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The Gipkik
Joined: 30 Mar 2009
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 Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| Globutron wrote: |
Well, Bangkok I can safely say is much more annoying. The stares last about 0.04 seconds, or the typical reaction speed of a human being, followed by one of two topics; Buy a suit, or ride a tuk tuk.
It will start with a greeting you don't want, asking where you're from, telling you your destination is closed due to a public holiday, and that they should take you to a jewellers instead, and that you should be in there for exactly 10 minutes for some unbeknown reason (commission). The suiters are less annoying but possibly more ubiquitous. Difficult to analyse. |
Ah, you're talking about "street people" in a sense. You're like a freshly plucked chicken ready for the grill in their eyes. Hungry eyes.
Stares. I've learned to ignore them. I get them everyday, but I haven't had any aggressive stares or really annoying stares in Korea. In Japan, oh yeah. That cold, animal stare. Looking at you as if you don't exist.
On a train, a middle aged man gave me this long and surreal stare. Just intense. Initially, I wanted to pound him, but I decided to play a little game instead. I walked very slowly toward him as he was staring with no facial expression. Inch by inch. I was face to face with him and he just continued. Finally, I patted him on the shoulder. He smiled and walked away. Clearly I mesmerized him but also scared him in a strange way, but it must have looked so odd to the other passengers. I actually felt sorry for him. Go figure. |
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balzor
Joined: 14 Feb 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:04 am Post subject: |
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| namerae wrote: |
I just saw a random foreigner on the street here but found it rude to stare or say hello. Is this unusual? It's my third day here.  |
You'll learn to spot foreigners from 500m away. It just takes time and practice. |
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dirving
Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:16 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| NYC_Gal wrote: |
Patrick, that's 20 years. It's long enough. The internet is new, by your standards, yet nearly everyone has it. Do people stare in shock and awe at cell phones?
I ride my bike outside of the big cities. I get stares, but probably because they can't tell my ethnicity. Nobody guesses that I'm American. I've only gotten the angry stare a few times. Once from an old ajossi who saw me walking my bike with a student (we had tea with her mom), and once from an ajumma who must have been angry that I had an iPad (she kept staring at it and glaring at me. I was only reading on the subway!  )
If teens point and giggle, I go up to them and embarrass them by asking them basic elementary-school questions, which they're too flustered to answer. Then I tell them (in Korean) that they should remember this, because my 3rd and 4th graders know it. Also, that I've only studied Korean for a year and can communicate better in their language than they can in English, which they've studied for the better part of a decade. |
Thats the thing NYC, 20 years is not long, it is a relatively short time. Balance this out against the social make up of Korea and frankly speaking the way foreigners are concentrated in Korea (read Seoul area and some larger cities) and you get stares.
Going to embarass teens who stare is a bit immature NYC but to each his own. They are TEENS, you are a mature adult....
You also seem to assume what the people that stare are thinking (your jealous of your ipad example). You do know that if you stare back you are basically feeding the stares right?
Also, you may want to tone down that arrogant I am better then everyone approach you have on here. I sure hope that does is not something that you portray in real life.
A simple example of this:
Also, that I've only studied Korean for a year and can communicate better in their language than they can in English, which they've studied for the better part of a decade
Who are they?
Those same teens you embarass for daring to stare at you or the ajuma on the subway? Or is 'they' Koreans in general?
You studied Korean for one year, which by the way I think is a good thing. In that time, you may have accidentally stumbled upon some clues about Korean culture and history that may shed some light on certain issues right?
Anyway, to each his own and good luck with that ipad, was it as sexy as your new laptop? Is it sexier than your Ipod (if you have one) or perhaps your luscious cell phone?
As for the ajuma, you could choke hold her next time, ninja style, with your martial arts skills..that would end the stares real quick. |
Homer,
The 5-Year Economic Programmes started a heck of a long time before the 80s. Look at the economic growth data of the R.O.K. online. Besides, U.S. gifts made up a huge part of the R.O.K.'s economic growth from 1953 onwards.
U.N. and U.S.A. military employeesl have lived downrange dating back to the latter 50s at least. My next door neighbour near Boston, a famous member of the Burke family in Ch'Town, and lots of long-time U.S. army guys have told me so. Historical texts have as well. Kechiwon all over the place had Americans who were employed by the Dept. of Defense living in them
You have not lived here for a long time. You usually rip on EFLers here. You claim to want to help Newbs. Nearly any obviously legit complaint is met by you as pure bull. You are not in touch with this nation in some sense, and your knee-jerk attacks on teachers-at-large is telling, eh. A mere B.Ed in hand and arriving in the R.O.K. when a lot of backpackers with a couple years of uni under their belts made up the competition did not make you the King of Kensington.
What did you say in the '90s to the legions of expats with Ph.Ds who complained about the virtual non-existance of ethical business practices in this part of the world? Did you snap at the academics who wrote about the status quo in Korea? Did you tell them that they should have studied Education in uni to really understand this country?
How about the Aristotles of the world and the other famous academics? Would the abruptly sacked Noble Laureate at K.A.I.S.T. expressing his dissatisfaction with the uni and the obviously wide-spread dysfunctionality of the nation arouse in you feelings of rancor? |
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DorkothyParker
Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Location: Jeju
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Back in my young youth I got a lot of "eww, why does she look like that?" stares and "OMG, my eyes. Hair. Too. Bright." stares. That was a looong time ago.
I've said it a bajillion times, but I am generally unnoticed here. My husband is stared at a lot more. With the insane humidity, I have gone out a few times in tank tops and gotten, I think, some dirty old man stares. This is a mix of disgust and titillation. |
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oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Back to the topic in hand: staring.
Stares I remember:
(1) In the Amazon Jungle - miles from any civilisation (or anything), I remember native Brazilian Indians staring at me and my blonde-blue-eyed German lady. It was as if we had just arrived from outer space - they were entranced. Apparently, they'd had contact with a few European men, but had never seen a white woman. Their stares were curious - not intense - and friendly.
(2) In the desert - on the Road to the Jade Sea (Africa). Our matatu stopped on the side of the road beside a group of native africans. These were the real deal - dressed only in bark/cloth loin cloths. They were painted with white (and ochre) paint - and carried spears and animal hide sheilds. We were on opposite sides of the road, and we both stared at each other -transfixed. This was one of the only times in 10 years constant travelling/adventure that I felt like an explorer. No malice in the stares - just shock, disbelief and wonder (on both sides).
(3) Pohang - Sth Korea.
How can I forget those hateful stares - from the unemployed adjoshi's as I walked to work down those mean back streets of Pohang. I've never been made to feel like an outsider - literally an unwelcome animal - in any country, but those Korean adult 40+ men made me feel that way.
Their stares were so intensely hostile I sometimes walked to work over nearby mountain trails (another 30 mins walking) to avoid them. Nobody should stare at people that way - nobody. |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| oldfatfarang wrote: |
Back to the topic in hand: staring.
Stares I remember:
(1) In the Amazon Jungle - miles from any civilisation (or anything), I remember native Brazilian Indians staring at me and my blonde-blue-eyed German lady. It was as if we had just arrived from outer space - they were entranced. Apparently, they'd had contact with a few European men, but had never seen a white woman. Their stares were curious - not intense - and friendly.
(2) In the desert - on the Road to the Jade Sea (Africa). Our matatu stopped on the side of the road beside a group of native africans. These were the real deal - dressed only in bark/cloth loin cloths. They were painted with white (and ochre) paint - and carried spears and animal hide sheilds. We were on opposite sides of the road, and we both stared at each other -transfixed. This was one of the only times in 10 years constant travelling/adventure that I felt like an explorer. No malice in the stares - just shock, disbelief and wonder (on both sides).
(3) Pohang - Sth Korea.
How can I forget those hateful stares - from the unemployed adjoshi's as I walked to work down those mean back streets of Pohang. I've never been made to feel like an outsider - literally an unwelcome animal - in any country, but those Korean adult 40+ men made me feel that way.
Their stares were so intensely hostile I sometimes walked to work over nearby mountain trails (another 30 mins walking) to avoid them. Nobody should stare at people that way - nobody. |
Try walking on the wrong side of the tracks in the rural southern US! |
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grainger
Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Location: Wonju, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know if anyone has mentioned this one yet but:
The baby stare (very cute by the way). It starts when they're about 6-8 months old, it's a long, intense, one of these things is not like the others kind of stare. |
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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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| Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Ah, you're talking about "street people" in a sense. You're like a freshly plucked chicken ready for the grill in their eyes. Hungry eyes. |
Doesn't help that I carry around a buy 1 get 1 free sign whenever I leave the house. |
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confucian
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:30 am Post subject: |
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| NYC_Gal wrote: |
| confucian wrote: |
| NYC_Gal wrote: |
That's cute. I either smile and nod my head at foreigners or just keep on walking.
Koreans have had foreigners here for ages. We aren't something new. |
When it's a 40+ adjeosshi, I stare right back until he looks away, because I want him to receive all the respect he's giving me plus a little bit more.
korea is best. |
If it's a rude stare by an ajossi, I stare back, smirk, then raise my nose a bit and look away, because I'm far more important, as you well know. |
I stare back, and sometimes I raise my nose, but I never look away, as they deserve more of the respect they are giving me. I'm doing my part to improve pure blood-foreigner relations, doing as the Romans do. |
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Theme
Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Location: Cedar Rapids Iowa
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| Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 1:13 pm Post subject: WAY CHO DA BA? |
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After I had been in Korea for some 11 years, and got the stare coming out of my villa by a local who did not even live in my building. I was furious.
Was on my way to work and had one of my colleagues teach me "why are you looking at me" in Korean and in the most impolite way.
WAY CHO DA BA?
very impolite fighting words if they knew what hit them they would scream
Wish I would have never learned that actually, since I live with a Korean woman now in the States and she says that to me when she is mad at me!!! |
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Vix
Joined: 18 Jun 2010
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:48 am Post subject: |
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I have a t-shirt that says in English "Keep staring, I might do a trick!". Must find a Korean version! I'm sure they just find you interesting as you're different, no malice intended  |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 3:05 am Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
Foreigners stare as much at foreigners as Koreans do, if not more.
I know in my town if some the second a non-local foreigner walks by they draw tons of stares from us as we try to figure out who they are.
"Is it a new teacher? We're we supposed to get a new teacher? Maybe there's a new Hagwon opening up, quick call our token foreign hagwon worker friend"
"Maybe they're married to a local, see a kid? No? Maybe they're lost backpackers? Maybe they're Russian? Maybe they're AWOL soldiers? Maybe they're from the next town over...I hate those guys....buncha jerks"
Meanwhile all the Koreans are like "hmph, another random foreigner" and move on with their lives. |
I'll have to agree with this. Especially if you're male with a Korean woman beside you; white boys will blatantly look at her, then you and give you the appropriate sneer.
This is usually from ugly, oafish, sexually frustrated 20-something white guys of questionable hygiene and fashion sense. I just don't make eye contact with anyone anymore, makes life so much nicer. |
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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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| Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 3:32 am Post subject: |
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| yeah, I can imagine spending the rest of my life consciously avoiding humanity as being a whale of a time... |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| haha not everyone in humanity, just people like you on the street. I think I can live with that. |
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Claytron
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| zing |
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