|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
|
 Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:08 pm Post subject: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
 |
|
I've ran through this question in my head a myriad of times in the past few months, and I still am not able to come up w/ a consistent answer.
The reason I say this is because, despite all of the horror stories i've read on here and other forums about Koreans being "racially insensitive", "blatant racists" and the like, I still have this longing to go over to S. Korea and be an ESL instructor. This may sound typically normal, but to Koreans I wouldn't be "normal", as i'm an African-American male. I'm prepared for the stares, the whispers, and even the overt discrimination. These things would seem to be the most trivial of my worries. I'm actually more worried about job placement, location, school director, coping w/ the language barrier, etc.
So my question is, am I crazy for still wanting to experience S. Korea despite what is said about Koreans' reactions to foreigners, more specifically African-Americans? Or is it the adventurer in me longing to go to a foreign land, make the best of it, and come back w/ memories that will last me a lifetime?
Last edited by Reason. on Tue May 16, 2006 6:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
|
|
| People will tell you a lot of things, but younger Koreans are nice. They'll act weird around you, and the bravest of them will want their pictures taken with you. I've seen this happen twice in the past month to black people I was with. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Korea isn't as bad as most foreigners on here may say it is. You have to do your homework before you jump into anything. Remember...there are over 10,000 foreigners in this country and you only hear from less than 1% of them. This is a great place to do your homework. Dave provides us with an excellent medium of communication. However, there is always two sides to a coin...
Do your homework and you'll be fine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| No, you're not crazy at all. You seem like an eager and intelligent prospective teacher, and this country could use people like you to help change stereotypes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well quite a nice introduction to Dave's (this is my 3rd post). And, yes, cubanlord, i've actually been ghosting these boards for quite some time now, just finally decided to register for it, as I feel that i'd have some interesting insight to add to some topics.
I take what a lot of people's experiences are here w/ a small grain of salt, but i'm sure it's not all peachy, as I don't expect to it to be, but i'm also thinking that it can't be THAT bad. Can it? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
blunder1983
Joined: 12 Apr 2005
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just remember that we're mainly on here from boredom sitting at our desks in schools or feel the need to vent.
I love it here, but I also love a good old moan.
I think you're coming with the right atittude and you'll do fine. Some of the older generation are a bit uptight but the number of rude or irritating Koreans under 30 I've met in my year here I could count on the fingers of one hand.
Come on over!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| but i'm also thinking that it can't be THAT bad. Can it? |
It shouldn't be bad at all.
Most teachers I've met in Korea are actually enjoying themselves. The people who really resent living here are the combative or picky types.
Of course, Koreans tend to throw up a lot of ammunition for those types of people. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
|
|
| Reason. wrote: |
I've ran through this question in my head a myriad of times in the past few months, and I still am not able to come up w/ a consistent answer.
The reason I say this is because, despite all of the horror stories i've read on here and other forums about Koreans being "racially insensitive", "blatant racists" and the like, I still have this longing to go over to S. Korea and be an ESL instructor. This may sound typically normal, but to Koreans I wouldn't be "normal", as i'm an African-American male. I'm prepared for the stares, the whispers, and even the overt discrimination. These things would seem to be the most trivial of my worries. I'm actually more worried about job placement, location, school director, coping w/ the language barrier, etc.
So my question is, am I crazy for still wanting to experience S. Korea despite what is said about Koreans' reactions to foreigners, more specifically African-Americans? Or is it the adventurer in me longing to go to a foreign land, make the best of it, and come back w/ memories that will last me a lifetime? |
So, you're an American? Where did you grow up? How have you dealt with racism in the past?
I honestly don't have a clue about what the experience would be like over here. I don't know many African-Americans personally (heaps of Canadians, Africans, Caribbeans, West Indians, etc. though,) so I don't know if the racism here would just be so blatant compared to back home that it's actually laughable, or whether it would still be a thorn in your side.
You've been reading the boards for a while, so you know how ugly things can get (i.e., the "am i too racially sensitive" thread), so I s'pose only you can really answer the questions you've asked. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Reason. wrote: |
Well quite a nice introduction to Dave's (this is my 3rd post). And, yes, cubanlord, i've actually been ghosting these boards for quite some time now, just finally decided to register for it, as I feel that i'd have some interesting insight to add to some topics.
I take what a lot of people's experiences are here w/ a small grain of salt, but i'm sure it's not all peachy, as I don't expect to it to be, but i'm also thinking that it can't be THAT bad. Can it? |
Ya... if you DON'T do your homework it CAN BE THAT BAD....
Key words here... do your homework.... check your new school out VERY well... present and/or past teachers... GET e-mail addresses from them so you can communicate with them when their boss is NOT looking over their shoulder....
There are LOTS of good people here (foreign and Korean) BUT there are also lots of bigots and unlike home... there is no legal remedy if you are discriminated against.
It is not just your boss .... but the mothers of the students who can cause you real grief.... a hakwan is a business and it CANNOT afford to alienate its customers...
Keep a thick skin, an open mind, a cheery outlook in spite of the crap and you will do well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
|
|
| kermo wrote: |
So, you're an American? Where did you grow up? How have you dealt with racism in the past?
I honestly don't have a clue about what the experience would be like over here. I don't know many African-Americans personally (heaps of Canadians, Africans, Caribbeans, West Indians, etc. though,) so I don't know if the racism here would just be so blatant compared to back home that it's actually laughable, or whether it would still be a thorn in your side.
You've been reading the boards for a while, so you know how ugly things can get (i.e., the "am i too racially sensitive" thread), so I s'pose only you can really answer the questions you've asked. |
Yes, I am an American. I was born and raised in Southern California. As far as dealing w/ racism, I've never been the confrontational type when it comes to stuff like that. Instead, I try and find out why people feel that way, and what (if anything) could open/change their minds. This goes both ways, as I also do this w/ other African-Americans that "hate White/Asian/Latino people." I've been blatantly called a n****r to my face, but it doesn't really bother me, as I see it as that as a sign of a person expressing their true ignorance.
And yeah, I did read that "am i too racially sensitive" thread, and while it started off interesting, it seemed to quickly take a 180, veer off into about 4 different topics. I found the picture that the OP posted, kind of interesting, or even funny. The irony of that picture is actually what made me laugh the hardest. The kid said, "I like melons", which stereotypically have been associated w/ Black people from back during days of slavery, yet, he wrote that he doesn't like "black race."
Irony at its finest. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Reason., you've probably experienced racism back home, and you'll probably experience it here. One thing you'll probably experience here, though, that you probably wouldn't back home, is people giving you free things just for being black and/or American. Probably.
You're obviously a smart person who's open to different ways of thinking. You'll do just fine here.
Q. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ttompatz wrote: |
Ya... if you DON'T do your homework it CAN BE THAT BAD....
Key words here... do your homework.... check your new school out VERY well... present and/or past teachers... GET e-mail addresses from them so you can communicate with them when their boss is NOT looking over their shoulder....
There are LOTS of good people here (foreign and Korean) BUT there are also lots of bigots and unlike home... there is no legal remedy if you are discriminated against.
It is not just your boss .... but the mothers of the students who can cause you real grief.... a hakwan is a business and it CANNOT afford to alienate its customers...
Keep a thick skin, an open mind, a cheery outlook in spite of the crap and you will do well. |
Well said.
I've actually been doing quite a bit of research w/ Dave's as my primary resource. I've learned w/ schools to avoid, which locations sound like they would appeal to me the most, and what to do when you get caught in a tight spot.
Seems as if there are quite a few people here that are willing to help. I'll this place as best I can. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Be very very up front with prospective employers about your race. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Reason.
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA - for now.
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| Be very very up front with prospective employers about your race. |
I make sure I mention this whenever I speak to them on the phone.
Surprisingly, i've gotten the most interest from places where i've actually submitted my picture first. And whenever they say, "do you have any questions for me?", I always try and gauge the sentiment towards African-Americans in S. Korea by asking them about what it would be like for a Black person to actually be living and working there. Most are honest, "you may feel uncomfortable at first...be yourself...Koreans can be very warm once they get to know you..."
I'm actually looking forward to interacting w/ Koreans, and hopefully debunking some of these stereotypes that exist over there. My ultimate goal is to even pick up language, or at least, part of it. Use that as a vehicle to ease whatever insecurities that they may have about Black people in general. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Am I crazy? Adventurous? Or a little of both? |
|
|
| Reason. wrote: |
Yes, I am an American. I was born and raised in Southern California. As far as dealing w/ racism, I've never been the confrontational type when it comes to stuff like that. Instead, I try and find out why people feel that way, and what (if anything) could open/change their minds. |
The non-confrontational approach is probably the best here. One of my best friends back in Chicago a.k.a. "Mr. It's 'Cause I'm Black, Ain't It!!" would be peeling his rows after the first week here.
Opening a dialogue is always cool. However, with the language barrier, it can be tough sometimes to find those things out from people and take part in a constructive conversation. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
