Korean Job Discussion Forums

[timetotravel]

usually i use this site for information and enjoy reading other people's experiences....while i can relate to some of the 'venting' i myself have never used the board for such reasons....
however....i am feeling pretty crappy right now and could use some of your feedback/opinions.

i work at a public school and i have been here for 10 months. i also re signed for another year. i have a good relationship with my co teacher and other english teachers, and thought i had good enough relations with the other teachers as well.
then this morning a teacher pulled me aside and told me that many korean teachers had been asking her why i do not eat lunch with them and that it means i do not like korea because i eat my own lunch that i bring every day. they actually used the phrase, 'when in rome....'

i bring my lunch everyday because i dont like korean food and i really never thought it was an issue.

anyways, i am feeling crappy about being told this because all this time i thought things were great and now it turns out some of the staff think im anti korean and not even trying to become fully acquainted with the culture....

i apologized and told her that i just am really picky and prefer my own food and also that i didnt want to spend money on the korean lunch because im saving money.

what do you guys think? suck it up and eat the food they eat? or stick to my guns?

[Chicoloco]

I was in a similar situation a while back. Now I eat lunch with them once or twice a month just to pacify them. Makes life easier in the long run.

[IncognitoHFX]

I'm in kind of the same boat. I'm a vegetarian, so my co-teachers / office buddies told me to bring my own lunch. I did that for awhile, but when I didn't go out to the cafeteria with them, they seem a little disappointed...

So I compromised. I go to the cafeteria and eat the things I like (the rice, the kim chi, et cetera) and *if* I'm still peckish afterwards, I'll eat something else when I get back to the office. Sometimes I am still hungry, sometimes I'm not (like yesterday we had bibimbap which is vegetarian and filling).

Anyway, it's super important for Koreans to be communal like that so eating in the cafeteria makes a really good impression. Don't get down on yourself about it, though, it's fifty percent them not understanding your culture and fifty percent you not understanding theirs. Just go with the flow and you'll be that much more comfortable, even if it involves some sacrifices.

[Cerriowen]

I can't eat seafood, and about 50% of the lunches here are seafood.

Typically I eat what I can, and then eat something else later.

They are a bit insulted and feel really disliked when you refuse to eat with them.

[Grab the Chickens Levi]

Stick to your damn guns.

You shouldn't even be questioning yourself.

NO-ONE has the right to tell you waht to eat! Is this a prison? A facist dictatorship! Are you a slave...?

It's f*cking insane.

I understand your plight.

Last year at the high school I worked at soemtimes I'd just fancy a home made brie and ham sandwich and a milkshake so would bring that in and eat it in the cafeteria.

The looks of anger, resentment, disdain and almost outright hatred I endured not to mention audible mutterings of how unhealthy and disgusting my food was in Korean, made me just hate those pople and think they were uncivilsed peasants.

SO I'd make a big show of really enjoying my food, rubbing my belly and sighing with satisfaction afterwards whilst grinning directly at the protesters....!

That woulkd make my enjoyment of the food all the better - tee hee.

Seriously, never let anyone take away the right to eat what you want.

They're just insecure and sad people.

[IncognitoHFX]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Two of the (Korean) teachers at my school never eat in the cafeteria and bring their own lunch. It doesn't seem to be that big an issue. Depending on teaching schedules the teachers may eat during fourth block or may eat at lunch break at the same time the students do, so no one can really tell if I have or haven't eaten there.

[theatrelily]

If you don't like Korean food, stick to your guns. Mention that a lot of Koreans stick to Korean food when they go on vacation in other countries- even going so far as to bring their own kimchi with them, and that you are doing the same.

They can't dictate what you eat.

But you may want to consider bringing your lunch to the cafeteria and eating with them every once and a while.

I am a vegetarian and I don't like rice....I bring my lunch every day. My co-teacher explained to my coworkers that I love Korean food but I am picky. Haven't had any problems.

[crusher_of_heads]

At a school I'm at once a week, they have an "eat everything on the tray" policy.

I no longer eat with them, and I enjoyed telling them why-"I like smaller portions" and, more importantly, "nobody is allowed to tell me I have to eat everything"

yes, it's an inside joke and puerile, but I enjoyed telling them they weren't allowed to do that

[rhinocharge64]

I don't think the guy is being an ass!! Eat what you like, when you like. What puzzles me is when the K's head overseas, they do so with tubs of Kimchi and Ramyon. Isn't this a case of the kettle calling the pot black. I don't eat at my cafeteria unless they put on a curry, bibimbop or other dishes I like. I don't fancy eaten pork everyday or the fish I've tried in the past. I wouldn't expect any Asian to enjoy fish, chips and mushy peas with 6 slices of buttered bread, nor would I expect them to enjoy a fry-up covered in brown sauce. Nor would I expect them to a meat pie with a load of mushys and covered in brown sauce. Why? They aint from Blighty!! I aint from Korea, hence I find Kimchi revolting along with other dishes. However, there are lots I do like and I attend many a rest. to enjoy. But, the day to day, cafteria food, just don't cut it!!

[crusher_of_heads]

Weigh your choices:

The coworkers you like-if they cannot accept that all the Koran food isn't delicious, is it worth an implied 'to hell with what you think.'-I say yes, but to each their own.

to the others, who eat rice and kimchi 3 times a day and are easily offended and who you would never soiclise with outside the work environment, is it worth them getting their panties in a bunch over something so trivial, and with so little effort on your part?-imho, HELL YEAH

[LostinKSpace]

Just tell them you have to eat "special" food for medical reasons and that is why you bring your own food. Even if they don't believe you it is an acceptable excuse, much better than "I'm sorry that I don't eat but the food you serve the kids is rancid and I would rather eat my own vomit" this kind of response doesn't go down to well.

As many people have probably pointed it out it is not what you say but how it is said.

[wanamin]

I don't eat public school lunch either.
I just tell people I'm on a diet, and that rice is bad for westerners because we don't have the right genes to digest it properly.
I haven't gotten sh.it yet. But if they did, I'd probably just bite the bullet and go at least once a week. In fact, I probably will start again.
Just because it IS a cultural thing, its helps humanize us in their minds, and slowly we become comrades, although obviously I can never be completely accepted. But hey, I'm not here forever.
I can't speak to many of them because of language, so it's important to humanize myself somehow.
They're much more likely to stand up and support someone they eat lunch with than someone they just pass in the hallways.

[Faunaki]

You have to speak to Koreans in terms they understand - like I am too fat, so I am on a diet. That's what I said when I quit eating school lunch. Everyone nodded their head at me like, oh yes you are a big cow so you should diet.

Problem solved.

[wanamin]

P.S. I love Korean food, just not the school food. Horrible, factory made kimchi, the gook is watery, and the pancheon is always greasy. Everyone complains about it.