Korean Job Discussion Forums

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Some of these are because of Korea and some are just coincidence:

* Gained weight. More to do with eating too much than drinking.

* Infinitely more conservative, including support for Far Right policies on numerous issues such as immigration, nationality, religion and even individual freedom.

* dramatic increase in homicidal fantasies, with these kinds of people my victims.

* more self-conscious and vain. I feel more handsome than ever, yet am excessively worried about premature aging and weight gain.

* constant loss of temper with people guilty of noise pollution, especially drivers and their horns.

* Increased desire for Korean/Asian women. Never had "yellow fever" at all back home and didn't think I would here. No longer believe I��ll probably marry someone of my own race.

* Increased desire to have children (daughter strongly preferable).

* More patriotic and, dare I say it, racist. I've heard some rather laughable views about race/blood and also white males here. Koreans are very into national pride, but my country��s culture and language has pervaded all four corners of the Earth and whilst Koreans�� excessive feelings of greatness are all well and good, come back and have a chat to me about how great your country is when it has had one-tenth of the influence mine has. You don��t see people from England or America wearing yellow make-up and having eyelid surgery to make their eyes more oriental, do you? If you can get a job paying $2200 a month + free accommodation to teach Korean to native English-speakers with just a poxy degree, I��ll be more than happy to discuss the excellent phenomenon of pure Korean blood. The crazy thing is, I don't consider this racist or jingoistic. I consider it realism. I've gone completely mad!

* Significantly biased towards girls and women. The way I treat female co-workers is drastically different to guys. With males, I��ll do the absolute bare minimum socially-acceptable. With women I��ll talk enthusiastically, go out of my way.

* Decrease in desire to be chemically-altered. The lack of drugs opportunities here has done me the world of good. I drink a lot less than I used to. Being straightheaded, getting a good night's sleep, enjoying my job....these are the things that float my boat these days.

* more positive view of self and future - finances, job prospects.

* Insanely impatient. Being stuck on the sidewalk behind a bunch of Koreans walking very, very slowly drives me nuts. Save for the elderly and disabled, we should have a national minimum walking speed.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

You might not agree with the man, you might even find him unbearable at times. But I'd like to see anyone else try and follow SPIN's brutal, lay-it-on-the-line honesty. Okay, let me try.

Korea has changed me in that...

I wake up in the morning, stare at myself in the mirror and say "Ahh! There you are, you sly good-looking well-paid heartbreaker, you! Cool

"

Oh, there were mornings like that before Korea, to be sure. But nothing like this consistent. I figured it would get old after 10 years, but it hasn't!

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Homer · Guest

Infinitely more cynical- I've seen far too much of the ugly side of human nature.

Well this sad side of human behaviour does not require travel to be seen I think....

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

Well... I hate rice now. It comes with virtually every meal set in this country. I'm just tired of it now. When I go back to my country, I am going to scream at anyone that gives me rice. Shocked

peppermint · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 4:56 am Post subject:

Satori · Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: Above it all

Satori · Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Location: Above it all

Cedar · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:54 am Post subject:

I have written on similiar threads SOOOOOOOOO many times... but I love these.

Anyway, a couple things...

I don't notice when people stare at me (most of the time) and when I do, it doesn't make me self-conscious.

I'm conversant in the Internet and communication through it!

I grew out of "cell-phones are evil" and have had one (same number for 8 years!) more or less surgically implanted into my hand. I have not forgotten it at home in at least a year and a few months.

I started wearing make-up (other than occassional lip color). Recently I even started mildly plucking my eyebrows (more or less just cleaning them up, not forming them).

I started wearing high heels (other than cowboy boots).

I learned Korean and Chinese.

I realized I hate teaching ESL and don't ever want to do it again (well, a private or two is okay...).

I learned SO much about Korea, a place I barely knew a thing about in mid 1996.

I lost my fear of big cities...

Okay, I have translating to do...that's enough for now!

Lemonade · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

1.) I generalize more (about Koreans). I use to not do that about people. I REALLY and truely appreciate OTHER races of people besides Koreans (i.e. Japanese, Taiwanese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Hispanic, Black, etc.) that seem far FAR more kind hearted, polite and generous than your average everyday run-of-the-mill Koreans. Recently, I've had friends, relatives and peers come to town. We talked, walked, shopped and ate in Korea. They noticed the general Korean RUDENESS that I've come to EXPECT from Koreans. They gave me a lot of credit for living here and that sure made me feel GREAT!

2.) I've become less caring towards strangers - less concerned about them and far less interested in striking up conversations (especially with Koreans). My sense of empathy, simpathy and curiosity are not what they use to be for strangers and those with whom I'm newly aquainted.

3.) I've become more proud of my own country, faults and all. I appreciate the sacrifices and hard work of "our troops" more than EVER. This country wouldn't exist, at least not as is does now, without the sacrifices that MY country and a fellow Americans made. My countrymen faught and DIED for this country and their freedom. These younger Koreans should remember that EVERY time they have a racist thought towards westerners. They have the odacity to refuse us in various places here in Korea because we aren't Korean. They have the odacity to spit in the face of my friend because they THOUGHT she was American. Sometimes I hear fallen soldiers rolling in their graves.

4.) I've learned to respect elders more, especially older Koreans who remember the Korean War (1950-53).