Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

This is long, but I have a true, but strange story to tell. Please let us know what you make of it or what you know pertaining to these sorts of strange situations. Thanks in advance, sorry it's long. I have extra time on my hands tonight to do this much writing, but please read on.

I was paid a visit tonight by 2 men in suits. They knocked and said, "Hello", in English so I thought I better answer it since it was not a random stranger, but someone who knew I lived here. I answered and they said, "oh, he's here," and then told me they got my phone number from someone else and then used it to track me. I quickly learned that they already knew were I lived, where I worked, how long I had been here, and what my name is, yet I never seen these guys before and don't know them from adam.

They claimed to be Jehovah Witnesses and had bibles, the only true fluently English speaking Koreans I have ever met in Changwon or Korea as a matter of fact, who often approach foreigners in my local HomePlus store though I never met these 2 guys. I asked them why they are tracking me down and I got a little irate with them about it. They then flat out lied and said they didn't use my phone number to track me, but they asked neighbors where I live at. I said, but you just told me you used my number to track me and I am asking you why you did this. They then asked how I like my teaching job, I told them it was OK, except the kids are very rude, talk loudly, don't obey, nor respect foreign teachers and need some discipline and values instilled in them which is nothing short of the truth. They said, yes, the kids are acting very badly these days and I know one foreigner who taught for 2 years at XXXX academy before you who had the same problem where you are teaching now. I asked how they knew where I worked and they said they didn't know, again blatantly lying. I am like, but you just told me where I worked. Why? What do you want from me? They said they wanted to do bible study. I told them I met several other Jehovah Witnesses who spoke perfect English and asked them why it is only people claiming to be Jehovah Witness to be the only Koreans who will talk to me in Changwon and who are theonly ones I know that speak fluently. They said, it just is this way. I said, I was hoping to meet Koreans who are nice open minded people who want to talk and do things outside of boring bible studies, but it just isn't so.

I told them that they are very nice Korean people, but that I couldn't join as I had already looked into that and found it was not for me, because Jehovah Witness religion is too conservative and confining for my tastes such as not celebrating Christmas and birthdays. They said they lived for Gods tastes and not their own. I was like this is not congruent with my beliefs, thanks, but no thanks. They then went on to explain that December 25th is not Jesus's birthday and in the 1st century people didn't celebrate birthdays. I told them, I was not interested and then they apologized for stealing my time. I told them it was OK to have taken a couple minutes on a Saturday evening, but it concerns me that you can find anything out about me that you wish.

I think they got my number this way: 8 months ago a couple weeks after arrival, I met another very well spoken Korean gentleman who spoke English fluently who offered to take me to a church service, so I gave him my phone number to call me when he was ready to pick me up so I he picked me up and dropped me off at a small store nearby as I didn't want him knowing where I lived. I figured it can't hurt to check out what the only fluently English speaking Koreans in my local area are all about, at least the only ones that are friendly enough to talk with me since I wanted to meet people. I was only opening myself up to possibly socialize with Koreans as I am here all by myself and only know a couple other foreigners in a place where you just don't hardly see foreigners to socialize with.

What baffles me is that they waited 8 months to have 2 other men I never met use my number to find me and expect for me to find it OK that they invaded my privacy. These well dressed people speak English astoundingly well to the point you can converse quite well with them, but they look to force very conservative values on you. They are such fake, phoney, and hollow people; nothing interesting about them. I am not sure what these religious fluently English speaking Koreans' true motives are in seeking foreigners since foreigners are transient and usually don't stay long term. They couldn't be trying to get money as these guys are wealthy as the one that took me 8 months ago to a church service claimed he made 100 m Won a year doing private English lessons. They wear expensive suits, are very educated, very intelligent, and obviously very wealthy white collar guys. Despite being smart, wealthy, and affluent, I find them bland, boring, and intrusive by seeking me out.

Do you think they are more than just religious white collar business executive guys or might they also be some form of law enforcement trying to put me in a bad position when in fact I am not doing anything to warrant such privacy invasions? I am not teaching privates, doing drugs, fighting, or anything out of the ordinary; I am just keeping a very low quiet profile my whole time here. I notice people are always watching me and my presence is drawing attention I don't want. I sense that many people living around me don't want me here, nor accept me, but are always watching me with scrutiny if I am doing anything unacceptable. I am very sure there is a network of locals that don't have my best interests in mind as they just stare, obviously gossip in the streets about me in negative light, and speculate, but are not warm and friendly. I don't dress funny either, just a white guy in jeans and t-shirts for the most part. The reason why I haven't like it here sure reared it's ugly head at me big time tonight. Anyone else experiencing this sort of thing locally where you live or are neighborhood people neutral, inviting, and warm to you?

The funny thing is how they told me things I shouldn't know such as that they tracked me down using my number and telling me where I worked and then telling me they didn't know or do these sorts of things. It's like when I have been told I was fat on another occasion and I defended myself by saying I was fully filled out, but not clinically obese. This individual then told me she didn't call me fat. I am like, but you just told me I was fat and then telling me you didn't, what's up with that? This is so funny how people here will tell you something you don't want to or should be told and then when you question it, they lie that they didn't say or do it.

[oneofthesarahs]

Generally speaking, everyone in my neighborhood is either welcoming or totally indifferent to my presence.

Something weird did happen last week though. I was expecting a package to be delivered to me at my apartment, but I left for work early and figured that the postman would either leave a note on the door saying he would return the next day or leave it with the apartment guy, as usual. The postman showed up at my school that afternoon with my package, much to my surprise. I checked the address, I thought maybe I had accidentally given my work address instead of home address, but nope. My home address was the one written on the package. I have no idea how it came to be delivered to my school. I guess that's the benefit of being one of a couple of foreigners in town...

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Fresh Prince]

It sounds like they were legitimate missionaries from the description. Nice suits are the standard uniform for people that want to make a good impression, more so than in the West. The phone number thing might have been a canned response that they learned to say to foreigners, and when you called them on it, they might have told the truth, it's hard to say though.

They probably found out that a foreigner lived in the area and asked the neighbors where you lived, then sent their best English speakers to try to get you to come to their church. Did you notice any brand insignias on their clothes? Legit J.W.'s don't wear clothing that advertises brand names and logos.

When the weather is nice, I get missionaries coming to my door too. Usually they have one person that can speak reasonable English and when they discover that I'm a foreigner the English speaker wants to give me a try. I have a feeling that they go to my door specifically because they want to try out their English skills but I just tell them that there English is really good and that I have to go. They look good in front of their friends for getting a compliment on their English skills, so they're happy. I like it when the families come by because their faces light up when I acknowledge that I understood what they said in broken English.

The neighbors are always nosy when they see a foreigner, nothing unusual there. My apartment ajumma likes to look in my shopping bags if she catches me on the way back from the store. Everywhere I go, I get the stares, and the talking quietly. I've caught them searching through my garbage to see what I've thrown away then they talk about it amongst themselves. I think they are just curious, and don't normally mean any harm by it.

Usually the nosy neighbors warm up quite a bit if you try to speak a little broken Korean to them. I'm probably say something ridiculous but I like to try out the latest Korean phrase that I learned. If I see some local people sitting around staring, I'll go up to them and say "anyong haseyo." They get a kick out of that and say it back. If I'm feeling particularly brave, I'll try to say something about the weather or something.

[Ilsanman]

No, he was stalking you, since he saw your sexy behind walk by him the other week.

I'd do the same.

[Fresh Prince]

Oh Yea, if they get really annoying and won't leave, I like to pass out some of those chicken delivery refrigerator magnets that get left on my door. They get really confused and can't figure out why someone would be giving those to them. They won't come back after that.

[GoldMember]

[denverdeath]

Tell 'em to screw off. They have no right to invade your privacy/home, whether they're wearing a suit or their birthday suits. They are less than educated, brain-washed fools. Tell them to bugger off. They probably visited on a Sunday, right? Tell them that it says that Sunday is a "DAY OF REST" in the bible. Tell them to read the crap before they try to preach it.

[faster]

[djsmnc]

[lastat06513]

Hehehehehe....
I hate them, even here in the US....
But one time when I moved into my first apartment in Itaewon, they came knocking on the door at the asscrack of dawn every 5 minutes FOR 2 HOURS!!!!! I swear to god they did and I was so pissed off about it that I finally got out of bed to answer the door.....in the nude!
I flung the door open and there were 2 young ladies at the door clutching their bibles. When they saw me at my best, they let out a big yelp and scurried away.
That'll teach 'em

[PGF]

paranoia.....

if you see that guy making 100M agin get him to hook you up with some privates...

[mindmetoo]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Ilsanman]

Actually, the bible says the Sabbath day is Saturday. It was changed many many years ago.

JW's take the scriptures literally and try to find fault in them. They don't celebrate Xmas b/c they claim Jesus was born in September or some other time, for example.