Korean Job Discussion Forums

jlaskie · Joined: 19 May 2007 Location: Boston, MA

i'd never actually considered this before...i know, i know--it's childish, i should suck it up, blah blah blah. but i just got here, and i'm dying to meet new people...my school doesn't have a very tight group of teachers--in fact, it's quite cold, and most of them are away at mudfest this weekend anyway...

in any case, point is: i've never quite been in this position before, and i must admit i'm feeling a bit awkward. anyone else experience this? what'd you do? i want to see what the nightlife outside of my neighborhood has to offer, but don't like the idea of running around a strange city by myself...

Alyallen · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:22 am Post subject:

Just came back from going to the bar all by my lonesome.

No big deal, really. Think of it this way, you managed to travel from your home country to Korea all by yourself, so what's a trip to the bar in comparison?!

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Choose your area fittingly. There's nothing wrong with going alone. A town with fewer expats is more likely to accept a loner than in Seoul, but in Seoul you have so many more chances to meet different ones.

A good idea is to get on some organized trips through adventurekorea, xanadu, or other companies.

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

Yes, I go alone sometimes. I speak enough Korean to have some conversation with the bartneders. But, as a girl, I get stereotyped with the *beep* label for being in thee alone. One time, I was there alone close to closing time, and the bargirl asked me which bartender I was waiting for to go off with and you know....get busy. Rolling Eyes

jg · Joined: 27 May 2003

Going to bars alone can be an excellent way to make friends - not hookups or whatever, but honest friends. Something about being spied alone in a bar seems to bring out the gabber in certain folks no matter what the culture, and they will chat you up.

I've been doing it since I was about 17 and I have no problems with rolling solo, though of course I like hanging out with my buddies at bars too.

koreaking · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Location: Omokyo, Seoul

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

No problems going alone. Works better in SE Asia though.

bgreenster · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Location: too far from the beach

I go out by myself often enough- I usually just go to the most "ex-pat" bar, sit at the bar with a drink, and have met people every time. They don't always become new friends, but at least it makes for an interesting night.

It's actually much easier to go out drinking along than to go grab lunch/dinner by your lonesome, IMO.

As we all seem to agree, OP, go for it- you may feel like an alcoholic at first, but then it actually makes you so much more open to meeting different people than you would if you went out with a crowd... and don't worry about not being forward yourself- people will almost always start talking to you, if you're just sitting there with a drink Wink

Sorry if I'm incoherent- it's almost 6am and my brain decidedly does not function well at this hour.

HighTreason · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

Going out alone is great. It's decidedly different than going out in a group, and each has its charm, but I just love going out alone.

When you are with friends, you tend to hang out with those friends, talk only to those friends, and then leave with those friends. You had might as well be hanging out at your house with them except that you don't have the variety of booze or the eye candy...

When you go out alone, you observe people and behaviors, talk to complete strangers, contemplate things to which you might not ordinarily give a second thought. It's loads of fun! I highly recommend it.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Yeah.

crusher_of_heads · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:37 pm Post subject:

Meet a guy, let him get you drunk. No problem.

Natalie · Joined: 16 Apr 2007

Come to think of it, theres nothing I'm afraid to do alone....

and regarding going out alone, sometimes I prefer it Shocked

excitinghead · Joined: 18 Jul 2005

Given all the difficulties with getting Koreans to speak Korean to you, then going to bars to practice Korean with the bartenders is about the only way I can get more than 5 minutes conversational speaking practice. But not only do Black Russians and Jack Cokes get me in the mood, if I go on normal weekday nights then most bars are so dead that the bartenders are bored and so love to talk me. If the boss wasn't there, sometimes I've gotten a free drink to get me to stay. On Fridays and Saturdays, they're too busy though.

I admit, after learning about this Korean study method from a friend, the first time I went by myself I was so nervous I was pacing outside the bar for 5 minutes, trying to think of excuses not to go in. But I did, and within 5 minutes I was wondering why I was ever scared. Given all my frustrations with getting Korean practice, I was kicking myself for not doing it years ago.

kermo · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject:

I like to go out alone. I never go to clubs or get roaring drunk on my own, but I do like to sit in a quiet pub with a book (and my peripheral vision.)

jg · Joined: 27 May 2003

why cant you hook-up solo?? did many times my friend Laughing