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CarolinaTHeels
Joined: 07 Apr 2011
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 Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:43 am Post subject: The 5 things you'd do differently |
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I think everyone has a few things they would have done differently the second time around. What are yours?
1) Live in a better location in the city.
For me, I lived too far away from my preferred nightlife spots. Which in Busan was Seomyeon and KSU.
2) Go public school route instead of private
3) Be more professional at work ie dress in slacks and button up instead of wearing jeans and shirt ect.
4) Be more strict from the get go with my classes.
5) Join more clubs / groups and be more proactive in making friends sooner. |
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comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: The 5 things you'd do differently |
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| CarolinaTHeels wrote: |
| 2) Go public school route instead of private |
Actually, my first year was at a large academy with 7 native speakers. Being able to learn, help and be helped by that group really made my first year smoother I think. In contrast, I'll be the only native speaker at the public school I'm heading to this month... Anyway, my list:
1. Do more clubs/activities/etc with Koreans!
2. Work harder on learning Korean.
3. Actively seek out contacts for future job opportunities.
4. Be more strict in classes.
5. Have a consistent and predictable discipline/motivation system from the first day. |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| 5) Join more clubs / groups and be more proactive in making friends sooner. |
First, I think it is important to point out, these "What if you did it again" scenarios are based on the particular country. I traveled easily on weekends from the east coast Dokdo area to the west coast south of Incheon. Go to China or travel north and south in Japan, and you are going to have a different story (I had a friend who went from Kyoto to Tokyo every other week, that was like living a double life he told me). Korea is a completely different set of conditions. It's more "What CAN you do now?" I feel.
When I was in Seoul, I didn't see anything beyond the Itaewon and Hongdae foreigner gatherings. In addition, these gatherings were segregated based on specific nationalities and speaking cultures. In Kyoto, they have an international community house which allows people from all over to mix more. I tried signing up for a Korean class, and it felt completely different. The Chinese and Japanese promote their language and try to share things in a mixed atmosphere. I didn't feel this about Koreans. Either you knew it or you didn't, and it was a waste of their time to show you how. Maybe if you got drunk, they might say a few things in Korean for you, but that was the extent.
So, what can you/we do now? I think it would be nice to see more community based groups that don't give in to the Itaewon meeting spots formed. The Facebook groups are too localized based on location. Come on guys, LOOK AT A MAP. It's not that big of a country. Put subject ahead of location and nationality.
For example, at the Kyoto International Community House, you can sign up for weekend events, study Japanese, visit tourist spots around the area, do language exchange, learn Japanese hobbies, etc...
Unfortunately, my experiences in Korea were more "picnic" like ones. People brought their own kimbab with their pre-established cliques/groups. |
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No_hite_pls
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Location: Don't hate me because I'm right
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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1. came to Korea earlier
2. Married my wife at a younger age
3. Never smoked
4. I wish I listened to my parents less (they are horrible at giving advice)
5. Never dated the girl I did in college damn she was a B--tch |
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Gorf
Joined: 25 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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1. I wish I would have made less money, because I don't know what to do with all of my cash now
2. Spent less time at fancy clubs rubbing shoulders with Korea's famous and elite, it seems so passe
3. Wish I had worked out less, I get too many stares from being so beautiful
4. Wish I hadn't dated 2-3 models at the same time, it's too much work
5. Wish I hadn't taken that trip to Greece, because all of my concubines missed me when I was gone and wouldn't stop calling me |
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Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Location: The 90s
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
1. I wish I would have made less money, because I don't know what to do with all of my cash now
2. Spent less time at fancy clubs rubbing shoulders with Korea's famous and elite, it seems so passe
3. Wish I had worked out less, I get too many stares from being so beautiful
4. Wish I hadn't dated 2-3 models at the same time, it's too much work
5. Wish I hadn't taken that trip to Greece, because all of my concubines missed me when I was gone and wouldn't stop calling me |
It's funny how humor doesn't work on the Internet. |
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repeatpete
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 2:38 am Post subject: |
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| I wouldn't have rented 'Hudson Hawk.' |
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pegasus64128
Joined: 20 Aug 2011
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:24 am Post subject: |
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in 12 years, i thought about these kind of things alot, but in the end, I had no answer other than it is what it is. Im the 5th kind of foreigner, who came to Korea after being in Japan, to be near Japan, but make more money and have less hassle. Yeah, its true, the koreans and the japanese make the experience really different, but i have had alot of my own hobbies that i can do anywhere and have had a bit of "success/good fortune" with them. I cant be sad or happy about what happened or happens.
remember, every minute youre alive is a chance for a 180 degree change, every minute.
i also believe in bloom where youre planted....
but yeah, japan is full course meal mostly, and korea is a day old 7-11 sandwich. But it is what it is.... meh |
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J Rock
Joined: 17 Jan 2009
Location: The center of the Earth, Suji
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:28 am Post subject: |
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1. Not have been a total burnout from 18-24.
2. Finished my undergrad in less than 7 years.
3. Came to Korea sooner.
4. Dated my wife longer before we had a baby.
5. Tried getting a job with the DOD after my first year here. |
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IncognitoHFX2
Joined: 15 Mar 2012
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:10 am Post subject: |
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I wish I had never gotten sick of Korea and went to Japan. I ended up coming back to Korea because working in Japan was the pits and now I'm at an adult hagwon. If I had never left, I might be at a cozy public school, afterschool programme or even a university.
I wish I had studied Korean as hard in my first year as I am now. If I had, I would already be fluent! |
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beison
Joined: 28 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Modernist wrote: |
| Quote: |
1. I wish I would have made less money, because I don't know what to do with all of my cash now
2. Spent less time at fancy clubs rubbing shoulders with Korea's famous and elite, it seems so passe
3. Wish I had worked out less, I get too many stares from being so beautiful
4. Wish I hadn't dated 2-3 models at the same time, it's too much work
5. Wish I hadn't taken that trip to Greece, because all of my concubines missed me when I was gone and wouldn't stop calling me |
It's funny how humor doesn't work on the Internet. |
Funny how being a douche seems to shine through though, isn't it? |
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ktkates87
Joined: 13 Apr 2010
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:49 am Post subject: |
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1. I Would have tried to make friends outside of work, quicker. Maybe then I wouldn't have found myself at the same bar every weekend with the same people wasting money for the first 4-6 months and not really actually enjoying it.
2. I would have been more upfront at the beginning of the job search and more picky. Maybe then my husband and I wouldn't have been given single housing the first time around.
3. Gotten out of Seoul more often and explored.
4. Tried harder to learn Korean
5. I would have participated in more groups. By the time 8 months came around, it seemed to always be a "meh, I'm leaving soon so why bother" sort of thing. |
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ktkates87
Joined: 13 Apr 2010
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:58 am Post subject: |
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1. I Would have tried to make friends outside of work, quicker. Maybe then I wouldn't have found myself at the same bar every weekend with the same people wasting money for the first 4-6 months and not really actually enjoying it.
2. I would have been more upfront at the beginning of the job search and more picky. Maybe then my husband and I wouldn't have been given single housing the first time around.
3. I would have gotten out of Seoul more often and explored. I enjoyed Korea alot more once we started doing that.
4. I would have tried harder to learn Korean. Then maybe I would feel like less of an arsehole when people from home ask me if I can speak any Korean.
5. I would have participated in more groups. By the time 8 months came around, it seemed to always be a "meh, I'm leaving soon so why bother" sort of thing.
.......good thing I'll be going back to Korea to attempt all this! |
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OBwannabe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| If I do decide to return to Korea I will check back on this thread often. The frequent reminder of all the things I should have done the first time around will prove very useful. No joke. Great thread! |
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