kind of a small area, and only got to know a hand full of people very well, and *I* didn't think they were that sensitive about the way they talked... Hell they usually teased me about talking like a damn yank. I thought our sense of humor was somewhat similar, at least it was with the few people I met.

Anyway, has anyone else had a similar experience? Is this common? Or just that I ended up with a few jerks?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Your coworkers are just jerks. Or you were genuinely rude to them, whether you realized it or not, and then you were a jerk.

All the Aussies I've met in Korea and around the world are nice, fun loving people, but in an office, small problems can turn into bigger ones quickly. If you are are outnumbered by them, it may be natural for them to gang up on you if you threatened their pride or bowie knives.

ScottyG · Joined: 09 Jun 2006

My experience working in big hakwons is that if you are a good teacher, and the kids like you, and the korean staff like you, and you are generally happier and more well adjusted than most of your coworkers.....they will find reasons to be pissed at you. I felt this way towards people when I came, and noticed it a little when I left. Funny how that works. Doesn't matter what country you are from. But it sounds like you are outnumbered.

Generally, Americans are a little bit more themselves wherever they go. I don't mean that in a bad way. Americans are always American. Other nationalities from around the world tend to leave a lot of their cultural perceptions at the door when they enter a new place (Canadians to some extent), but Americans don't adjust or sell out as much.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

I can't even begin to imagine why they would personally find fault with you.

Natalia · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

No, you're right.

All us Aussies are horrible people who despise Americans and go out of our way to gang up on them. Rolling Eyes

As an Australian I have just been offended by an American by reading this thread. I think maybe you should think a bit harder about what else you might have done to offend your co-workers.....

Don't you think posting this on a forum populated by a significant number of Australians is going to do a lot more damage?! Are you inviting people to talk about how unfriendly we are?!

Leslie Cheswyck · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: University of Western Chile

Bet you anything had they been the ones to make fun of your pronunciation of the word aluminum first and it was you with the negative reaction, they would all be saying "Hey, we're just takin' the piss. Calm down, mate." And there would be all this moaning about "thin skinned" Yanks and such.

Sounds like they have too much aluminium on the brain.

dalpengi · Joined: 08 Dec 2006

I know plenty of Aussies and some are strongly pro-American while some are strongly anti-American. Most of them however don�t care where you are from.

If this not a big enough generalization than perhaps this is: I am yet to meet any that would take offences as a result of the "Alumanium" vs "Aluminum" pronunciation difference. If that really is the issue than just ignore them because they are obviously not worth the time.

Btw, ScottyG, what do you mean by �sell out�? Perhaps I misunderstood you but I think that is quite strong. My take on this is that its not a American v non-American issue as far as foreigners in Korea are concerned, but those who have traveled v those that haven�t. Have met plenty of Americans who have traveled extensively who seemed to have left plenty behind at home as far as cultural perceptions are concerned. I think those are the people who have seen what things look like through the eyes of other nationalities and tend to be a little bit more careful esp. since quite a few things can be interpret in multiple ways, without any side of the argument being necessarily right or wrong.

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

dalpengi · Joined: 08 Dec 2006

joeyjoejoe · Joined: 24 Sep 2006

in case anybody cares:

anybody who says alumanium is an idiot.
aluminium is the spelling/pronunciation that is "correct".
aluminum is considered an acceptable variation.

according to IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry)

and for a group of people to hate you just because you say tomAto and they say tomARto is ridiculous. either all of them are stupid jerks, or you are.

remember; the only consistant factor in all of your failed relationships is you.

mnhnhyouh · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: The Middle Kingdom

In Australia U.S. citizens are given a hard time, though little of it is with any malice. The English are given an equally hard time, especially now, when their cricket team are touring and getting thrashed.

The U.S. / Australian animosity was much stronger in the past, and was initiated by the large numbers of U.S. serviceman in Australia in WWII.

U.S. troups came here in large numbers, with lots of money. They had a lot of Australian girlfriends, and that will start that sort of thing.

The U.S. citizens I have met here and in other places were all nice, but that didnt stop me teasing them a bit.

As for the criminal taunt about Australians, in the past that would hurt some. Now, however, "The Stain" is considered something to be proud of Smile

h

jmbran11 · Joined: 19 Jan 2006 Location: U.S.

My favorite colleague here is Aussie. Wicked sense of humor, which is why I love him. I've never met one that hated Americans, personally, although they have some comments about our government (who doesn't?).

However, my friend does take a lot of shite from good-hearted teachers and students about his accent, like it's somehow not right, because he's not American. One teacher accidentally mentioned him when commenting on the English abilities of the non-native speakers on staff. Now, my mate takes it in good stride, because he's cool. It's possiblet that your co-workers have faced similar comments, and so are now easily offended by accent remarks. I am American, but I think it's really annyoing that Koreans think "non-accented" English is U.S. mid-west dialect only. My husband is Irish, and every employer has asked him "Can you speak more like an American?" Of course, he just smiles and says, "Can you?"

shifter2009 · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Location: wisconsin

I don't think they hate us, but don't ask any out for drinks unless your SERIOUS about it....

The Chewbacca Defense · Joined: 29 May 2004 Location: The ROK and a hard place

As an Australian I will say this....

Any Australian who takes pronunciation of the English language too seriously is not worth knowing.

As for Australian/American relations.....i've met wankers from both countries here in Korea.

People are people. And if you feel the need to generalize about a person because of their nationality, well doesn't say much about you then does it!

This last point wasn't pointed at a particular person, just a general comment.

North Americans....yes and I am including Canadians... have different perspectives on things. Let's just agree to disagree and buy another round of drinks.

Newbie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003