* Roboseyo, "2S2: Toward an expat community."
* 2S2 Community: The Blog
* Korea Herald, "2S2 Builds Community"
From the Herald article on December 9th:
The idea is simple: on the second Saturday of each month, at 2 p.m. (hence the name 2S2), in pockets all around Korea. 2S2 is meant to be an open-invitation get-together, and I hope 2S2 can grow to become a decentralized meet-up where expats can gather at designated places each month, and build and strengthen connections. It is meant to provide a way for expats in Korea to support each other, and to help each other learn about Korea and integrate better with Korean society. The invitation is open to anybody, whatever the job or nationality, so long as they're interested in making a community connection.
Like he says he's interested in seeing pockets set up in other cities. There's already plenty of good stuff going on in Jeollanam-do that might not necessarily fit under any umbrella organization. For example, last month I learned about a monthly Korean / foreigner dinner held in Gwangju, a meet-up going on for years. January's will meet on the 16th at 7:00 pm at the Starbucks downtown (map here, in Korean) and then move on to a restaurant. It was started by Lindsay Nash of Say Kimchi Recruiting, the Say Kimchi News, and the blog Kimchi and Cornbread. In an email interview with Chris in South Korea in August she wrote
After spending two years in Korea and LOVING every minute of it, I felt a calling to help others have the same experience. With my love for photography and writing, I could easily blend my talents into a new business to help attract others to what a great gig teaching in Korea really is. In our two years in Korea, Whit and I got really involved with the local foreigners. Community is very important to us, so we put together a monthly dinner where English-speaking Koreans and foreigners could get together and hang out, and started a newsletter for foreigners (www.saykimchirecruiting.com/newsletter).
In an email exchange with me she summed up the point of these get-togethers, which have attracted anywhere from ten to fifty people each time over the years:
It's a great chance to meet other expats in your community as well as English-speaking Koreans. Most chances we get to meet other foreigners is at the expat bars. And that's fine too. But this really gives you a chance to sit down across the table from someone who is usually a lot like you and have a nice dinner before you head to the bars/noraebang afterward. I met all my closest friends at these dinners.
Looking through the Facebook event page for December I haven't met any of the 15 people who signed up there. I won't be able to attend in January, I'd like to go in February, if I have the time and if I'm feeling up announcing exactly where I'll be for the benefit of those who want to punch me in the face. I can be cynical about recreational English practice, but I don't know if I'd be too cynical about good food and meeting people, Koreans and other expats alike. People interested in attending can RSVP on the Say Kimchi Recruiting Facebook page or by emailing lucy at saykimchirecruiting.com.
5 comments:
Hi there, I'm interested in going to korea to teach there for a year or so.. I'll be a f-4 visa holder.. does that work against me? I heard that NOrth American natives are often favoured over gyopos.. maybe I shouldn't apply for such popular areas like seoul. What are your thoughts on this? I enjoy reading your blog entries btw.. I think it gives people like myself.. a good insight into Korean lifestyle.. very fascinating :)
Sorry for the late reply, Eric, I was out of town for January and am just now catching up on old emails and comments.
White people can indeed be favored over gyopos---some places won't hire them---but in other ways you may have an advantage. Gyopos, depending on your university and your old test scores, are favored for test-prep courses.
I've known plenty of gyopo who've worked here---all in hagwon, though---and they didn't seem to face any issues getting hired. This was in Bundang, an affluent area in a satellite city of Seoul, so maybe you'd be better off trying a place like that. Korean-Americans/Canadians/Australians do face different issues, most common among them that they're expected to act Korean in the office while they themselves struggle to prove they're just as capable as white native speakers.
But, do your homework and talk to schools, and I don't think you'll have any problem finding work.
Thanks Brian for sharing your experience. I really enjoy reading your entries - very insightful and it's great that so many people are willing to open up about a different culture. Yeah, I heard that Bundang apartment units are very expensive- but lucky english teachers for getting free accomodation in a place like that :) Korea sounds fantastic - I've always wanted to go there in time for the World Cup (have you been to any of the Korean Rep. games?). The supporters' spirit is amazing to see on TV and have always wanted to join in :) Anyway, I'll come and read your blog whenever I have time. Thanks.
Hi. My name is Jin. I'm actually Korean and I came as international student. But where I study there are just Koreans and I lived in Mexico so long that I don't know anyone and I feel lonely. I am looking for some foreign people to get to know at Gwangju to talk with and maybe travel. If you know some meeting place of young international students please share with me.
Hi Jin,
This post is over three years old (wow, I still lived in Korea at the time), and I doubt anyone still visits.
I recommend a few places: the Gwangju International Center and the Gwangju Facebook page. You'll find both in my "Jeollanamdo Resources" tab on top of the page: http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/p/jeollanam-do-resources.html
If you are still a student, you might check with the language schools attached to your university. In the Jeollanamdo Resouces page you'll find a list of local universities that teach Korean. There you'll find international students, some of whom may be interested in meeting Koreans socially for friendship or language exchanges.
Best of luck.
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