Korean Job Discussion Forums

Patong Dong · Joined: 06 May 2003 Location: On Nut

I have never had a problem with friends or family wanting to come visit me since I have been living in Southern Thailand. Easy to understand why, but I always really wanted someone to come for a holiday when I was in Korea.

No denying the fun and sun of Thailand, but culturally wise I know people would have been fascinated with Korea. Korea was my 1st Asian experience so everything was of interest, the bathroom tiles on buildings, drinking in corner stores, video bangs, soju tents (the list goes on)....I was fascinated by it all. I was too concerned about how I could possibly pass myself off as a teacher to really unwind completely, as like most I was thrown to the wolves 10 hours after I arrived. But once you had things down a bit I am convinced that even though they might go home without a tan any Asia rookie friend who was in ROK for a holiday would have had much more of an impression made by Korea.

No one ever agreed to come though, ROK, no one! So let me live vicariously, anyone ever get to take a friend under their wing and open their eyes?

Blue Flower · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 11:45 pm Post subject:

I consider myself to be really lucky - I had a friend visit me in my first 3 weeks here. She was flying back to the UK and stopped in. It was fabulous having her here. My older brother is coming over on 23 September for a week, also on a stop-over on his way back to NZ. I have seen him only 3 times in the last 5 years. So am really looking forward to seeing him again. And another one of my friends is thinking of coming over to see me at Christmas. So I feel totally spoiled. Its things like this that make this year so much easier.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

I know lots of people have had friends, siblings, parents pass through. Once you've done the highlights in your area for yourself, you get a been-there done-that attitude, but showing some special site to family or friends is like seeing it through new eyes. Makes the everyday stuff we take for granted seem fresh & strange again too, like when you first arrived. Fact is, Korea has lots of appealing features for a visitor, especially if they have someone to show them around.

My personal case, my 2 kids have each been here 3 times, for periods ranging from 3 weeks to 9 months. At one point last year my kids & my exwife were all here at the same time -- it was great.

In fact my daughter just got in from LA last saturday. We have a sweet little sidetrip lined up to Vietnam next week too.

FierceInvalid · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

I've wanted my brother to come here for a long time, and there was talk for a while but he couldn't afford it. My parents aren't interested incoming here I think- they wanted to meet me in HK.

I've had friends who've had visitors, and it's always fun. I'd like to show someone around.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 12:58 am Post subject:

Other than a couple of acquaintances who were amazed by the Korean kalbi eating style, nope. Trying to get my jackass friend in Japan to come over here because it's cheaper, but it's like pulling turds out of a constipated whale or something.

Patong Dong · Joined: 06 May 2003 Location: On Nut

Sounds nice for those who have had friends - I hope you have a good trip to Vietnam Schwa, did your children teach in ROK at all since they were there for so long?

I shouldn't say I have never had a friend here. My cousin and I had a stopver back in 2000 on the way to Thailand. Sure, we had a Korean guy latch on to us at Kimpo subway and go out of his way to make sure we got to our stop, stayed in a yogwan I used to stay at that had transformed into a love hotel - now had a circular red bed and a soft porn in the vcr and hit Itaewon.

But I really wanted to get someone down in an all Koean city like Jeon Ju (where I used to live) that did not have the same foreigner element, I think that would have been as much fun for me as for him to relive the novelty of all things Korean

kimcheeking · Guest

Had a friend from Canada come twice, had a friend from Singapore come once. My parents came for my wedding and are theoretically coming over next summer.

katydid · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...

I'm from New Hampshire and couldn't get my dad to visit me in Boston, the city where I went to college, which was only an hour away!
He will NEVER come here to Korea, even if I decided this is where I will settle down!
Maybe my friend will come visit me in October...maybe she'll chicken out. It's one hell of a flight to get here!

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

My parents haven't shown any interest in coming, and haven't bothered to call me since May, and every time I call them I get the your only staying a year speech from both of them. My friends can think of far more interesting stop over destinations than here.

CLg

The Den · Joined: 26 Jan 2003

I have had the same types of experiences as many of you have. My wife and I lived in Canada for the past 5 years so she got to know a lot of my relatives, friends and acquaintances. In the past 5 years whenever we talked about Korea and how much fun it is and all that everybody was all like "oh yeah we will go to Korea with you guys and stuff". So in January when we announced we were coming back to Korea for a visit of one year we mentioned it to all my relatives that they should come. Not one person showed any interest. I have never heard so many lame excuses. I guess what it boils down to is that everyone I know just wants to go to a resort in the Carribean then call him/herself a world traveller. Whatever

anae · Joined: 13 May 2003 Location: cowtown

My parents, brother and grandparents came during my first year. It was their first trip out of N. America with the exception of my grandfather's trips to his mother's native Norway. They didn't really need to be entertained all that much. They just enjoyed seeing and experiencing daily life. My grandparents were very happy they came and said they would have never been able to have that kind of experience without me. Almost five years later they still enjoy talking about it and recounting the foods they ate.

My parents came again for our wedding and were old hats by that time. We even got my mom into hanbok and to taste the skate stew served at our after-wedding dinner. I think that the initial visit also eased their minds about the whole marriage thing, as well. I wasn't going to be living in some thatched-roof shack in a remote village with a peasant.

My parents-in-law returned the favour by coming to Canada for our Canadian-style wedding. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves in Saskatchewan, if that is possible. This visit paved the way for their blessing in our immigration to the wild Canadian west.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Nephew came over.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

my parents came here the first year I was here and stayed about 2 weeks. They felt a little overwhelmed the first day they got here. It was partly my fault because I dragged them to 3 palaces that first day, plus Insa-Dong. Not really a fun day when you're jet-lagged. They were also a bit freaked out because it was the first time they had been in a country where they couldn't read the alphabet.

Anyway, the next day we all went up to Wonju, which is where I was working at the time. They thought it was a dump (which it is) and went off on their own to Gyeongju. Didn't see them until the following weekend, met them in Chuncheon. By that point, they felt much more comfortable and overall had a good time here in Korea.

As for my friends, yeah right, they suck when it comes to that kind of thing. They'd rather blow their money on music, dvds, and trips to Vegas.

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

My parents came for a couple of weeks last fall and took in Seoul, Busan and Kyongju, and had a great time. Strange but true.