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<I MISS KOREA>
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Dodge7

Joined: 21 Oct 2011

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:01 am Post subject:

fustiancorduroy wrote:

Dodge7 wrote:

You sound like a very depressed person. Do you have any friends? I suggest going out with them.

And speak for yourself, I'd give anything to go back to the States where unfamiliar faces smile at me instead of scowl and where my wife and I can walk and be in peace instead of being scoffed at by strangers on the street and labeled dirty by the media. Where I can walk into any store and ask for help and understand everything everywhere I go.

Korea has some good things like good transportation and low crime, but there's no place like home, for me at least.

I have to ask: what's stopping you from doing that here? Of course, communicating with people in your native language is always going to be easier and more enjoyable than trying to do so in a foreign language, but learning how to read Korean is fairly straightforward and memorizing at least a couple dozen grammar structures and vocabulary words is scarcely more difficult. And your wife is Korean, correct? I would think you'd be studying Korean at least somewhat fastidiously to be able to communicate with her family, unless your wife has parents who speak good English -- which is unlikely. In any case, you should be able to learn enough Korean to communicate in stores with a couple month's studying, provided you actually go out and apply what you study.

There's no way I can possibly learn all that Korean with my schedule as busy as it is to be able to go into HomePlus and ask the person behind the counter what makes this electric shaver different than this one and understand all of their reply.

You have to be kidding implying that in some way it is just the same back home if I just study and learn a few phases and garble them out--most of times in which the person will just say, "Nae?" or laugh. I can do that, it's just understanding what's being said back to me that is the problem.

I was so relieved to go into the store and ask where something was when my wife and I went home to visit that I just started talking to the shop clerk for the hell of it because I could It felt so refreshing to communicate. What freedom it is to be able to communicate perfectly without a hint of confusion. Think about it, we spend all day not being understood or being spoke to not understanding. It's an agitating feeling.

Freely conversing at home just feels like a warm shirt right out of the drier--hmm, driers--something else I miss from home =(

comm

Joined: 22 Jun 2010

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:20 am Post subject:

Dodge7 wrote:

Freely conversing at home just feels like a warm shirt right out of the drier--hmm, driers--something else I miss from home =(

I've been fantasizing about getting one, and I couldn't imagine -not- having one if I were married. What's stopping you from picking one up?

fustiancorduroy

Joined: 12 Jan 2007

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:34 am Post subject:

... Last edited by fustiancorduroy on Sat Feb 21, 2015 6:11 am; edited 1 time in total

Yaya

Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:43 am Post subject:

I say there's a big difference between "can't adapt" and "won't adapt." I'd say many of the whiners are of the latter category (and many of them in turn end up quietly returning to Korea after leaving despite vowing never to return, but I digress).

bcjinseoul

Joined: 13 Jan 2010
Location: Seoul, Korea

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:47 am Post subject:

Modernist wrote:

My question for you, OP, is:

Why'd you leave? If you had it so good when you were here and everything was great--women, public transport, 'free' apartment [actually, your pay was just allocated differently, but never mind], travel, money, friends--why would you drop all that to go to America?

There must have been SOMETHING, some problem or concern. Something that bothered you despite all of the good things. So what was it? You even claim you know 'what it's like to have a job [you] love', and it was 'easy' to boot!

So why'd you walk away? Are you sure it wasn't because you came to understand the meaninglessness and dead-endedness of teaching ESL? That no matter what you did here you would never escape the reality of this joke 'profession'? Did you maybe want to have a real career, a real calling that meant something, that gave you a feeling of satisfaction and challenge and mental stimulation?

I have almost the easiest PS job anyone could get. I have to work but a fraction of what most teachers do, especially compared to hagwons. My kids are basically decent. I have an easy and short commute. My city is a lot better than most non-metros I've compared it to. My apartment is nice and well-located. AND I make a good bit more than average for anyone here except Uni professors. But 2 years here will be damn pushing it for me. I don't deny the things you mention. In a lot of ways living in Korea is easier than living in America. I have a hard time thinking of a job I could do in America as 'easy' as the one I have here for the same income.

But life is about more than having it easy. At least it is for me. Every weekday morning I have to drag myself out of bed. I don't look forward to my days. I'm happy when I manage a good class that maybe actually taught a few of my kids something new for once; but there's no deeper satisfaction there. It's just going through the motions. I want to do better than a life where it's all about the evenings and weekends and just grit your teeth until you make it. Don't you?

I agree and disagree with what you're saying here, and you've made some great points. As you can tell from my original post, there are a lot of jobs I can't do and/or don't want to do, and I give you a great idea of what many things I DON'T want in a job.

Unlike most people, I learned a lot of Korean, put up with the culture and the locals just fine, enjoyed my jobs out there most of the time, thought the women there looked better than over here, never minded dragging myself to work - beats the hell out of so many jobs I'd rather not do.

My dad is old. I don't know how much time he has left. My sister is getting married this fall. My mom hates not having me around for Christmas. Family does take it's toll and puts you on guilt trips. I think family keeps me back in the States more than anything.

I'd love to get something with editing, writing, PR, etc...but have no real experience with that, beyond writing a million blogs whilst in Korea. Beyond that, I'm open a GOOD office job, like an HR generalist, paralegal, marketing research guru, etc, but have no experience doing something like that, either. I'm also open to teaching, but NOT at a public school, and lastly, I'm open to a really, really good customer service career - like bank branch management or auto insurance adjusting - two other things I have no experience in.

I've applied to plenty of jobs online like these on and off with all sorts of different resume styles and formats and all sorts of job boards -with minimum callbacks, interviews, etc. The post 2008 job market sucks. People with skills have jobs (engineers, scientists, computer geniuses; great fields btw; as well as stuff that doesn't look good to me, like accounting which I hated in college, and a long list of healthcare careers, as well as teaching or learning a trade at 6 or 7 am in the morning. I could go on...), but if you don't have a skill, you better be an amazing salesman, which is something I've become with my current low-end sales job, but it's hardly meaningful work, like say, working on a cure for cancer, designing computer mainframes, engineering rockets or designing video games, let alone writing the all-American novel.

I dunno. I wish I could be 25 and in Seoul forever. Too much I miss. Oh well...

At the same time, I wish I had saved a ton more money in Korea, and had gotten myself back into school right after, pay as I go, live off the money, not work, and not have to take out student loans. Shame on me for having too much fun. They really were my glory years...

northway

Joined: 05 Jul 2010

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 1:09 pm Post subject:

comm wrote:

Dodge7 wrote:

Freely conversing at home just feels like a warm shirt right out of the drier--hmm, driers--something else I miss from home =(

I've been fantasizing about getting one, and I couldn't imagine -not- having one if I were married. What's stopping you from picking one up?

Korea's tiered electric pricing scheme would likely lead to some very, very expensive bills if you were to get a drier. I've assumed this is why they haven't caught on in Korea.

Squire

Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:35 pm Post subject:

fustiancorduroy wrote:

I understand your feeling, which I suggested in my original post. I went back to America myself not too long ago, and it was nice to chat with people in stores without any effort.

And it's true that I don't know your schedule. You might work 50 hours or more each week. But learning even a little Korean each week, say one word a day, adds up over time. You're right that you'll never be able to communicate in Korean as well as you do in English. But in my case, after living here six years, and studying Korean a fair bit during the first three, I am able to communicate quite well in most day-to-day situations and, perhaps more importantly, understand what people are saying to me, whether they are telling me information about different types of bank accounts or explaining why my boiler isn't working. I hope that you, too, eventually reach this level of moderate communication in Korean.

Bear in mind a word a day is only 365 in a year if you keep it up diligently. I believe the TOPIK level 2 wordlist is 2000 words, so it would take 6 years to get to that level. It's pretty tough to get from survival Korean up to a decent conversational level

redaxe

Joined: 01 Dec 2008

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:

The grass is always greener on the other side, my friend.

fermentation

Joined: 22 Jun 2009

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:23 pm Post subject:

northway wrote:

comm wrote:

Dodge7 wrote:

Freely conversing at home just feels like a warm shirt right out of the drier--hmm, driers--something else I miss from home =(

I've been fantasizing about getting one, and I couldn't imagine -not- having one if I were married. What's stopping you from picking one up?

Korea's tiered electric pricing scheme would likely lead to some very, very expensive bills if you were to get a drier. I've assumed this is why they haven't caught on in Korea.

It's true. Some washing machines have a built in dryer but nobody uses them for that very reason. Even in the army they would deliberately disable the dryer function on washing machines and instead make you use the privately owned ones where you have to pay to operate.

Who's Your Daddy?

Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:52 pm Post subject:

Yaya wrote:

I say there's a big difference between "can't adapt" and "won't adapt." I'd say many of the whiners are of the latter category (and many of them in turn end up quietly returning to Korea after leaving despite vowing never to return, but I digress).

As a white man it is pretty hard to integrate. It's not all in control of the individual. You'll still be a foreigner.

===
Steelrails nailed it for me. I'm bored with the work here, but I was bored with the work in Canada. The difference here is I have some money in my bank and can see a financially secure future here. In Canada I couldn't see it improving. I remember watching house prices go up faster than my savings there vs. I've already bought my house here.

Sometimes I look at real estate in Canada, and anything decent would mean getting a mortgage and living poorly again.

edwardcatflap

Joined: 22 Mar 2009

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 4:01 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Unlike most people, I learned a lot of Korean

Quote:

At the same time, I wish I had saved a ton more money in Korea

Some people will claim you can do both but if you feel you don't have time, look at this guy's situation and spend your days here making money (legally) This will involve investing in qualifications too. What do you think is more important to him now, his ever dwindling stock of Korean vocab or his ever dwindling stash of cash in the bank?

Last edited by edwardcatflap on Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

Privateer

Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 6:14 pm Post subject:

Dodge7 wrote:

Exactly. I've learned 'a lot' of Korean and the more you know the more you realize how much further there still is to go. Until you can chat freely on any subject and are able to read most articles with only minimal recourse to a dictionary, your Korean level still restricts you.

soomin

Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Location: Daegu

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject:

Yaya wrote:

This. Of course, if you do end up enjoying your time here, learning some basic vocab and such, and having a good life, people blast you for that... I can go to a store and communicate pretty well... there are some times when I'm just like "...umm..." but most of the time I can get the basic jist and be proud of myself for it ^.^

Anyways, back to the OP and family back home, that's why I went to the States for about 6 months a while ago... My father got cancer and I went to be with my family. He fully recovered and they're all fine now, and I realized I couldn't live in America. Living for other people is what makes people bitter, and I didn't want to end up that way, especially for the kind of jobs that were available... I worked a temp job and was fired two days before Christmas, along with pretty much the entire staff. They decided that out of 50+ people they had promised full-time jobs to, they only could keep 3 or 4... My other options were selling tires (although I'm pretty sure the manager just wanted to have a girl in the office, which is why he gave me his "private line") or selling candles and having "candle parties"... I got offered a real job, but in the end, I just didn't want to live anywhere else, so I hopped back as soon as I got my paperwork done... Korea isn't for everyone, but it makes some people genuinely happy to be here ^.^

sml7285

Joined: 26 Apr 2012

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:20 pm Post subject:

Who's Your Daddy? wrote:

As a white man it is pretty hard to integrate. It's not all in control of the individual. You'll still be a foreigner.

Now imagine how the hundreds of thousands of people born in the US and Canada feel, constantly being looked at differently even though they've lived in their respective countries all their lives. That's one of the reasons why I'm moving to Korea in June. I just want to spend a few years knowing what it feels like to truly blend into the background.

I'm sorry that you feel that you're having trouble integrating, however realize that you're in Korea for a few years. I had to live with not blending in for 24 years. Others have for even longer periods of time.

sojusucks

Joined: 31 May 2008

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: <I MISS KOREA>

bcjinseoul wrote:

I know what it�s like to have an easy job. I know what it�s like to have five figures in my checking account and be debt free. I know what it�s like to have a job I love. I know what it�s like to work Monday to Friday, nine to five, and be loaded, too, and to be totally free at 5pm-ish back at my own flat. I know what it�s like to have several weeks paid vacation a year, full benefits, and a pension (good luck getting that stateside!). I know what its like to have no car payments, no car insurance payments, no rent, no mortgage, and no property taxes. I know what it�s like to hop in a taxi and cross a city bigger than New York for around ten dollars.

Wow, this reads like an advertisement. If it sounds too good to be true ... And it makes me wonder if this poster has really worked in America or any other Western country. It sounds doubtful. Also, when advertising, it is customary to note the ads sponsor.

I know teachers that have been here for years to decades and still have not amassed anything near six figures. Where do you teach? Can you help me get a position there? And we all have seen the posts of how the school controls vacation. Some teachers get the entire summer off while others have to show up.

bcjinseoul wrote:

Meanwhile, Korean cars are giving Japanese cars a run for their money in the States, and Best Buy�s TVs, cell phones, and other electronics are dominated by Samsung and LG � two of Korea�s largest conglomerates.

The Kia is known as a "cheap" car as in an inferior product that falls apart quickly. However, Japan is regaining their market share. This is obvious to anyone that takes the time for a google search. Look at the top 20 vehicles in the link below. Kia is not there but multiple Toyota models are.

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html

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