Ok. I've stopped sugar coating my existence here. I've learned a thing or two. I know how it works. Korean people come in three varities: Bad, Rude, or Nasty.
The Bad people are the one's like my principal who called me a fat slob to my face. Or my co-teachers, when they hand out gifts and things to all of the teachers but me. Or when they never inform me of anything that is going on until it's time for me to do something unexpected.
The Rude are the most numerous of the Koreans. These are the people who point, stare, laugh, poke, pinch, grab, and grope me in public. These are the people who run into you on the street. The cars that hit me when I go down the alley. The students who don't respect me. The cell phone addicts and their whining conversations.
The Nasty are everywhere too. The nastiest are the people who spit everywhere all of the time.
I'm done with hearing excuses like "it's cultural differences." Is it a cultural difference for a stranger to come up to me, grab me, and squeeze me? Is it cultural difference for my principal to say that to my face? No, it's rude. These people live in an insulated bubble and are worse for it. There is no point for foreigners to come here. We have absolutely no impact upon their lives in any way.
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6 comments:
Dan, BIG HUG to you...that is hard to deal with....
you somehow have to just let it blow by and not thru you....but that is easier said than done....
homogeneous insulating bubble or no, that is rude...they may not think of it as rude, but you do, and that is the reality. That insulating homogeneous bubble keeps them from seeing you as an individual precious person, and that is a pity....
Hi Daniel!
This is your former flute buddy from Wigilia, Emily Cichon, and I've been secretly reading your blog for the past month or so. Sneaky.
Tell the people who hate on you to suck a big one and teach English in a country that appreciates you more.
That's all.
I extend positive mental energy in your direction.
So, Dan, here's what happens when deutschlanders don't know Anglais ;)....
why it's helpful for people to learn engrish sometimes
한국인에 대해 안좋은 감정을 가지시게 된듯해서 슬픕니다.
예로부터 한국사람은 '정'이 많은 민족이에요
다만 그것을 잘 표현하질 못합니다
그래서 외국분들은 특히 서양 분들은 한국인들의 행동에 화를 내거나 하실수도 있어요
하지만 다시 한번 생각해보세요 다니엘~
정말 그들이 당신을 싫어해서 무례한 것인가? 한국에서 즐거운 일은 없었는가?
다니엘 주위의 많은 사람은 분명히 다니엘을 좋아할 것입니다.
Let's try this again now that I am somewhat coherent.
I have felt the same way many times. I live in Seoul now, but I lived in rural town in southern Japan, and had some of the same problems. Also I worked for a horrible woman here in Seoul
I saw you at the Anseong festival but you were with a woman that could have been family so I did not say hi.
Anyways, even though you won't believe me, after I stopped working and started studying, and started studying here, I met a lot of nicer people. I like Korea now, and even though I could not live the rest of my life here, I am enjoying it now..except when my old boss calls asking for something (usually illegal)..sigh.
Hang in there man, April's not far away.
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