Korean Job Discussion Forums

[oldfatfarang]

Interesting comments.

My case: I've become incredibly tolerant with children (except when they are really bad mannered, which just doesn't fly in Korean (or my) country).

However, I find that I've lost all patience with adults. I now have zero tolerance for people lying to me - or cheating me out of money etc - or just mucking me about (and giving that lame bum excuse that: "It's Korean way etc".

In nearly five years I've certainly learned to stand up for myself - but I'm not proud of how rude/blunt/or pushy I've become (knowing that's the only way I can get fair treatment in the K workplace).

So, I guess I've changed, but not really for the better. I'm leaving in 6 months, and I guess I'll have to make some adjustments when I return to Thailand and home (re-learn some street manners, patience with adults etc).

[Hotwire]

^^

One thing that shocked me after landing a job back home after my 1st stint in Korea was how well treated I was at work. My bosses showed appreciation and were very polite.

Being in Korea I'd forgotten that the workplace could be like that (there was one hakwan that was like that but was run by a Japanese woman married to a K man) and it literally overwhelemd me to feel that I was liked and apreciated and not resented, an outsider and not having to fight for what was rightfuly mine. Overwhelmed completely. In a good way.

[peppermint]

When I realised that I was becoming an angrier person, I took that as a pretty sure sign that it was time to leave.

[Sergio Stefanuto]

There's only really one thing that makes my blood boil with stage II hypertensive rage: noise

The noise in Seoul and neighbor noise drove me totally barking mad, yes, but nothing else

Another thing that makes you insane is frequent heavy alcohol consumption. Many of you who find that you have shorter fuses in Korea probably just need to sober up.

[Steelrails]

[Louis VI]

I have no idea what you're talking about Sergio.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Traffic was an annoyance.

Pollution was an annoyance as well.

Outside of these two things my life in Korea was great, a bag of good and bad.

When we moved to Canada I found that I just traded a bag of good and bad for another bag of good and bad. What changed was the set: what was good and bad in one place differed in another. In other words: you just trade elements when you change locations.

The only thing that remains fairly constant from one place to another is you.

[captain kirk]

There was this ferryman along comes a traveller who says "the people in the last village I stayed and worked at drove me bonkers, I HATED them and can't wait to get across the river to the NEXT town. What are they like over there?" and the ferryman says simply "I am sorry to hear you had a bad time" (meanwhile thinking this traveller will have problems wherever he goes), "the people in the next village are ok".

Along comes another traveller while the ferryman rests who says, "What fantastic people in that village back there, nothing but kindness. How are folks across the river in the next village?". And the ferryman says, realizing this traveller has the right attitude, "they're fantastic".

Somehow one traveller saw humanity as the butt end of a donkey making a horses ass out of himself. Somehow the other traveller saw the burning spark and fire of 'divinity' in himself and that caught fire in others so they had a truce, he and others, cutting to the quick with no time for negativity.

Unfortunately the second traveller got thrown into the klink for bouncing cheques.

[youtuber]

I've become more aware of race.

And I don't think of Korean immigrants to Canada in the "politically correct" way that I used to before I came to Korea.

[neilsputnik]

Here is a nice platitude: anger and rage are very destructive emotions. They close your mind and engender an unvirtuous circle of more anger and more rage.

It's funny that democratic values like toleration, openness, inclusion and hearing the other side, values that most of us would at least implicitly recognize, are quickly eschewed. There are two issues here that I find interesting.

1) There seems to a be a feeling of minority persecution (real or perceived) which brings to light the fact that mature civil societies protect the cultural and lawful rights of minorities against majoritarian status quo. However, this can't take place in a meaningful manner until the majoritarian people enjoy full civil liberties, equality under the law, and many modern cultural and lawful comforts of the developed world. This has not happened in Korea yet surely: see the scandalous labor laws, very immature political system, and intensely competitive nature of Korean society. The real issue here seems to be that of cultural space: foreigners don't feel included in Korean society, or by Korean people and practices. But for the aforementioned reason -- that of a lackluster civil society -- the cultural space for sharing and openness is still emerging: see the huge generational differences in Koreans, from grandparents, to parents, to the young kids.

2)The paradox of toleration is that the one who is the most offended, yet still remains tolerant, is by definition, much more tolerant than those who actually don't give a damn and are never bothered. And on closer inspection, if Korea and Koreans regularly get you hot and bothered for their way of being -- close minded, noisy and such -- then this act of intolerance on your part is actually perpetuating the same crime as that which is sought to be charged against others; one seeks to veil one's criticisms by way of appealing to cultural and moral superiority.

[The Happy Warrior]

[Mr. Pink]

Driving used to frustrate me in Korea. Then I started driving around Toronto and I noticed that it was like I was experiencing Deja Vu...both were not fun experiences, but I survived. I realize Korean driving is like many large cities...filled with impatient people and inexperienced drivers.

I am actually looking forward to driving in Korea again...call me nuts. After a couple years in China it has put it into perspective for me.


Oh and it did take me about 2 years to chill out from my Korean anger problems. I am going to try Korea again, but if I get that anger coming back, I guess I will have to realize Korea and me aren't meant to be. (This time though I am not working directly for Koreans...should make a big difference...should)

[shinramyun]

LOL at you fools thinking korea is some hardcore place for driving experience. Go to china instead if you are truly that adventurous about driving in foreign lands. You could get stuck in a traffic for 9 days. Literally.

[Italy37612]

I would put Italy up on that list of "crazy a$$" drivers as well. Also, Italians don't like to wear their seatbelts. It is like the whole country thinks they are Mario Andretti.

[Hotwire]

^^^

Try Portugal...