Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Crockpot2001]

This has nothing to do with ESL but you folks seem to get around pretty well. I'll try to keep this brief.

I am a Registered Dieititian. I provide medical nutrition therapy to patients with nutrition based complications both inpatient and outpatient. I moved here with my wife in late February. Since December I have tried to make e-mail contact with the Incheon chapter of the Korean Dietetic Association (KDA) which is affiliated with the American Dietetic Association. The purpose was to discuss korean processes and procedures in handling care and discuss what challenges adn solutions they have encountered. I kept my messeges simple and polite. I got no response to four e-mails. I then called the national headquarters in Seoul to try to establish contact. They, in fair English, provided me with thier e-mail address. I sent them a note with just a few questions so that they could translate and answer at their leisure. So far I received back 3 e-mails asking me to varify who I am and repeatedly asking me what I want the information for. I finally asked them directly if there was some amount of suspicion of my questions despite my providing me professional credentials.

My wife, who works extensively with Koreans, said that they are confused that someone would want information or a discussion simply for the sake of gaining knowledge or building a bond. She said she will often say "in order to do ________, we need to know ________" before asking the question. She also said that unsolicited e-mails asking medical questions may not go over well even from one professional to another.

Does it sound like I've been asking my questions with the wrong approach or might there be other issues at hand such as the topic of BSE (which I never mentioned) or that I am a male in a women-heavy field? Or is this that I am an outsider until we meet...which may not happen at this rate.

I am disappointed that my fellow professionals appear to be resistant to someone from another country.

Crockpot R.D., L.D.

[Underwaterbob]

Might want to check your spelling:

contacting
adn = and
messages
thier = their
verify

There are some minor grammar issues as well. I'd suggest being a little more professional when contacting professionals.

[Crockpot2001]

[Underwaterbob]

I didn't say you were here to teach English.

My response seemed relevant to me at the time. Though you did clear it up by telling us that your correspondence was written better than your post.

I have a Korean friend who used to be a dietitian in Korea. I seem to recall she worked directly for a hospital. You could try contacting a hospital or two. You may have to go through the proper channels or something. Koreans are fans of bureaucracy. Not as bad as my home country though.

[warren pease]

[Crockpot2001]

[warren pease]

[Crockpot2001]

[bovinerebel]