Korean Job Discussion Forums

[T-J]

Just curious how much contact people have with other Westerners. This of course excludes contact on Dave's and contact with home via computer or telephone. I'm asking about face to face time.

[losing_touch]

Yep, I talk to them at work. I spend a lot of time home with my wife. She isn't western.

[OiGirl]

About 50/50 Korean and non-Western foreigners. Usually have to go downtown with an appointment to see a Westerner. Didn't see any today!

[DrOctagon]

I see my Western friends at least once a week. I don't have any Korean friends really, just co-workers (Korean English teachers) who I rarely ever hang out with outside of school. I do have an Australian Korean friend though who is fluent in both English and Korean.

Why can't I vote?

[T-J]

No idea why you can't. Poll is still open.

[jkelly80]

Speak to both foreigners and Koreans every day out of work, in English and Korean. 90% English tho.

[tzechuk]

I work entirely with foreigners - but our assistants are Koreans. I also talk to foreigners outside of work on a daily basis.

That reminds me I had to call someone today but forgot.. oops..

[BS.Dos.]

With the exception of a few hours up the pub on a Saturday night with one or two other foreigners, it's pretty much just me and dave.

[Cerriowen]

Sorry I didn't read that carefully... except for online, I see another westerner about 1x a week (even though we live in the same housing area, we usually walk around at different times.)

But since I spend most of my day at work, and at my school I have very little to do, I spend about 1/3 of my day on the net talking w/ other foreigners.

I spend nights talking to my boyfriend, but he speaks near fluent english.

[ekul]

Basically 60% of foreigners speak to another foreigner once a day. I feel for the guy that doesn't get to speak to others for months on end! Unless it's a personal choice.

[Otherside]

I fall into the "speak with other foreigners once a month" category.

This is by circumstance rather than choice.

I work at a public school, so obviously no interaction at work.

I had a pretty decent group of friends, but due to attrition they've all moved on (as you know, turnover is pretty high) and I just haven't really replaced them yet.

On the weekends I'm generally with my GF, and getting up at 7am isn't really condusive to week night partying, hitting the bars etc.

However, I'm pretty content with the situation.

[roadwork]

If I go in to Itaewon on the weekends, I have contact with them. But I live out in the sticks and the only other westerner here is always sleeping and won't come out to play. Other than that, once a month.

[Robot_Teacher]

I'm as immersed as a robot that fell to the bottom of a lake. Good thing I'm waterproof so I'll walk out all shiny, bright eyed, and bushy tailed when the gig is up. We hope there're no leaks.

Contact with other westerners is a rare occurance except when I go to Seoul, but I just listen to what's going on around me instead of interacting as I don't know anyone or fit into a clique. Itaewon is a mix fix for some familiarities of home, Europe, and Australia. Speaking Korean is a necessity for me to order food, order meat at the butcher, and ask questions such as where the nearest 230v electrical plugin is located for a recharge. Oppsoyo is the last thing I want to hear, but hear it too often.

I still don't know how to do small talk that people would do in everyday life and even make them laugh.

[roadwork]

[cruisemonkey]

The last time I talked to a westerner was almost three months ago at my hotel in Bali. There are other FTs in my town but I hardly ever see them (demo lessons are about it)... I don't 'hang' with them.