This Blog

My blog’s only three posts long so I think it’s high time for a bitch, which I’m inclined to do from time to time (… ok, very regularly). I’d like this blog to stay relatively upbeat and focus on the happier side of life on the Han peninsula. But, at the same time, I don’t believe in sugar-coating reality as you see it and I think I owe it to (the few) people (who may eventually be) reading this blog to tell them what occurs day in day out, warts and all, as providing a sanitised view of my existence in Korea doesn’t help anyone in the end. I also believe that if you write a blog, you should be upfront about who you are and not hide behind pseudonyms or fake identities. Three bloggers here in Korea who I admire and respect are Brian, Robert and Michael. All three provide thorough, insightful and often controversial commentary on Korea but despite potential dangers – as highlighted in a Korean Herald article today (which the bastards at the Korean Herald don’t let you link to unfortunately!) – do not hide or conceal their identity. I decided in setting up a blog again, that I’d endeavour to have more integrity about my writing – despite possible risks – and not just gloss over the not-so-pretty stuff as that is not insightful and is not reality. That said, let’s get into the bitching.

So, last week I went on vacation to Jeju-do. Korean tradition dictates that when you go on vacation somewhere it’s good kudos (or office relations suicide not) to bring some gifts to the fellow workers left behind. Being the good little foreigner here in Korea, I partake in this little ritual as it’s good karma for me more than anything else. Unfortunately, whilst nearly always these (small, sometimes tacky) gifts are well received, they are not always. Today is one such example.

I work for the local Government’s English language programme, to my knowledge the only one of its kind in Korea. As such I (legally) work at three different Government institutions here in Suncheon. My gifts from this trip were tangerine flavoured chocolates, which Jeju is well renowned for. At the end of my classes at one of my workplaces today, I pass on the attendance form to my handler at the office and as I do so, pass on a fistful of chocolates saying they’re a gift from my trip to Jeju and everyone in the office is welcome to them. He’s a decent enough guy and says “thanks”, which is all well and good. The kicker though is as I’m walking away, the man next to him, a more senior member of the workplace sighs and says in Korean, “Crazy bastard. Why do that bugger give you chocolates?” I walk away shaking my head as the man I gave the chocolates to starts explaining why I gave him the chocolates. These instances occur frequently as I’m in the unenviable position of being a foreigner who can poorly verbalise in the local tongue but understand a good proportion of anything being said at any given time. As such, I often experience such rude encounters as I’m a foreigner who most people naturally assume doesn’t know a lick of Korean (or any basic body language for that matter). I’m also at the disadvantage as being a foreigner often puts me out of the loop in Korea’s highly hierarchial social network which leaves many unsure how to treat me. Unfortunately, whilst many treat you with an appropriate level of respect, many don’t as they think you either don’t deserve it, can’t be bothered, are high enough on the ladder that they treat everyone like shit or think you won’t notice the difference anyway.

Being here five years now I understand all the possible reasons why these such instances occur from time to time. But, still can never really get used to it and brush it off completely. I just get frustrated when I try to do the ‘right’ Korean thing but it often gets thrown back in my face, including sometimes when dealing with people you thought were ‘friends’.

Times like these, you just gotta shake it off and move on, as believe me these encounters happen a lot being a foreigner in Korea. Good thing is though it’s a good way of working out who’s genuine and who’s not, bad thing is that as time goes on the number of genuine people you meet can seem depressingly low. Life as an expat isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be …