You foolish American

My co-worker, Paula, shared this video with me. If you want some insight (although very exaggerated) into the system here, please watch it. It's hilarious because the issues it brings up are so real. Myself and others here have experienced this first hand.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7839719/ (Watch before reading further!)

Since the video is titled "Why You Shouldn't Teach English in Korea," I feel the need to express that, despite some of these very real issues, I still love working here and so far it has been a very worthwhile experience (I plan on coming back for a second year!). I have also been paid on time, every time, although I can't say the same for some of my other friends here. It's like a game of chance- you never know what kind of situation you will be put into, what kind of boss you will have, if he/she will honor any or all parts of your contract, etc.

My favorite line from the video is, "You foolish American, you're treating your contract like it's a contract." That line is so funny to me because my boss has all but said those same words to me, during the time when he was asking me work extra hours, live in a home stay instead of the promised apartment, and not take any sick days when I was sick.

The other day, a friend of mine told me about a conversation he had with his Korean co-teacher, who found it funny that Americans were so "contract-oriented." He said that if a Korean was asked to do something outside of his/her contract, he/she would do it without question, and that is expected in this culture. Americans come here and are shocked at that. How dare someone ask us to do anything not included in our contract? We see it as though we are being cheated, while they (Koreans) see it simply as their duty. That reminded me of a conversation I had with my boss a couple months ago. He told me, during one of those times when he was asking me to do extra work, that the more work I do, the more I will be respected, and that that is how you earn respect here- by doing more than you are expected to do. I was not very happy to hear that since I was sick and already working full time, but I now realize that maybe that was a cultural thing, instead of some manipulation by my boss to get me to do more work.

I am still a firm believer in sticking to the contract and avoiding getting run down, stressed, and overworked, but at least now I understand the other side, too.

A storm is brewing in Korea

Or is it? With all that has been happening over the past year here, you'd think the Korean people would be suffering from anxiety, fear and anger, among others. Oddly enough though, in my time here, I have come across no such feelings.

Earlier in the year, there was the sinking of the South Korean ship, which I was not here for but which caused quite a stir. Since I've been here, North Korea has fired on South Korea twice, all in the past month. These confrontations have all been near the border of North and South Korea, far north of where I now reside (Jinju is a small city about as far south as you can get in South Korea). It may be for this reason that the people I am surrounded by seem un-phased by the attacks.

At the beginning of the month, around the time when the G20 Summit occurred in Seoul, the North Koreans fired a few shots into South Korean territory. When this happened, I asked my Korean hostess if she had heard about it and she said no and that she doesn't watch the TV, with no noticeable concern. Then, yesterday, the South Koreans were doing some military drills near disputed waters. North Korea warned the south to halt, and when they refused, the North Koreans started firing rounds on one of South Korea's islands, Yeonpyeong. South Korea retaliated by firing off rounds of their own. You may have seen the news: around 60 houses on the island were set on fire, several soldiers and some civilians were injured, and two ROK marines were killed (this bit of news has probably been updated by now but that is what I've heard, so far). They are saying there could be considerable North Korean casualties. I've heard from a couple people in Seoul and they have expressed some fear concerning the attack, but when Dave and I asked our boss about it, he merely laughed and asked if we were worried. I asked why he was laughing and he replied that worse things have happened, and these things happen every year. This seems to be the general feeling down here in little Jinju, though I can't speak for the rest of South Korea. Life goes on, and when these events occur, the people joke about them and shrug them off as though it will never touch them.

The South Koreans that I have come into contact with during my time here all seem to see North Korea as a joke. During my tour of the DMZ, the American soldier that gave us the tour had some bad jokes to tell about the North Koreans and had us laughing at their childish behavior. That basically sums up everything I've heard about North Korea from the South Koreans- jokes and laughter but no serious fear or anxiety about the current situation. Life goes on and no seems to worry that anything more may come of this. I hope they are right.

Here is a link to a news article that talks a bit about the feelings South Koreans living in Seoul have toward what is going on. It sounds like they (those living in Seoul), being much closer to the border, are a bit more concerned, but for the most part still don't see this as a serious threat and will continue about their daily lives as usual.