Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keepongoing]

I have been in Korea over 7 years and have made some friends. Most of my friends are people I have worked with. I have met people in bars and they have been great to talk with, but the relationship does not go beyond the bars environment.

I value and friends and believe that our choice of friends is vital and not to be taken lightly. Friends rub off on one another. I would state that most of my friends have been situational. I guess that is common. Some friends, I would view as having been toxic and I had to wake up to that fact. Most of all, I want to be a good friend and to always values those true friendships that I have.

[mc_jc]

Back in 2001, I met three people- a Palestinian, a Canadian and an American. Out of those 3, I am still friends with the Palestinian and the Canadian. The American guy only called to hang out when he needed a place to hang out while he was in Seoul (he was a teacher in Cheonan) and that was it. He went back to the US and I never heard from him again. The other two I talk to very often and I was the best man at my Canadian friend's wedding- which was cool.

I agree- friends are VERY hard to find, but I always make it a point to be friendly to anyone who is friendly in return. Good friends are extremely hard because you only need one or two really good friends.

I have one best friend who I have kept in contact with since my army days back in the early 90's. He got married to a Japanese woman and lives there, but we talk from time to time. What makes him my best friend is that when I was very sick (and left to rot in a Korean hospital at the time- worse than what they are now- alot worse) and almost died, he was the only one from my unit who came to visit me. Sure, my commander at the time had an obligation to know how I am doing, but my friend sincerely wanted to hang out. He was given a weekend pass and had a choice of either seeing me or going out to the clubs- he came to the hospital to hang out with me. Then when he and his family fell on hard times when he got out of the army, I was there to give him (not loan- give) the money he needed for a down payment on their apartment and 2 months rent. Good friends are the ones who will stick their neck out for each other through thick and thin.

Another excellent person was Christian (AKA Lastat06513). He was working at a hogwon in Mokdong when I arrived and showed me the ropes at the school and with living as a civilian in Korea. The greatest thing about hanging out with him was that he was an awesome judge of character, yet he never judged anyone. He helped me out when I broke up with my first Korean girlfriend- he consoled me by saying a Korean proverb- "A goalie can't catch every ball that comes toward the net"- I think that's how it went.
The best honor I could give him for his help was to be at his funeral when he died- he was a truly awesome friend.

Sometimes a person could meet their best friend as soon as they arrive or they might meet them after a decade, but you will meet your best friend and when you do, they will be your best friends for life.

[redaxe]

What really sucks about friendships in Korea as that it seems like as soon as I can really get to know someone and build a genuine friendship with them, it's time for them to leave and go back to their home country. Even a lot of my Korean friends have left to go study or work abroad too.

It's getting a little old. I kinda want to live someplace where I can have friends who will be around for more than a year. But I guess at my age (I'm 25) people just move around a lot.

As for my friends back in my hometown, I'm afraid we're growing apart... but I guess when I go back and see them again I'll think "these people haven't changed a bit!"