Comments on: Back the FUCK UP. What did you say about my family?

By: ::A Geek in Korea:: » Blog Archive » Drunk Pervert in Class.

::A Geek in Korea:: » Blog Archive » Drunk Pervert in Class. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:39:13 +0000

[...] I tossed him out of class, or yelled. This is not something that would have made me yell in class. For example, this is the last time I lost my temper in class. This wasn’t [...]

By: torgodevil

torgodevil — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:56:41 +0000

Different student, but I did have a boy tell me that North and South Korea should reunite solely on the basis that it would mean greater success during the World Cup.

By: John from Daejeon

John from Daejeon — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:50:04 +0000

Brainwashing sucks. I bet she was taught that the South invaded the North under the direct orders of the U.S. of A.

As for the Korean teacher having a word with her, I hope that it is truly genuine as opposed to the youngster in question being forcefully told to bite her tongue because of the fear the institute might lose you and affect the bottom line. At my hagwon, my Korean co-workers are quick to help me iron out any misunderstandings with the students as they don’t want me to even be tempted to leave. Most of our teachers are older and homely looking, myself included, which isn’t the norm for most eye candy hiring hagwons. We work for a great pair of owners/teachers, and my co-workers know that even finding something resembling the conditions in which we work in the future is pretty much nil.

By: chrisinsouthkorea

chrisinsouthkorea — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:27:28 +0000

As bad as her comments were, they are merely the result of an society ignorantly teaching people other than Koreans as outsiders to be excluded from all things Korean. God forbid, but if a child were taught that all black people were created by the devil and that their touch would cause you sickness and great pain, how would that same child react in a classroom with a black teacher – even a well-meaning one?

Then again, it could be Tourette’s. Seriously, though, it sounded like you handled things pretty well – and that student should get a friendly call from one (or more) of the Korean teachers. Half the reason you’re there is to teach culture (not just a language).

By the way, I’d love to be added to your blogroll. Pretty please and juseyo? chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com :)

By: Links: Wake-up Call to SMOE and Back off the Geek’s Family » The Hub of Sparkle!

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:46:21 +0000

[...] Read the whole story at Geek in Korea. [...]

By: torgodevil

torgodevil — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:58:31 +0000

I know several people that asked their Korean parents to marry other Koreans and were denied permission. Usually the parents were worried the suitor didn’t make enough money, or were the wrong religion, etc. In almost every case the parents eventually relent, and all that is lost is years of time from a potentially happy marriage.

Perhaps this girl either knows a relative that got married/burned by a mail-order bride, or her only frame of reference is a drama or some other kind of program that highlights “WHEN FOREIGNERS ATTACK!” sort of situations. Either way, inappropriate.

By: svbrown1

svbrown1 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:16:40 +0000

I’m so sorry that child said that to you… I think one of the most difficult things to deal with as a teacher is the huge gap in sensibilities of the polite and courteous nature between our own matured age group and that of students who, for all their intelligence, are subject to the lack of common sense that comes with age and exposure to society and the world. =\ And perhaps I shouldn’t pride myself on the Americans’ ability to accept foreigners and respect the decisions of their family members since there are those who are more close-minded, but… I do feel it’s a cultural difference that bodes well in our favor.

I hope this sort of incident doesn’t happen again, and I’m glad to hear the Korean teacher intended to speak to the student privately as I feel it goes to show that not all Koreans think that way, just as not all Americans are racist. :)

By: ZenKimchi

ZenKimchi — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:49 +0000

Fuck.

By: driftingfocus

driftingfocus — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:24:18 +0000

While I agree that what she said is indeed offensive, I am not at all surprised. From what I gather from my students and Korean friends, most Koreans *do* have to ask their parents permission to marry, and most families would indeed be at least somewhat upset if their child chose to marry a foreigner. A female friend of mine is married to a Korean man and when he announced to his family that he was going to marry her, his father refused to speak to him for two years. So, again, while she was way out of bounds in saying what she did, it seems to me that she was just speaking off of what she knows herself.