Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fatpat]

My boyfriend and I are leaving in six weeks (hooray ) and my boss wants advice about the new couple that they are thinking of hiring. They are in their 40's, the male is South African and the female is English and they currently live in USA. Sounds fine to me so far. They are mormons. My boss asked me about this but I don't know much about it at all. Will this cause any problems do you think? Secondly, and this is the main thing that worries me is that they have a 10 year old adopted black son. I am worried about this child. We live in a small neighbourhood in the sticks of Ulsan. The people here are not the most open minded. I can't imagine this child being able to make friends with the local kids since they find a photograph or even the mention of Africa hilarious (my experience from teachingsome of them). This child will be educated at home by the parents. I told my boss I think it will be very difficult for the child and she agreed but insisted that it would be a good thing for the people in our area to be exposed to different races and cultures. My boss wants me to speak to this potential couple and i'm not quite sure what to say, do I mention my feelings or not get involved? What do you think?

[skconqueror]

be fair and upfront with them, and let them know of the racial biases the average Korean has against individuals with african heritage. better for them to know what they are getting themselves into then come to Korea and have to leave in a few weeks/months

[Zenpickle]

There also seem to be some decent conclaves of Mormon missionaries in Korea, and there may be some connections near Ulsan.

I wouldn't be able to make any predictions about their stability at the school. Not that I have any prejudices, it's just that I'm always wrong.

[Paddycakes]

Korea's racial bias against dark skinned people is very bizarre to say the least.

Have most Koreans not looked in a mirror to see how dark they themselves are?

[Teufelswacht]

Some thoughts:

1) Since the couple will be teaching during the day (I assume) what is the child going to do? When they are not homeschooling what activities will the child be involved in?

2) Do the parents really understand that their child has a very real chance of having no meaningful contact with other kids for 12 months?

3) Your owner is a putz. It will be difficult for the child BUT it will be beneficial for the Koreans? So the child may have to endure all sorts of garbage from Asian Rednecks in order to provide a learning opportunity? Who is the owner expecting the child to be, Rosa Parks?

Look, your director may be nice and all that, but what he/she wants is a new couple - the child issue is secondary at best. I wouldn't put too much stock in your directors opinion.

The fact that they are Mormons should not be an issue. However, Mormom missionaries rotate every couple of months - so the prospect of establishing any kind of link with the missionaries is nil. Just because there may be mormons in the area does not mean that their mormonism will override the cultural/racial prejudice of the local populace and/or congregation. Some of the biggest racists I have ever met in Korea have been church going Christians.

In my town we had a similar situation with a couple with a black child. They lasted 4 months before going back home. The reason? According to the father, the harrassment their child suffered. I can think of few things more irresponsible than putting a 10 years old black child in the sticks - anywhere in Korea - for a year. If they really want to come to Korea I would recommend Seoul or Busan and not "out in the sticks."

The parents should be told to at least research the subject on the 'net before committing their child to this situation for a year.

But then again, these are only my opinions. Every situation is different and the couple and their child could have a wonderful experience. It depends on how much are they willing to risk.

I would recommend that you be up front with the parents. They are depending on you for the straight info. Give it to them.

[swade]

I think you should give them as much information that you can provide on the school and the city that they will be living in. In regards to their child, I am sure that they are aware of the prejudices that exist with having a black child. No one adopts outside of their race without giving the situation a great deal of thought. If they are planning to move to Korea, that too isn��t something that I believe that they or anyone jumps into without first looking at all the positive and negative aspects. It they want to bring their child here it��s a decision that they should make and not one that should be second guessed by anyone else. The same goes for their religion.

I believe that your job in helping your boss is to provide information to this couple. Given all the information they are the only ones to make the decision whether a move to Korea is right for them and their child.

[ilovebdt]

[spliff]

The kid shouldn't have a problem. The first time he has a "public piss" should set things straight and, If he can't attract guy friends he'll sure have no problem w/ the chicks!

[ulsanchris]

A few years back when i was in my first year in korea one of the neighbourhood hagwons had a black single mother teaching. He boy looked around 10 or so. one day i was having coffee with a coworker on the second floor of a mcdonalds. across the streed in what then was an empty lot a group of korean kids had surround the black boy and were teasing him. he was swing an old plastic pipe at them. He wasn't really trying to hit. Just get them to buggering off. Anyways my coworker (korean) and i went down and told the korean kids to piss off and leave the kid alone. I told the black kid to go home. I saw him a couple more times. sounded like he and his mom were both pretty lonely.

[Cheonmunka]

I'm not going to add or detract anything from the above statement from Ulsan Chris.
That should stand alone.

I can understand anyone's financial reasons for taking on the monumental task of relocation to a foreign place. They will need a lot of assistance. Especially, with schools. Hakwon incomes do not allow for international schooling. What will the poor boy do? He should not study and solely play by himself at home. That is not the place for a boy who may need to grow with peers and develop. Or is it? Can a boy grow stronger with that, like by himself? The parents are working all day aren't they? If not, well maybe...
If the family does this, I hope the hell they can save all their money and move up.
If they take this job, I think they will need a lot of help. Is your director a decent person? Or, is he a careless, I don't really get involved person?
How can they do this. Do they know the language?
How does anyone else with kids without a Korean spouse do this? How do they get involved with the community?

If it were me, I would advise them to look into Bucheon or Pupyong and Ansan. There is a strong community of various races, people from the Caucasus to Africa to Middle Eastern and Western. I have never been to Ulsan but it seems like a small place compared to here, where I live and see many mixed races daily.

[fatpat]

I talked to my director today about my thoughts for the child. The parents are planning on educating the child at home by themselves. I asked what he would do while both parents were working 7 hours a day and it doesn't seem like there had been much thought about that, but she said he could hang around the hagwon, playing with the children and studying on the computer (what fun!). I told her it might be very difficult for the child because the others might not like him. He also can't speak Hangul. She said she wouldn't tolerate the kids at our hogwan being mean to him and that they are all very kind anyway! (Well that's what she thinks). Then I said it would be very difficult for him around town, but she said she would show the family around thoroughly and take the family out to local places so people get used to him. We have been here a year and people still aren't used to us, we get constant attention and harrassment! I don't think this kid is going to have a good time here and I warned her that if the child is unhappy they would leave. I know my boss is a nice person and a lot more open minded than other people around here but I also find her a bit niave, especially facing this current issue. She seems to think this will be an interesting experience for the child to be emersed in a different culture and that a year isn't really that long. I told her she has forgotton what it's like to be 10 years old. I'm a bit worried she really only wants the positions filled as she is convinced nobody wants to come to Namchang because it isn't downtown (but we came here and their are a few others here too). I tried really hard today to make her think about how this child might feel but I couldn't quite bring myself to say I think most Korean's are racist to black people and he won't be accepted around here (i'm sure she would deny that anyway).

Anyway, I am going to talk to the parents and tell them honestly what I think. Like others have said in previous posts, surely the parents will have thought about how their decision to come here might affect their son. My boss also mentioned about the missionaries. I have no idea if there are any locally but if there are then I guess they would provide support and there might even be other English speaking children.

[ilovebdt]

[R. S. Refugee]

[Teufelswacht]