Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kiddirts]

There's a ton of things that I come across everyday that I can't dis and make fun of with anyone because A) it'll insult them B) they don't speak my language and don't understand.
Don't get me wrong, I'm having an awesome time, I love the people, food, the women, everything, but sometimes, even at home, it's good to make fun of a song on the radio that's overplayed, and here I gotta keep everything to myself...so here's my little rant...

1) What's with these kids with no erasers on their pencils. They gotta carry everything in a very effeminate little bag. Here's my take on it...people are so concerned about appearance and what other people think about them (insecurity) that god forbid someone see them with a pencil that has the eraser rubbed down with there still being 3/4 of the pencil unshaved. "Just look at the ware on that eraser, and the size of that pencil...he must be a fool."

2) Edited

3) What's with these dogs with blue tails, and whats with grown men kicking them?

4) What's with the Western look being so gorgeous where every magazine has half of the models being western people...and English is so important that it's great that we teach their kids the language...and it's so important to look western that women have operations to make their eyes look western, yet as a Westerner, when I hold a girl's hand on the subway, I'm looked at like a black man holding the farmer's daughter in Idaho.

5) When I am at home, if something costs $6.25...instead of handing the clerk a $10.00 bill, I'll hand them $11 and a quarter so I can get a simple $5 bill back and avoid filling my small wallet up with singles and friggin quarters. Here I gotta pull teeth just to get (in this case 5,000 won back) and I have to do the math for them, I gotta grab a pen and write down in their currency what they should be giving me back (as the Foreigner of course)...it's friggin 3rd GRADE MATH...and it turns into a fight almost...they usually hand me the dollar and quarter (1,000 won, etc..) and give me a bunch of coins I'm stuck with and friggin 1,000's, and I just keep my mouth shut. God, that happens everyday, I'm just gonna shut up and deal with small change.

6) Whats with 10,000 being the largest bill out there...is this a movement by the government to stimulate the economy by figuring that not too many people want to deal with 10,000's all over the place so they figure they'd be more out to throw money back into society?

7) What's with Cherries being $15 a pound? They're $.99 during cherry season back home.

What's with 8 oz cokes? I'm a big man.

9) I won't even get into the workout ethics as it's been mentioned on the board.

10) What's with Kim Chi being the cure all?

11) Okay, what's with Koreans laughing about 9-11. In class they laughed about planes going into buildings and killing people. I told them my mother died on the 30th floor...that shut them up.

12) Why are they still hating on the tank Incident. THIS IS THE MOST SELFISH ACT I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. Do these people know how many mothers lost their sons as American boys fought for them to have a country of their own apart from the terror and dismal darkness that is North Korea. 100,000...I'd be ashamed to protest...anyone who mentions anything about "Well, 2 girls died.." I'd love to ship them to North Korea and see how much they like it.

Okay, honestly, I am having a good time...I just had to vent, it's been a little over 2 months...and I can't write family stuff like this, because I want them to be happy that I am happy (and I am) it's just...man that felt good!

[camel96]

I got one of those banknotes in my last pay. I don't know what they're called but you can use them in lieu of money. Anyhow this one was a 1,000,000 won one !!!!! If you ever want to see the most screwed up miserable facial expression a person can possibly make - try paying for a chocolate sundae at McDonalds with one of those suckers. Eeesh!
Oh and you're dead when the politically correct side of this board reads your number 2. Anyhow glad to hear you're happy

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

You're definitely new here bro, and i didn't need to read that at the bottom of your post. What you've mentioned is nothing, and you'll get used to that...then the really bad shit will start happening ... and maybe you'll get used to that too ...

[camel96]

Yeah I look forward to an equally short "What do you LOVE?" list next month

[HardyandTiny]

This is not a colonized India. After the war it was hell. America made sure south korea was redeveloped but we didn't install the American culture because honestly we didn't know, and we still don't know, what constitutes American culture.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

If they were going to import anything here, my vote would be for two of the nineties management buzzwords ...

accountability

transparency

[camel96]

I don't think anyone ever got past management catch phrase number one..."team player". i.e let yourself be screwed and don't complain. There's a good team player.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Horribly true Camel, I guess they are a LONG way off what the thinking companies are doing now ... "flat management structures" ... god forbid that a lower ranked person could have a useful idea that actually gets acted upon ...

[Kiddirts]

kiwi, the "I'm happy thing" wasn't for you to read, but more for the people browsing this site who have not yet been to Korea, like I once did...and thought, "What a bunch of complainers and unhappy people, I'm not going there." But now that I'm here, I sympathize and understand. It's a great place, but everyone needs to vent.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Kiddert, don't worry, I never understand anything or anyone till everone else has got it and moved on ... I'm slow like that ...

[camel96]

But hey wait Kiddirts,
If you're trying to offer uplifting, happy thoughts to people who haven't been to Korea why would you call the thread "What I hate"? Surely the same people who are scanning the board looking for peace and harmony and all that crap would just skip the post altogether...

[Starperson]

I want to vent. I'm having real problems. I'm at the stage where I can't stand the whining. I cannot stand it. I don't know, maybe it's not whining, but the pouting, and the way a lot of people speak as if they're saying something really profound and englightening, when they're obviously just giving their opinion on some triviality. Granted, I can't understand what they're saying, but let's face it, most people (it's the same back home) are not saying something wise and profound. It's the intonation that gets me. Is it a class thing?
Why can't everyone speak like the guys in the boybands in their smooth rap-sort-of-thing with?
If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's the raising of the last syllable to varying pitches.

I get equally impatient with loud-mouths back home, but it seems like there are so many of them here. Sorry everyone. But the whining! Constant whining from the majority of kids. Constant whining voices as I walk down the street. (Is this what's called culture shock?)

And another thing - why don't they take care of their beaches!

I understand the history, the post-war legacy of a people that have been so focused on getting out of poverty that they've neglected environmental care etc, but is it so much effort to put your icecream wrappers into a plastic bag and take it home with you? Geez.

[Son Deureo!]

[Starperson]

Thanks, I will.