So while i was on my extended little lunch break today I was browsing through a couple of blogs written by other Expats in Korea (The Marmot's Hole) and I stumble across these articles that were published in on of the English editions of the newspapers here in Korea (Korean Herald).
These three articles particularly cover why it seems so many Expats complain, why Koreans get so defensive and things Expats can do to fend off discontentment.
The first article titled Why do expats here complain so much? was written by T.K. Park who is the editor-in-chief of www.askakorean.net, which covers the reasoning behind why many Expats living in Korea find the need to complain about . . . well pretty much everything. Don't get me wrong. I know that I and everyone else that is staying in another country will sit down at one stage or another and have a good rant about their lot in life. Its health. Everyone needs that release and it helps people get their minds clear and gain some perspective on things. However there are times that you come across people that do this constantly and without regard for the feelings of those (native and expat alike) around them. Sometimes this is due to burnout (see a coming post) or it could be just the nature of the person or the fact that they did not really put any effort into researching where the palace that they were planning to live. For example, one girl I met in Japan three days after I had arrived complained non-stop for the first half an hour that we were talking when we first met that she hadn't eaten anything since getting off the plane. This was due to the fact that she didn't like fish or rice and why couldn't she get any normal food in this country . . . um Hello! Rice and fish are the staples of the diet in Japan. Why did you come here again?
The second article titled Why do Koreans get so defensive? was written by Rob Ouwehand, who's blog can be seen at www.roboseyo.blogspot.com. This article covers what he sees as some of the cultural and mental aspects of why do Koreans take criticism of Korea so poorly. This is a very good piece that gives you something to think about before you open your mouth and have your rant. There are some people that I would particularly love to show this piece to but am not quite sure how to give it to them without seeming rude.
The third and final article of this series titled Fending off discontentment was written by Gord Sellar is a Canadian science-fiction writer and teacher who has lived in South Korea since 2002 and who's website can be found at www.gordsellar.com. This article covers some ideas to help expats engage more in Korea and fight of the need to bitch about everything that happens. This piece is probably what i feel is the most useful of them all and echos some advice I was given by some people I met in Japan when i first moved there. I find that where ever I go the people who are having the best time and getting the most out of their time there are those that actively engage with people who live there. I have found that the Expats who always hang out with the other Expats, drinking and making no attempt to learn or experience anything from the culture from where they are staying and actually meet other people are generally the ones who end up feeling unhappy or bitter about their choices of where they went and what they are doing. Not only while they are away from home but also when they return to their own country.
I believe that these three articles should be almost required reading for someone living or thinking of moving to a foreign country to live. After having lived both here and in Japan and come across the same interactions between the expats and the natives, I believe that these articles touch on some very important issues for both sides that would help make things easier all round if taken into consideration next time they open their mouth to have a good old rant.
