Korean Job Discussion Forums

[blunder1983]

Hi guys,

I've arrived in Incheon, and have been speaking to Schwa about adopting his little kitty as it has no home, and I am having SEVERE cat withdrawal symptoms.

now, my apt is not big but it has a separate room where I can stick her litter tray and plenty of room for a little cat bed so I think she'd be pretty happy there. The problem arises when I ask my landlady (who speaks virtually zero english) her son translated for me but they didn't look too chuffed and I got a really wierd answer back. She said "she didn't want animals in the apartment that will make loads of noise all day" and that if I wanted one the she would look after it during the day. This is silly as, if my cats in England are anything to go by, cats don't want noise all day either as they enjoy spending their life eating sleeping and pooing.

I've been speaking to Schwa about the kitty and he informs me there are lots of negative feelings towards cats in SK, in fact I haven't seen a cat since I got here. I really want to get a definate yes or no answer by the june long weekend, where I can mission it past Seoul to pick her up if I get it okayed.

Suggestions on how to successfully plead my case???? Send in on the back of a postcard to the usual address

Chris

(been thinking of getting someone to write down my request in Hangul/Hanguk? explaining cats are super clean, super quiet adorable animals, do you think this might work)

Sorry to pester you all with such nooby questions but hey i am wot i am!

[Zark]

How about just moving the cat in without saying anything - when they aren't looking. After a nice few quiet days - nobody will have anything to complain about.

One thing to learn overseas is that it is better to act - and apologize later, than it is to ask - then have to go against the answer.

If Shwa will loan the kitty to you for a week on a test run - I bet it will work out just fine.

Geez, I feel like Dear Abby . . .

[blunder1983]

I dunno, the landlady's son wants to be my mate, and he seems nice enough he may think something is amiss when he pops down and finds a kitty in my room :S

[winnie]

Just tell her you changed your mind about getting a cat, that you don't want one....and then a bit later, sneak it in, without anyone noticing.

Once the cat's in there, no one will ever know...they rarely make noise anyways.... And it's not like she will be listening outside your door for noises(well hopefully).

And if caught(which I doubt), it will likely not be for a long time, just tell em you changed your mind again, and thought she would not be noisy.....and did not need anyone else to care for it during the day.

Shouldn't be a problem....

[winnie]

Oh ya, about the landlady's son....just mention you would prefer to live alone....you do need your space after all.

[pollyplummer]

You should never haver asked her. Koreans need you to tell them how it's going to be. Cats are quiet and she would not have had to know about yours. Just get your cat. I think she said yes as long as it's quiet, from what you reported. So just take her at her word.

[tzechuk]

Yeah.. why did you bother asking? If you ask, people are likely to say no. You should've just got her and kept her without letting anyone know. As for your landlady's son wanting to be your mate.... tell him, if he likes you enough, he'll keep it a secret for you away from his mother. Otherwise no mates!!!!

[blunder1983]

Hmm the whole sly and devious thing isnt really my style.

I suppose I can get it and say that I thought she said it was ok if its quiet, but i'm not too keen on the idea. Any ideas on how I could get her just to say yes, and be honest?

Chris

[pollyplummer]

There's nothing dishonest about taking someone at their word. That seems to be what she said. You already made the mistake of asking. You don't need to ask mom before you do everything. Almost 99% of Koreans prefer dogs to cats, so more than likely, they do not have any rules about cats in buildings. Just relax and take the cat.

[blunder1983]

Hmm I think I'll just do it I guess I just don't want to cause problems for me, especially if this bloke is coming round.

I got shown some pictures of one of the other teachers who lives in the same block of apartments with a cocker spaniel puppy so if they get arsey I can relate it to that.

[blunder1983]

Bah thats annoying c.o.ck.er is NOT a swear!

[coolsage]

Blunder; yes, the swear filter is turned up to Full Disney, but apparently there's nothing we can do about it. (Sperling's wife is Thai; they're very soft about language. For that matter, so is mine.) I've contacted Schwa about this; he's an old friend. If you can't take the kitten, I'll be happy to have her. Incidentally, the treatment of cats in this country is nothing short of barbaric. Let's see if the apologists rush in on this one.

[turtlepi1]

OK so I am not an apologist on this subject. I think the way they treat cats is pretty bad (and pets in general, I have a "black humour story that I won't take the time to share). Having said that I do have an observation/question (and it isn't directed at anyone in particular I have just been thinking about it quite a bit on my walk home).

In Anyang there were a lot of the "homeless" cats running around. You know the skinny looking little critters. Now here in Abu Dhabi it is the same thing. Plenty of skinny little cats running around. (Same in Hong Kong when I was there) my first instinct as a westerner is to feel sorry for the animal and want to take it home and feed it. (Even though I pretty much hate cats) Why do we want to do that? Why don't we want to capture birds and other "wild" animals and "save" them?

I guess part of it is to me a cat is at least a "pet" and as people we are "responsible" to these animals and secondly my vision of a cat is a little "fatter" than the ones I see running around.

[Qinella]

[pollyplummer]