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How to hint for your coworkers to learn westerntable manners
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Daniel_D



Joined: 29 Dec 2008

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:55 pm    Post subject: How to hint for your coworkers to learn westerntable manners Reply with quote

What is a good way to hint for your Co-workers to learn western table manners? Some of these people are planning to go overseas to work soon. Right now it's tolerable for me, but it would be far more comfortable if they began eating with their mouths closed.

I guess my face is too honest at times because they've asked if anything is wrong when eating together. However, I've lied and said I was thinking of something else.

Is there a way to lightly breach this subject or a flier that I can get sent to the office maybe that could help alleviate this situation?

Any advice...?
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salgichawa



Joined: 18 Mar 2010

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:13 pm    Post subject: Re: How to hint for your coworkers to learn westerntable man Reply with quote

Daniel_D wrote:
What is a good way to hint for your Co-workers to learn western table manners? Some of these people are planning to go overseas to work soon. Right now it's tolerable for me, but it would be far more comfortable if they began eating with their mouths closed.

I guess my face is too honest at times because they've asked if anything is wrong when eating together. However, I've lied and said I was thinking of something else.

Is there a way to lightly breach this subject or a flier that I can get sent to the office maybe that could help alleviate this situation?

Any advice...?



Hi There,

I guess it would be worth telling them but first make sure they are not just going over for 'training' or to work and to eat with other Koreans.

Abroad does not always mean abroad if you know what I mean.

I asked why my coteacher and friend ate ramyen and rice while touring france. She just said they saved money by taking it with them. They couldn't afford to eat at the restauraunts.

While this may be true they doubtless preferred korean food.

A word would be better then a flyer.
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GoldMember



Joined: 24 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just leave it. Let them figure it out for themselves.
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Xuanzang



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let them be themselves.
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jmuns



Joined: 09 Sep 2009
Location: earth

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

maybe they already know western manners. when you are out at a restaurant with them you are here in korea, not in a western country, so why should they act different. they might be thinking to themselves 'why does always sit there and act like a stick is up his ass, we are eating here!'
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chellovek



Joined: 29 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jmuns wrote:
they might be thinking to themselves 'why does always sit there and act like a stick is up his ass, we are eating here!'


Hahaha! Laughing

More seriously though, I'd just leave them to it and let them make their own mistakes.
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lukas



Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Location: Bucheon

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quack Addict wrote:
Some Korean businessmen were caught on the Nike campus here in Oregon 'feeling up' some boobies on a statue...the locals were outraged...


Outraged? That just sounds funny to me. The businessmen were probably just remarking on how much larger than were than back at home Laughing

Yeah, I'd just let them figure it out themselves. I never asked any Koreans about their culture before coming to this country... I googled it.
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balzor



Joined: 14 Feb 2009

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

best thing you can do is make conversation one day comparing the eating customs of the West and how it differs from Korea. As long as they are in Korea they are following custom, so you have to deal with it
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kabrams



Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Location: your Dad's house

PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

lukas wrote:
Quack Addict wrote:
Some Korean businessmen were caught on the Nike campus here in Oregon 'feeling up' some boobies on a statue...the locals were outraged...


Outraged? That just sounds funny to me. The businessmen were probably just remarking on how much larger than were than back at home Laughing

Yeah, I'd just let them figure it out themselves. I never asked any Koreans about their culture before coming to this country... I googled it.


Not businessmen, politicians.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_23480.html
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Privateer



Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 12:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only time it would be appropriate for your co-workers to learn western table manners would be if they were planning on a trip to the west - then you might teach them something. Right now, to tell people you don't know that well that they are deficient in manners when they are only doing in their own country what everyone else does - that would be rude and arrogant. You don't have to like it, but it certainly won't kill you to put up with it.

I guess you could just warn the ones who are going overseas soon. No need to dance around the subject. Just say something like 'If you eat like that in country X, people will be disgusted. Watch how I eat, mouth closed.'
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Juregen



Joined: 30 May 2006

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 6:16 am    Post subject: Re: How to hint for your coworkers to learn westerntable man Reply with quote

Daniel_D wrote:
What is a good way to hint for your Co-workers to learn western table manners? Some of these people are planning to go overseas to work soon. Right now it's tolerable for me, but it would be far more comfortable if they began eating with their mouths closed.

Any advice...?


Go back home.
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Chucky



Joined: 21 Apr 2010

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 6:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why should they learn western table manners? This isn't the west, it's Korea.

It's unbelievable how snobby some people around here are.
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shcforward



Joined: 27 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know it can be rough, sitting across from an ajoshi who is chewing with his mouth gaping open with food and spit flying everywhere.

But there is just no polite way of doing anything about it.

Sounds like the issue here is that you are grossed out by how they eat - and you see it as an opportunity that some of them are going to America to possibly point out that their table manners are crude - hoping that sitting through your school lunches will become more bearable .

I don't think there is a whole lot you can do. If you talk about it, you'll sound like a jerk. No way around it.

Plus, chances are that they already know everything you could say. They just don't care.

And I bet that some of them are just as grossed out as you are by other people's disgusting eating habits.
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caniff



Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chucky wrote:
Why should they learn western table manners? This isn't the west, it's Korea.

It's unbelievable how snobby some people around here are.


The OP said they were planning to go overseas.

Read like you know how to do it next time, okay?
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Quack Addict



Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kabrams wrote:
lukas wrote:
Quack Addict wrote:
Some Korean businessmen were caught on the Nike campus here in Oregon 'feeling up' some boobies on a statue...the locals were outraged...


Outraged? That just sounds funny to me. The businessmen were probably just remarking on how much larger than were than back at home Laughing

Yeah, I'd just let them figure it out themselves. I never asked any Koreans about their culture before coming to this country... I googled it.


Not businessmen, politicians.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_23480.html


Thanks for the link to the article. The whole scene must have been freakin' hilarious...Korean politicians groping a statue..lol Laughing
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