Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

I've never really posted any topics about my views on Koreans, but I felt the need to do so today for a reason.

I have to agree with some of what venus recently posted which was a fairly accurate picture of life in Korea for foreigners. To add to her post, I would say not all Koreans behave that way, but many do.

I would also say it's the scumbags who tend to stick in our minds, much more than Koreans who ignore you (like normal people ought to when walking past strangers, be they foreign or Korean).

Today, I go to my local pizza place to get a pizza to eat later on to break my fast with. It's the month of Ramadan right now.

As I enter it, a mother and daughter who work there look at me with interest. The daughter tells me she is learning English and translates what her mom is saying.

After I explain a bit about myself, the daughter tells me her mom wants me to visit them more often, she told me her mom will give me even more delicious pizzas than before!

I'm of Pakistani descent. They both said they would even like to visit Pakistan!

The daughter gives me her contact details and asks if I would like to be close friends with Koreans. I explain to her I'm a bit of an introvert and as a Muslim I lead a different lifestyle to Koreans, but we exchanged email addresses and I assured her I would keep in contact with her.

I thank both mom and daughter a great deal for their immense kindness and then part company.

I am not Korean myself but my view is.....

It's a cliche but you do get good and bad people everywhere. Sadly, as foreigners we tend to focus on the bad, and that is a reasonable response, seeing as bad treatment is far more prevalent than good treatment in Korea.

As mentioned earlier in this post, many Koreans do ignore me as I walk around in public, but I think bad behaviour is something easier to remember because it can be nasty.

As I walked home I came across some silly kids misbehaving, but as this experience of mine shows, there are truly kind people wherever you go, it's just sometimes we don't get to meet them.

The people where I live do ignore me more than before, because I think they are getting more used to me, or they are at least beginning to tolerate my existence.

[reactionary]

if you take that story as a gesture of genuine friendship, you're fooling yourself.

all i got from that "true story" is that you found yourself an english practice buddy.

[fromtheuk]

Well, I don't know if it is or isn't a genuine attempt at friendship.

And you may or may not be right about them wanting an English buddy.

Nevertheless, it is still a true story and it does show they were at least civil and polite, which unfortunately cannot be said of many other Koreans.

Something is better than nothing.........well......kind of

[GoldMember]

The what I would call "quality" people in this country are to be really admired. These people have been taught the garbage Nationalistic, Xenophobic jingo just like everyone else. They however have applied some intellegent logic, and realized there is no fan death, kimchi does not cure aids, foreigners are not evil, and there is nothing special about having 4 seasons in Korea.
The number of Koreans that are not towing the standard line is gradually increasing.
It is those Koreans that actually are an asset to this country.

[jajdude]

The other night some drunk ajosshi saw my friend and I outside on the street having a beer. He invited us to a tuna place, good stuff. Then a noraebong, but no girls available, so we left and he got a cab. He was all right. Friendly people are everywhere too. Seems like barriers exist though.

[Juregen]

Lol,

Koreans really have to get used to you, that is for sure.

The Koreans that know me often tell off the other Koreans, who are behaving oddly.

Just imagine having lived in a very closed environment for a long time, and then you all of a sudden see this strange human. No one ever told you you have to treat these people with respect, so you tend to express your amazement.

[mercury]

Come on, is this really a true story?????

Actually what you described has happened to me and just about everyone else on this board time after time after time ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

One question:did she give you a discount on the pizza or a FREE pizza? If not, forget it! Sure, they will give you more delicious pizza, milk you for free lessons, and then you will help their business grow two fold. There are friends and there are real FRIENDS. You don't wanna be used. But.....some friends use you and take you out to huge buffets, give you gifts, etc...etc...

[Oreovictim]

They sound like friendly people. I just get really cynical and downright paranoid when people here are eager to be my friend, or they have friends who "really" want to meet me. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet some cool people.

If I had a penny for every time someone wanted to be my friend but, in fact, just wanted free English lessons, I'd have, well, about 25 cents.

[fromtheuk]

Yes, it is a true story (welcome to cynic city....I mean Daves ESL Cafe.....where some of the world's most bitter, paranoid misfits post sentiments which are so devoid of humanity/tactless and yet even more disturbingly, these posters seem to lack any form of awareness as regards how obnoxiously they put across their views. I hope they can't hear what I'm thinking, hopefully the effects of their medication will kick in soon)

Why should I get a free pizza?!!! They're running a business and I have to pay for their service like anybody else. So, if the pizza was free, it would be ok to give them free English lessons?!!!

They didn't even ask me for English lessons, and if that were to occur, I would most probably decline the request. Would I be a genuine friend if I expected free pizza?!!! Isn't that a case of the pot calling the kettle black?!!!

You suspect they may have been fake but you think by being mercenary myself, trying to get free pizza would be a sign of real credibility?!!
Duh!

I've only been here just over 4 months and it's the first time this kind of thing happened to me.

By the way, I forgot to mention when I first arrived here, the child of my neighbour invited me to lunch with her mom, because they knew I was new here. Now, let me see, maybe the child did that in the hope she could use me as a kickbag during her taekwondo lessons.

I suppose there are people out there who just want to use others to learn English, but the fact some people on this forum feel there is absoutely no inherent good in some Koreans, illustrates the pathetic mindset of some of these so-called professional, lost-up-their-own-backside, first world native teachers.

With such an attitude, which sane Korean would want to get to know such foreigners anyway?!! I know I wouldn't.

To reiterate, I don't know their intentions, but the mom and daughter today were civil and polite which is an improvement on ridicule.

If they were being fake, at least they were polite, and if they were genuine, then even better

[cdninkorea]

You mean you had to pay for the pizza? Ridiculous- not only should the pizza be free, but they should give you a ride home in a rickshaw. If they don't have one, a piggy back ride would suffice. Anything less is an insult.

Okay, in all seriousness: this sounds like a nice story FromTheUK. Thank you for sharing, and might I suggest simply ignoring the cynics?

[demaratus]

Sounds like you met some nice people. They seemed to accept you and showed genuine interest in your culture, thats pretty cool. Who cares if they want to speak English with you or set up privates, ect..?

[steroidmaximus]

they could have been friends.

You touched on it when you said that too many folks here focus on the bad. I'd fullheartedly agree with you if the bad wasn't the same story I've heard over and over again during my 7 years here. . . as this isn't the case, you'll have to accept mute assent from this corner.

[Demophobe]

Another positive post comes burning down.

There is nothing wrong with kindness, regardless of the intention. Who goes through life asking "Why are people nice to me?"

So what if they had some motivations toward learning English? The OP gains a friendly place to enjoy some company and a decent pizza. Where is the 'lose' in the equation?

The people in the restaurant weren't being aggressive, they simply suggested more meetings that will (if they aren't purely motivated) benefit everyone. People of The Great White Hope...get over yourselves.

[PGF]

[Qinella]

You are of Pakistani decent? I thought you were from Theuk. I'm not even sure if your story is true at all.