Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mslaoshi]

"You are not Chinese, you are American."

This is what three Korean teachers said to me at my school. I am half Chinese American. I identify with being Chinese American yet the teachers have repeatedly told me that I am just American, not Chinese...i don't look Chinese to them, I am not from China, etc.

Initially, I was shocked and upset. But at a party last night I heard that Korean children that are mixed usually have to go to other countries to go to school, or a special international school for foreigners...that they can never be part of Korean culture, or be considered a Korean. The same for me...by some Chinese standards...I am not really Chinese because I am not all Chinese. Recently, I found out that I may have a sliver of Mexican in me...but my aunties won't talk about it. We must be all Chinese or not Chinese at all! It is too sad.

Later, I found out that the teachers thought they were complementing me. Many times, Asians/minorities in the US are not considered to be "real Americans" because of our lack of fair skin...and even lack of blond hair and blue eyes. (the reason why I was cut out of our school's brochure) The teachers were trying to tell me that I am as good as any other white person AKA "American" I was glad that it wasn't what I had previously thought...but my questions is: Why do I have to leave my ethnic identity behind to be considered an American? I told them I was Chinese American and they didn't understand.

What I wanted to know...because I am in boonies: Are there any mixed-Asian organizations out there? We had a Hapa club at my university (hapa means mixed...comes from Hawaii). I would like to be in contact with them. I want to hear about their experience here, their adjustment...and the politics involved.

thanks,

mslaoshi

[peppermint]

I know there's a website www.halfkorean.com and you might be able to get some useful info there.

[little mixed girl]

for a mixed person, your thread title is incredibly offensive.

and if u were born in the states then your fellow teachers are right, u are american not chinese.
please do not confuse ETHNICITY with NATIONALITY.

and half-korean kids don't have to go to different countries to go to school, whoever told u that is full of bullshit.

when i was in korea, none of the koreans that i met with had any problem grasping the fact that i was american with parents of different races.
while many ppl in america have hang-ups about "one-dropism" it's not exactly like that in korea or asia.
telling them u have one parent that's chinese and another that's non-chinese they will understand.
telling them u are "chinese" makes no sense because one u are mixed and second u are not from china.

the way u write makes me so depressed. there's nothing wrong with being american.
like i said, explain to them that u have a chinese parent and a non-chinese parent and they will get it.

"hapa"...jesus west coast ppl have just messed up that word. hawaiians are not down with that

[peppermint]

[peppergirl]

I guess the Korean teachers think of you as American because you don't look 100% Asian and I guess you behave more like an American than a Chinese....

I am also mixed, half European and half Chinese... and look maybe 5% Asian and 95% Western (and people only notice the 5% AFTER I tell them my mother is Chinese).

But as I grew up in Europe, I'm much more European than Chinese... except that I understand Chinese customs, traditions a bit better maybe. I think that is partly the reason why I didn't have any difficulties living in Japan and Korea and being married to a Korean is not such a big culture shock to me.

mslaoshi, when I was growing up in Europe, esp in elementary school, I hated being mixed and wanted to have a white mother just like everybody else... But since then I became proud of who I am, and happy that I could grow up with 2 cultures, languages, traditions. Be happy that you could experience that and be proud of it And don't care so much about what label they stick on you.

And I hope to give the same experiences to our kids later... although I already warned my husband that at some stage they might hate one of us for being different, they should come around when they get older and wiser

[Scott in HK]

peppermint wrote...

[peppermint]

[peppergirl]

[peppermint]

The kids I'm describing are my current students- grades 3 through 6 at a public school, and to be fair, it's not just mixed kids that get this treatment. This is standard issue wang-tta treatment, from everything I've heard.

I've seen university students treat mixed individuals rather badly as well when I taught at an adult hagwon.

Please don't think I'm condoning this behaviour, I've tried lecturing my students every time I see it. I'm just saying that this is how it is. I'm sure the situation is not ideal in other countries, but I don't think it's this dramatic where I come from.

[Real Reality]

Discrimination plagues migrant children
"Most of all, a fundamental solution to the problem is to redress the general tendency in Korean society that discriminates against migrant workers," he said.
In response to criticism of the government's efforts on behalf of migrant children, Kim Ji-yeon, an official at the Education Ministry, said, "The ministry is currently setting up a five-year general education plan that will include enhanced support for children of migrant workers."
But Yi Ran-joo, a senior official at the Bucheon Migrant Workers' Home, says, "Schools that foreign children attend will have to develop a curriculum of international understanding. An understanding of foreign countries and mutual respect will help solve the problem."
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200404/25/200404252243110879900090409041.html

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

[Scott in HK]

peppermint

[peppermint]

If you read the post you quoted, you'll see that I said:

[Real Reality]

"Highly Educated Work Force in 20-40 Age Bracket is Leaving"
According to a bank's immigration consultant, "In the case of people in their 40s, it seems that they are concerned with their children's education and the gloomy reality in Korea, and choosing to leave their jobs and emigrate."
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004083124608

Without hope, an exodus
Why does everybody want to leave Korea? On the surface, people make an excuse about their children's education. It is certain that Korea's backward education system boosts the outflow of funds. But a more fundamental reason is anxiety over the future. Murky political struggles, an unstable society, a failing economy, a social atmosphere that treats the wealthy as criminals, and anti-business sentiment and regulations make people frustrated. Therefore, people are turning their backs on their country or are preparing to do so. One survey said 74 percent of Koreans have thought about emigrating.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200407/27/200407272207153409900090109011.html

The exit-Korea syndrome worsens
Over $5.5 billion was sent abroad to finance students studying overseas last year. Over 17,000 elementary, middle and high school students left the country to pursue education elsewhere last year. Many fathers are staying behind to finance the expensive education, while mothers leave with the children.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200309/17/200309172316570409900090109012.html

Immigration fair draws throngs
"I have a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old son. I think it is better that we move to the United States or Canada before they grow older."
A Korea Trade Fairs official said, "At the immigration fair held in March, we had about 9,500 visitors. More and more people seem to want to move to other countries because of their unhappiness with our education system or society."
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200309/08/200309080122117709900090509051.html

[rapier]

Its so depressing..although I've no exp of mixed race kids at school here, I can believe Peppermints observation cos I've noticed the way the kids react to photos and pictures of other races.

Hows it all going to change though? I don't think secluding all mixed race kids into ghetto international schools is the answer. Exposing Korean kids to more foreigners/ mixed race people is the only way to change attitudes in the long term.

Attitudes take a long time to break down, it'd help if the whole Han master race propoganda machine retired from the TV and everywhere else. It'd help to have Koreans educated from an early age that all races are equal, we all share a common ancestor, and diversity is to be celebrated.

To the OP: Koreans always try to label you and put you in a box. Its hard for them to realise the world is a pretty mixed place nowadays, because Korea isn't. I mentioned to a Korean that although I was born in Africa, I have mixed English/Spanish/Danish/German/Polish/Jewish ancestry, and my direct ancestral line includes generations that lived in 3 of those countries. They just don't get it, confuses them too much.
I always remind them all the races and people of the world are descended from a single dark skinned African mother, thousands of years back. They can't swallow that either.

[skinhead]

Perhaps some of the migrant parents with mixed ethnicity kids or otherwise could organise the groundwork for an 'alternative to Korean national education curriculum' school if the k-kids are as bad as I've heard (not just from peppermint, but from many). One of the problems would be the separation from Korean kids during their time at school, and losing some of that cultural learning, but if they only get crap from K-kids anyway, what's the loss? Mrs skinny (Korean) and I both agree that our first kids will have their infancy in Korea with their family, and then we'll take them to Australia for their education. If there was a non-puritan education option IN Korea, we'd consider going with it and staying.

Is there such a thing? Do the international schools cater for ALL non-purekorean'blood' little humans, such as those from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Zaire, etc.? What are their curriculums like?

We'll be investigating these issues more closely in a few years from now, but anyway, interesting thread. I'm learning.