I try to keep this blog pretty positive since for the most part, since I'm loving living in Korea. However, this morning was very frustrating for me. I feel like I'm spending a significant portion of my time studying Korean. I'm sure anyone that has studied a language can relate to the fact that it is a very slow process and frustrating at times. I'm enrolled in two classes to help me out, but one is too difficult and the teacher is horrible in the other one. Those difficulties make it frustrating enough, but now to add on top of it all, the American and Canadian students in the class with the terrible teacher are starting to get on my nerves. They always seem to ask all these random stupid questions that completely sidetrack the teacher into horrible tangents. I wish the teacher was smart enough to recognize their questions and continue on, but sometimes we spend 10-15 minutes on things like whether or not to spell "cola" with a "k" (like 'kola'). Come on guys! It doesn't matter! I want to know how to spell it in Korean!!! I don't spend 2 hours, three mornings a week to teach this guy English!
It just makes me frustrated that I'm not happy with many of the foreigners here in Korea. They're not the type of people I expected. They're not positive people here to learn and enjoy living in a foreign culture. I don't know exactly what it is about them and I don't know their motivations for being here, but it makes me wonder why someone asks me a question like, "Why are you taking a Korean Language Class?" I guess I'm not content with knowing only how to say "Please give me two more beers." Why are you content with that?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about all foreigners. I really like the guys at the climbing gym, my co-workers Ryan and Brad, and a couple of the guys in the morning class. It just seems like I haven't found foreigners I enjoy hanging around anywhere else. I don't want to be reclusive, but they just aren't fun people to hang around.
Hey Dan, it's Dan. I met you at the Baghdad, I'm the soccer player. Hey man, I know what you're talking about it can be unbelievable how intolerant and ignorant the anglosphere can be despite all their multi-culti and politically correct rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteDuring my first year here I felt the same way, that everyone was out to take a dump on Korea, but it's not that way man. There are a lot of malcontents but there are a lot of cool people, too.
You need to hang out a little more with Woody, Tall Nick, Chris Topher, the other Indiana Dan, Hugh, Rich, Nathan, Cameron and Alexis, and myself too - so that you can feel a little better about the quality of ex-pat here. Rich, my cousin, has been studying Korean for three or four years and would have some good tips for you. He found your blog today/yesterday and sent it to me, he loves talking about Korean and about learning languages so maybe you should try and meet with him.
Here's my number:
010-3900-4433 and email
dannabben AT hotmail.com
I'll be getting back into Korean myself, I'm just now finishing up a semester of Spanish. So many we can get something started.
There are heaps of fun thigns to be done man, lots of hiking and trekking, lots of camping. You might wanna try and come to the frisbee games on Saturdays at the University. It's not a difficult sport technically or tactically speaking, and there doesn't have to be a lot of running. All those guys are all positive guys - funny how we all hang out together.
Don't get too down man, and don't let the miserables or the morons get to you.
See you soon,
=Dan