Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lao Wai]

Hey,

So, I had an interesting Korean experience the other day....in Canada. I live in Moncton, New Brunswick. There are no Korean restaurants here and the Oriental food store does not carry Korean products. So, I've been craving Korean food something fierce!

The other night an acquaintance who had also taught in Korea told me that we do, in fact, have a Korean grocery store in a convenience store. So, I went there and...holy crap! They have everything you'd need to make Korean food (they even have Bundaegi). Anyway, I started chatting with the proprietor (a Korean man)...it was a very strange conversation...half in Korean...half in English (I felt like I was back in Korea). So, the funny thing was he then asks me for my name and phone number because he said Koreans new to the city sometimes need English tutors. I was just about to say no when I realized...hey, I'm in Canada now....it's not illegal! (well, if I did it on the side it technically would be, but I'm not concerned).

Since I've been substitute teaching here, I've seen at least 5 Korean kids per school. I'm quite surprised Koreans are coming to New Brunswick. I mean, it's hard enough as it is being a unilingual anglophone to find a job. The big buzz in the newspaper these days is whether or not they'll stay in NB or move to the larger urban centres once they've been in the country for a while. I do think the Koreans kind of view the Maritimes as 'genuine' Canada...as their are few immigrants compared to Vancouver, Montreal and T.O.

[laogaiguk]

What's the name of the store? I'd love to check that out.

[catman]

I live in Fredericton and there has been a huge boom in the Korean population here. There are two Korean run convenience stores that sell Korean food. There is supposed to be over 100 Korean families in Fredericton now. I've befriended some of them.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I heard that in Fredericton the Korean population went from 7 to 700 in like no time. I think there's a language school there run by a couple of Koreans. Ha! I worked at the N.B. Department of Labor there. Also filed a complaint with an employer to get overtime money and it was all settled in a day.

[Underwaterbob]

Halifax, right next door, has quite the booming Korean community. There are at least three Korean food stores in town and one and a half restaurants (the half being in a food court).

My hometown has one Korean family and it's the middle of nowhere (Yarmouth, N.S.).

Koreans are discovering the east coast. Must be our imitation of Korea's four seasons that we do so well.

[SeoulShakin]

[Underwaterbob]

JJ Kurean Oriental Foods (yes Kurean with a U) on Gottingen definitely has the best selection out of the two places we went to. I think the sign just says JJ Market or something like that.

There's another place across from the Halifax Shopping Center (just up from the rotary on uhhh, whatever the street North St turns into is called).

and the last is out on the Bedford Highway. I can't remember its name but it's at the lights where you turn left to go to Clayton Park. It had a pile of food from all over Asia.

The restaurant is more of a cafe than a full-blown restaurant but they have an assortment of Mandu, Ramyun, Bi Bim Bap and some other things. Think more along the lines of Yong U-Don than galbi joint. It's called Bach's Cafe and it's just a short way up Agricola St. from the intersection with North St.

Me and my Korean GF spent four months in my Mom's cabin and she got pretty desperate for some Korean food.

We lit a fire outside and cooked sam gyup sal on a metal grill.

[Harpeau]

That's really cool! A couple summers ago my wife and I tried the Korean restaurant in the Mall in Halifax. It wasn't too shabby. Trust me, when a Korean is desperate for Korean food, they're not going to be quite as picky aswhen they're in Hyewha-dong, or whatever. It was satisfactory. Then again, it was a couple of years ago.

BTW, I'm just currious, have people noticed much racism in the Maritimes?

Just wondering.

[twg]

[Underwaterbob]

Ray's Felafel was still there as of August of 2007. Damn they're good.

[SeoulShakin]

Two weeks for me!

[Ilsanman]

Some of the smart Koreans have finally realized that going to Vancouver and opening yet another supermarket or drycleaners is not a path to a good life. They have been figuring out other nice places to live.

Saskatoon is one of the cities Koreans are flocking to. There is a Daum Cafe that my wife joined. It's full of beautiful pictures and glowing reviews of Saskatoon.

[Lao Wai]

[IncognitoHFX]

Actually one of my favourite students told me she was moving to Canada about a month ago. I shrugged and said, "oh yeah? Vancouver, eh?"

...She said, "no, Prince Edward Island" to which I said "f*ck off and get the hell out of my classroom!"

Not only did her entire family move their permanently, but they moved to a small village about an hour away from Charlottetown. Surprise, surprise.

PS: OP, I lived in Moncton, New Brunswick for a year and a half. Vail Street by the Rockin' Rodeo to be specific. I can't remember seeing a person who wasn't white in my entire year and a half living there, so this is surprising as well.

[Lao Wai]