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cubanlord

Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject: Has Dave's ESL Cafe changed your perspective on things? |
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Such as Korea, your attitude towards drinking, changes in food preferences, etc.
For me here we go:
culture and Korean's in general
Both for the better and for the worse. For the better: It has made me aware of laws and regulations that I need to watch out for, it has made me look at things from other people's perspectives, and it has also helped me adapt (when i first came almost 2 years ago) to the culture norms here. For the worse: It has increased my racism and negativity to the stereotypical "nasty Korean ajoshi or ajuma". It has really brought about a bitter taste in respect to their government, business dealings, lack of regulations in every facet, etc.
Getting beligerant (sp?) and trashed 3 or 4 nights a week
I drink socially, but never to the point that i cannot function the next morning. I have a wife, so I find more constructive things to do with her.
Food preferences
Definitely for the better. I never would have eaten as healthy as I am eating here now. However, thank goodness for the new Outback and Subway here in our little city. |
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VanIslander

Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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Dave's ESL Cafe has made me see that not all teachers enjoy their time in Korea. Seriously. The vast majority of the teachers I actually meet face to face seem to be enjoying their time here and are quite sociable to be around.
Dave's ESL Cafe has also taught me to be more tolerant and forgiving of the grammar mistakes of my students: if native English-speaking teachers with university degrees don't know how to use an apostrophe, then how important can it be, really? |
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Cohiba

Joined: 01 Feb 2005
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject: ESL Cafe |
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Yeah, this site has REALLY changed my entire way
of living. I am so changed now. I couldn't imagine
my life without this site. It has given me new values
and goals. It has shown me a new life-path. Every
day I pray that I can be part of this little group forever
and ever. God willing, maybe this will be so. |
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kangnam mafioso
Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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In Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), newly minted sober people are advised to find a "higher power" in life to guide you through the rough spots, along with a sponsor and a new dedication to non-inebriated life experiences. Some people find that higher power in Jesus or Buddha or a family member or AA meetings. I chose Dave's ESL Cafe. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Some of the things I've learned:
1. I have lost interest in visiting most of the other English-speaking countries of the world. From the evidence here, those countries have even more dysfunctional dorks than my home country.
2. Travelling does not necessarily broaden one's mind. It has the effect, on some people, of making them even more intolerant than before.
3. I've learned from Dave's that although some of my experiences here have been nasty, they don't measure up to some of the hellish things others have gone through.
4. And I've learned that some people can come on here and rant about how Koreans don't feel a need to be polite unless they have been formally introduced, and then post amazingly rude things because they are anonymous on the internet.  |
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kangnam mafioso
Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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.............
Last edited by kangnam mafioso on Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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When I first came on here, I thought I would find a forum full of teaching tips and strategies and serious teachers. |
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indytrucks

Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
When I first came on here, I thought I would find a forum full of teaching tips and strategies and serious teachers. |
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Karabeara
Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Location: The right public school beats a university/unikwon job any day!
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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I do not come on here much because I have come to the conclusion that a lot (not all) of the people on here are pathetic losers who either:
1. Cannot get a date.
2. Are married, on the internet too much, and would probably lose their mate over it if they lived in a country where women did not put up with it.
3. Or enjoy jumping on other foriegners because they have problems here. They attempt to act like authority figures because they have no authority in their real life, This board is the only place they feel they can get that. So in reality, these people are acting like they are special for not taking out their frustrations in life about Korea, when they really are just flipping it around and taking it all out on other foreigners.
Use this board for information. Post a few hints, if you can. Do not take the geeks seriously.
Life will be fine. |
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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No, not really (...Why mess with perfection, right? )
Here's a link showing actual identities/photos of some Dave posters ... Quite surprising who some of them really are ...
http://www.newagecentrum.info/meesters.htm |
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indytrucks

Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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Karabeara wrote: |
2. Are married, on the internet too much, and would probably lose their mate over it if they lived in a country where women did not put up with it.
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What country would that be? Remind me to steer clear of it. |
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Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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I've learned a hell of a lot, and the teaching forum has been of considerable benefit. Were it not for this site I probably would have flown home after putting up with a whole year at a crap hogwan thinking that Korea was a country of money-grubbing morons incapable of doing anything right.
BTW, just about everyone I know from this forum in real life is quite happy here. |
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Bulsajo

Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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The sorts of personalities and posts found here have really changed very little in 9 years. And when it was just one forum for the entire world, the people posting from/about Korea always seemed to be the most angry and belligerent. Now ther's no one to compare the experience with unless you visit the other boards on a regular basis. |
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SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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I've learnt to be more tolerant towards others' situations. When I first started reading the board (frequently throughout 2005 when back home) it was full of posters who said things like "Korea is a racist, xenophobic society etc etc" and Koreans are awfully rude. I almost didn't want to come, it sounded TERRIBLE. None of those things happened to me - so at first I assumed people's problems with Korea were their own fault, their own crappy attitude. I bet that's true in many cases, but not all. I guess I consider myself grateful, thanks to the Cafe, because I lucked out and not everyone in Korea is as lucky as me. |
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Pyongshin Sangja

Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Getting beligerant (sp?) and trashed 3 or 4 nights a week
I drink socially, but never to the point that i cannot function the next morning. I have a wife, so I find more constructive things to do with her. |
Have you ever posted here without mentioning your sodding wife? |
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