Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

Although I've never met anyone who is bitterly racist toward Asians due to his time spent fighting in Vietman, Korea, etc., I don't think it's too farfetched to assume that quite a few exist. What I'm wondering is how many westerners, specifically English teachers, have had such a negative experience (though I certainly do not want to compare ESL teaching to warfare) here that they develop a similar animosity toward Asians.

Anyone know someone whose time spent teaching in Korea (or China, or Japan...) has skewed his/her outlook so irreparably that he/she has become a total, irrational bigot?

Sparkles*_*

[Kimchieluver]

My first roomate four years ago had taught in Korea on and off for six years. He hated Korean culture, food and the people. He was here for the bucks only. He was 52 when I met him and it was obvious he was saving for retirement. He constantly mooched off me and would eat ramyen for dinner and tuna on spinach for lunch everyday.

He skewed my experience here because of his negative attitude. When I met my wife I started eating Korean foods other than mando and crappy ham.

You gotta give Korea a chance. This dude didn't. He hated every moment he was here and never had a good thing to say about it. He would even complain about the prices of cigarettes.

[peppermint]

I know a guy that fits the bill, not a teacher though.

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

[lastat06513]

That was about half the guys (and gals) I worked with while in uniform...
Me? It was just the opposite. I came here thinking that Korea was a dangerous third-world country where Americans were not welcome and attacked whenever they left base.
It took me 8 months to step outside the base and see what Korea is really like.

[peppermint]

[Rock]

deleted

[Rock]

You're asking half this board to invite scorn, none of which will do so. Just look at some of the topics and comments, titles included. Oh well.

Not to jump on you guys, but if this isn't an understatement for the majority of people who've been to Asia. BIGOTED! ANYWHERE IN ASIA WILL LEAVE A BIASED OUTLOOK TOWARD ASIANS.

Being in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, I can really say that YES, I HAVE A PREJUDICE NOW AGAINST ASIANS MORE THAN I EVER HAVE! Just to mention, I will not even look at an Asian women, nor talk or say hello to Koreans(if I can help it.) I won't tell people I've been in Korea, nor mention anything postive or negative about the place. I loathe thinking about some things there. And just like vets, you just want to forget about the people because you've had so many negative experiences.

Now I'm not talking about BIG experiences. It was a lot of little things that just kept on adding up(maybe some big,) but for the most part, many psychological. Who wouldn't feel some animosity toward the people then?

Put yourself in some of the Americans' shoes. Wouldn't you feel some dislike, from some even hate?

But once again, as for myself, my Asian experiences really turned me off. I'm thinking, ASIANS SEEM TO HAVE A BIASED ATTITUDE TOWARD FOREIGNERS IN GENERAL, and I'd rather not ever, after having been biased against numerous times, regard their culture as anything I want to know or remember. This also includes some of the people.

Does it sound bigoted? No, IT'S THE BIGOTRY AND ETHNOCENTRISM I FOUND IN ASIA that causes me NOT TO WANT TO BE BIGOTED, SO I JUST WANT TO IGNORE THEM. OR ELSE. . .

I can be brainwashed into thinking THAT'S THE WAY THEY ARE. . .JUST ACCEPT IT.

[Rock]

I just wrote a whole spiel for ya but it wouldn't connect. Um. . .maybe someone's trying to tell me something.

It's the same way I'd felt all along being in Korea. I didn't make negative comments, or definitely not those bordering on racism. I even parted company with one English teacher from NZ there, a guy who couldn't stop thrashing Korea verbally.

But I'll tell you, I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH ASIANS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME! Maybe I'll never have anything to do with them. Why! I can see through things now, understand more than just the surface of their societies. I really find them(the Asians,) dehumanizing to a foreigner. This is especially true for the Koreans and Taiwanese.

I'm not racist, or bigoted. I feel as if a deep loving romance, however, has radically ended. Seeing what's deeper about a country, like combat vets, you're not going to want to remember Asia. But it depends on you.

If you've been able to swallow EVERYTHING, without so much as raising a hair, than you can believe the illusion Asia represents to most: exotic, mysterious, wise and intelligent; the culture is ancient and the people, honest, noble, moral and respectful. This is just the tip of the mountainous, underworld mess I've experienced.

Gangsterism is rife in Taiwan, to the point of teachers getting murdered. Prostitution knocks on your door in Korea. Drunkeness stumbles across your street with bars to skip across; liars lead you with a hook, or crook, in the Taiwanese culture. Democracy dies on the tree branches of boredom from lack of freedom in all countries. So what am I saying?

Democracy, that's what I'm saying. I wouldn't let my life depend on its meaning in Asia. Therefore, Yes, I'm prejudiced, to some extent, toward Asians, and I WON'T LOOK OR TALK TO THEM, if I can help it. I consider them, for the most part, anti-democratic to my sense of freedom, and than some. I DO NOT SEE ASIAN WOMEN AS THE PARADIGMS I ONCE THOUGHT THEY WERE TOO. Period.

To sum up, I see Asia, and Asians in general, as both incompatible to my sense of freedom, dignity, and selfhood, not to mention my ethnicity.

So yeah, I'm one's who's more racist after having been in Korea. But not in a hateful way. I feel it's more reality based.

[kermo]

Let the games begin!

All I want to say is:
Guess what Rock? Asians are people too. They aren't all narrow-minded or hostile. You've got to take them one at a time, or you're a complete hypocrite.

[Corporal]

[seoulkitchen]

Korea is a psychological S&M session, a not so gentle mind f*ck designed to seduce and corrupt western youth.

For better and for worse I'm not the same person I was when I got here all wide-eyed and innocent, fresh off the farm (I bet you can smell the manure on that one). I've seen it turn some people into bitter anti-asians.
It's also done the opposite and turned some people into simpering apologists. It's a mad mad mad mad country.


I've said it before, living in Korea is a sick and twisted addiction.



And I'm addicted to the hilt.

No one here gets out alive.

[Imbroglio]

[crazylemongirl]

It's the love hate thing that keeps me here, and will no doubt keep me talking about the place long after I leave.