Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lush72]

[Real Reality]

lush72 wrote,
"I just submitted it for possible inclusion in the job info journal."

I hope Dave will ok it.

lush72 also wrote,
"It would have REALLY helped me understand things as a newbie."

It could help newbies understand life in Korea. This is the reason that I recommended or suggested it be a sticky.

[VanIslander]

The Six Root Causes are MISLEADING for newbie teachers in Korea:

1. Lack of honesty and integrity. Maybe, but...

This is a common claim of Korean Christians when attempting to convert their countrymen. Straight forward truthtelling is not a traditional Korean trait, as it isn't in other East Asian cultures. In Korea, trust is built within relationships fostered and nurtured; dishonesty with those outside of good relationships have little value. As teachers in Korea, develop your relationships, especially with your director and co-workers.

2. Lack of principles and mental discipline. Maybe but...

"Immediate expediency" is in fact a more important value, as Koreans do what they have to, quickly and on short notice: which is good for customer service requests but bad for being made aware of changes in work schedules. See the benefits as well as the drawbacks.

3. Lack of fairness, openness and civility. Maybe, but...

Koreans actually operate on a deep sense of justice (injustice) and are quick to protest unfairness. Openness to strangers is not a central Korean value and Koreans are not often open with those they haven't been introduced to. Foreigners are often seen as guests, and so may be treated different (better or worse) than the indifference Koreans show each other.

4. Lack of role models. Maybe, but...

Read Korean stories and see that cunning behaviour is often one way the less powerful triumph against the more powerful (and Korea has often been the underdog when occupied by the Chinese, Mongols, Manchus, and Japanese). Korean politicians have throughout history sold out the people's interests, and has generated deep mistrust among Koreans of their leaders as a result.

5. Failure of education. Maybe, but...

Koreans learn to accept the words of teachers as fact. A teacher has great power in Korea, as is the Confucian tradition. Koreans value past ideas more than present ones: following the "original" way is valued much more than "innovative" ideas. Realize that the old way of doing things is valued simply because it is old. Trying to change practices in a school environment is difficult, more so for a foreigner.

6. Failure of religion. Maybe, but...

Religion is practiced often in Korea, on Sundays for Christians and on many holidays for traditional Korean religions. Don't expect social mores to reflect any one of the three main branches of religion in Korea.

A newbie to Korea should be quick to realize the FACTS of life as it is lived here, and adapt to the culture as much as it suits one's interests. Arguing against the culture and society itself should be left to oldies and social reformers who're already well adapted to present practices.

[lush72]

[VanIslander]

Uh, Lush, newbies live here too, as do teachers in their second, third and tenth years.

Every statement I've made has come from Koreans (in person and in books) about their culture and history and values and practices. The recommendations come from my experiences as a teacher here.

I found "The Six Root Causes" of the depravity of Korean society to be entirely unhelpful to someone living within the culture unless one wants justification for raging against the system and wants to compound one's negative attitude with reasoned statements.

The cultural values that exist here are the society's own, and foreigners live within that societal framework. Sure, you can try to change everything as a newbie (and take on the relevant attitude), if you want the added friction, but there's a way to look at Korean practices AS THEY ARE, rather than as they should be, for those trying first of all to adapt to the society (as much as they feel comfortable doing).

One need not resent the people nor the society when one is trying to fit in.

"The Root Causes" is a condescending list of faults construed from a narrow perspective, without reference to the function nor history of the practices judged.

They may be true, but... let's not forget the values the society does operate on (rather than just what it lacks) and how we could act within it.

[Jensen]

[Barking Mad Lord Snapcase]