Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seoulman1]

People keep telling that when I get back home to Australia I will get a huge culture shock but I keep thinking no way that is going to happen. When I get home im spending 90% of my time lying on the beach, how will that be shocking for me?

Did anyone get culture shock when they got back home after living in an Asian country for a long time? Or was it smooth sailing

[blaseblasphemener]

You will indeed be shocked by:

people smiling
people not littering
seeing men with their families in parks
not having to eat gochucheong at every meal
not seeing "hilarious" korean game/talk shows on every channel, with laugh tracks
seeing non-korean cars
not being able to see the air
not seeing beautiful women hork up loogies in the middle of the day
not paying astronomical prices for fruit and veg
having good bread
having good beer


I truly hope you can deal with these cultural shocks.

[SuperFly]

It's called reverse culture shock. Yes, I experienced it too.

[SeoulShakin]

I did a little bit. It was kind of weird.

I found myself thinking "you b*tch" when the cashier at the airport in Toronto just put my change on the counter, rather than handing it to me with both hands.

I went to Walmart with my Mother to get some cleaning stuff, dog food, etc., and was completely overwhelmed by all the conversations around me that I actually didn't have to struggle to understand. It was almost like white noise. I then went into the candy/snack aisle to get myself a treat, and ended up standing there for about 20 minutes just looking at everything. I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices I had, that I ended up getting nothing because I couldn't decide.

I got over it pretty quickly, but it was weird for like 3 days. I also bowed to someone as I walked into a convenience store. That was odd.

[blaseblasphemener]

[sjrm]

or....

not having groups of teens screaming "hieeeeeeeeeeeee" and giggling
not the start to every conversation being "where are you from?"
not having to travel two hours to find a restaurant that serves pizza without corn
not having to dodge motorcycles on the sidewalk

[blaseblasphemener]

[quote="sjrm"]or....

not having groups of teens screaming "hieeeeeeeeeeeee" and giggling
not the start to every conversation being "where are you from?"
not having to travel two hours to find a restaurant that serves pizza without corn
not having to dodge motorcycles on the sidewalk[/quote

I've never dodged one. Just stick your arm out in an authoritative manner, and they will move to the side.

[mrsquirrel]

How farking tall people are.

I went back to Newcastle a couple of years back. Went around some of my old haunts and was scared of the really big scary looking people that I used to be friends with.

Everywhere massive giants towering over me, big tall women, dogs the size of horses.

I was uncomfortable walking around the city. SPent the rest of my trip hiding in the countryside,normally in churches where I knew there would be small old people to make me feel safe.

[RJjr]

No. It was as if I had never left. Even driving a car on the first day back seemed like I had driven the day before.

[blaseblasphemener]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

- such polite drivers
- such slovenly looking people
- such expensive restaurant food and booze
- such a marvelous selection at the supermarket - row after row of food I actually want to eat
- people who generally act grown-up
- so little to do with no car

[Dome Vans]

[Privateer]

'a' culture shock?

[ajgeddes]

[Young FRANKenstein]