I should have written this note 7 months ago. However, I'm writing it today. I teach English Conversative at Busan Automotive High School. Unlike many other expats in Busan, South Korea, I'm in one of the "better:" situations at my school. No things aren't perfect; however, I don't go home stressed nor want to quit my job. If everything else fail, then I would renew my contract with my school. For everything that isn't good at my school, there is always something that balance it out. My students are tremendous. Sure they are "weird", but overall, they are great kids. I have 3 co teachers. One of them is new, and he's a real cool guy. He's a team player, and that's all I ever ask of my co teachers.
For the first 6 months, many of my co workers seem scared to talk with me. Now, they've open themselves up a little more. I guess because they see that my Korean skills are improving, which makes them comfortable to speak the little "Konglish" they know. On the negative side of things, they are socially deprived, yet I'll discuss that in another note. My principal and department chair are good people. I just wish my department chair spoke a little more English than he does.
Overall, I grade my school a "C". We'll see how things be before February 25, 2010.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The RACE Card?
So I applied for a university position over here in Busan, South Korea, had an interview, and was turned down. This is the second time I've been turned down by an institution here. The first institution (Dong Ju University) told the ESL Network president, who is Korean, that they prefer "white" people, yet if they can't get anybody, then they'll give me a call. The second institution (Dong A University), that I had an interview with sent me a message saying, "thank you for applying with us, but it was hard to decide from all the worthy candidates." Well if that's the case, then why not hire all the "worthy candidates"? This is what I know, the moment that they saw my "black skin", they had it in their minds that they weren't going to hire me. I was the only black person that applied for the position, submitted all of my information before anyone else; however, no success. Now if we want to define "nigger" as being IGNORANT, then tell me who's the nigger in this situation? Yet I know a lot of you are probably thinking that I'm playing the race card; however, CAN YOU BLAME ME? At least I'm it playing fair. Hell, I have no option.
I was talking about this situation to my good Korean neighbors. Though sadden about the results, they said to me, "you know, Koreans don't like black people. And in our mind, white is better. We look at white as being good and black as being bad." One of them told me that she's still a little scared of black people, but because of me, it's changing. She stated that her grandfather told her black people were bad, so she held on to that fear until recently, that's when she met me.
In an open course discussion, I asked my students if they saw me on the streets, being that they've never saw me before, would they think I was a school teacher? These are the answers I received.
No because you are a black man.
No, because you have a strong face.
No, because you look like a hip hop star.
No, because you have a nice body.
No, because you look like a factory worker.
No, because you look like a gangster.
I'm only playing the race card, because that's what has been giving to my people for so damn long and just because America now has a "black president", much hasn't changed. It didn't change in Africa when Mandela became president, so what make people think it has changed now? Who's to say we'll have a black president the next 4 or 8 years? Who's to say the race issue will decrease just because we have one currently in office. Ignorance become demolished in a people when they chose to not be ignorant anymore.
If black is bad and white is good, then what is YELLOW?
Stay tuned for more blogs and videos.
I was talking about this situation to my good Korean neighbors. Though sadden about the results, they said to me, "you know, Koreans don't like black people. And in our mind, white is better. We look at white as being good and black as being bad." One of them told me that she's still a little scared of black people, but because of me, it's changing. She stated that her grandfather told her black people were bad, so she held on to that fear until recently, that's when she met me.
In an open course discussion, I asked my students if they saw me on the streets, being that they've never saw me before, would they think I was a school teacher? These are the answers I received.
No because you are a black man.
No, because you have a strong face.
No, because you look like a hip hop star.
No, because you have a nice body.
No, because you look like a factory worker.
No, because you look like a gangster.
I'm only playing the race card, because that's what has been giving to my people for so damn long and just because America now has a "black president", much hasn't changed. It didn't change in Africa when Mandela became president, so what make people think it has changed now? Who's to say we'll have a black president the next 4 or 8 years? Who's to say the race issue will decrease just because we have one currently in office. Ignorance become demolished in a people when they chose to not be ignorant anymore.
If black is bad and white is good, then what is YELLOW?
Stay tuned for more blogs and videos.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
We Do It Too But Don't Tell Part 1
Before I begin this post, I'd like to say that in no way am Itrying to degrade this country. However, I want people to be aware that "things aren't always what they seem."
Often times people's opinion about a particular environment isn't first hand facts or opinion. Yet word of mouth is the greatest tool for "false" advertisement. In addition, we do have the media to thank for conjuring "stereotypical" opinions about a people, Race, culture, religion, so forth and so on. Moreso, people tend to downgrade one's culture while uplifting another's due to what is exploited throughout the media. Yet the truth is, there is always "more than what meets the eye." For instance, foreignersliving in cleaner or the more populardistricts of Busan, South Korea will rarely witness what one whom live areas such as Hadan, Nampo-dong, Busan Station often see. Foreignersliving in or around the Haeundae Beach or Kyungsung area rarely come pass the Seomyeon area unless they are going towards PNU or to a Lotte Giant's game. Why? Because the Saha-gu district isn't what's poular to talk about amongst foreigners living in Busan (nor from the expat community living in other cities of South Korea), Though many of the same activities happen in that area as well. Even foreigners living in the not so delightful environments such as those I've previously named,are never unease about traveling to those happening areas, because it's refreshing and make them feel so at home or in touch with the expat community at large.
So in blogs to come, I will hit you with pictures and videos of the not so pleasant things that I witness throughout my journey in South Korea. Some things may shock or surprise you; however, "there is nothing new under the sun." It's just that many are either too self centered or naive to realize that.
Often times people's opinion about a particular environment isn't first hand facts or opinion. Yet word of mouth is the greatest tool for "false" advertisement. In addition, we do have the media to thank for conjuring "stereotypical" opinions about a people, Race, culture, religion, so forth and so on. Moreso, people tend to downgrade one's culture while uplifting another's due to what is exploited throughout the media. Yet the truth is, there is always "more than what meets the eye." For instance, foreignersliving in cleaner or the more populardistricts of Busan, South Korea will rarely witness what one whom live areas such as Hadan, Nampo-dong, Busan Station often see. Foreignersliving in or around the Haeundae Beach or Kyungsung area rarely come pass the Seomyeon area unless they are going towards PNU or to a Lotte Giant's game. Why? Because the Saha-gu district isn't what's poular to talk about amongst foreigners living in Busan (nor from the expat community living in other cities of South Korea), Though many of the same activities happen in that area as well. Even foreigners living in the not so delightful environments such as those I've previously named,are never unease about traveling to those happening areas, because it's refreshing and make them feel so at home or in touch with the expat community at large.
So in blogs to come, I will hit you with pictures and videos of the not so pleasant things that I witness throughout my journey in South Korea. Some things may shock or surprise you; however, "there is nothing new under the sun." It's just that many are either too self centered or naive to realize that.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
WHITE IS RIGHT!
It wasn't too long ago when Dr. Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Joseph Lowery, Malcom X and many others of the black race fought for unity amonst men, women, boys, and girls of all ethnicities of the great country called the USA and for the world at large. It also wasn't so long ago when Little Rock Central high school (Little Rock, Arkansas) opened the doors to "black" students, becoming the first high school to be desegregated. It was just yesterday that America voted Barack Obama as (the first black) president of the United States. Yet no matter how far we've come as a human race, there is still much work that need to be done.
I am working in Busan, South Korea as a guest English teacher at an all boys high school. Amongst the thousands of foreigners who come to Korea to teach, start businesses, etc., the black race is about 1%. Therefore, when one of us do something good or bad in the eyes of Koreans, we stand out being that there are only so few of us in this country. Not only that, but we at times get mistakened for being the person who did some good or acted an @$$ in these streets. I've had to disassociate myself from people of my own race (and others as well) due to being embarrased of their behavior. Jamie Foxx has a song entitled "Blame It On the Alcohol." Yet I say, blame it on being ignorant. That goes without saying. Come on, a person knows when they've had a little bit too much to drink. So don't give me that "I was drunk nonsense." Especially if it's the same lame excuse week by week.
What I'm getting at is that my skin color along is a punishment. Even in South Korea. I didn't expect to come over to a land where the people who were oppressed by the Japanese and is still at odds with North Korea to look down on me because of my skin color. I'm not crying about it. However, I do have a right to voice my frustrations. I've worked so hard to get where I am today, and it wasn't that I felt I had to because of my skin color. Yet it's because I set a standard for myself. However, it's sad when things I've accomplished throughout life go without notice or is overlooked because of my skin color. It's also sad that a "black person" in this country stand out more for the dumb ish he/she does than a person of the "white" race. Now don't think that I dislike white people, because I don't. My take on the racial issue is that if we're all human, then why not treat one another as such?
In this country, Korean women are treated as second class citizen, foreigners are third, with blacks at the bottom. Stereotypically, white men are the more dominant or the one's with the wealth. However, Mr. black man is thugged out and violent. As for me, to a Korean woman, and akwardly to a Korean man, I have a "sexy body " and is ridiculously huge (....go figure), which makes them pretty much admire or be scared of me. (Blame the media for that though!!) Yet in America, I'm a little dude. LOL! I know my white brothers and sisters get looked at strange and even talked about as well; however, they are more accepted in this culture than a black man. Yet if I give them some "musical" entertainment, I'll come out on top, because that's what blacks are known for and I'd be more entertaining to see. This has been proven. There are no advertisements here with black models, athlethes, doctors, lawyers, etc. Yet there are many with white celebrities on them. There are even white barbies here. Why? Because "white is the epitome of what it is to be beautiful and successful."
So I'll conclude this article by saying...Ignorance has no ethnicity; therefore, anybody can be it's prisoner!
I am working in Busan, South Korea as a guest English teacher at an all boys high school. Amongst the thousands of foreigners who come to Korea to teach, start businesses, etc., the black race is about 1%. Therefore, when one of us do something good or bad in the eyes of Koreans, we stand out being that there are only so few of us in this country. Not only that, but we at times get mistakened for being the person who did some good or acted an @$$ in these streets. I've had to disassociate myself from people of my own race (and others as well) due to being embarrased of their behavior. Jamie Foxx has a song entitled "Blame It On the Alcohol." Yet I say, blame it on being ignorant. That goes without saying. Come on, a person knows when they've had a little bit too much to drink. So don't give me that "I was drunk nonsense." Especially if it's the same lame excuse week by week.
What I'm getting at is that my skin color along is a punishment. Even in South Korea. I didn't expect to come over to a land where the people who were oppressed by the Japanese and is still at odds with North Korea to look down on me because of my skin color. I'm not crying about it. However, I do have a right to voice my frustrations. I've worked so hard to get where I am today, and it wasn't that I felt I had to because of my skin color. Yet it's because I set a standard for myself. However, it's sad when things I've accomplished throughout life go without notice or is overlooked because of my skin color. It's also sad that a "black person" in this country stand out more for the dumb ish he/she does than a person of the "white" race. Now don't think that I dislike white people, because I don't. My take on the racial issue is that if we're all human, then why not treat one another as such?
In this country, Korean women are treated as second class citizen, foreigners are third, with blacks at the bottom. Stereotypically, white men are the more dominant or the one's with the wealth. However, Mr. black man is thugged out and violent. As for me, to a Korean woman, and akwardly to a Korean man, I have a "sexy body " and is ridiculously huge (....go figure), which makes them pretty much admire or be scared of me. (Blame the media for that though!!) Yet in America, I'm a little dude. LOL! I know my white brothers and sisters get looked at strange and even talked about as well; however, they are more accepted in this culture than a black man. Yet if I give them some "musical" entertainment, I'll come out on top, because that's what blacks are known for and I'd be more entertaining to see. This has been proven. There are no advertisements here with black models, athlethes, doctors, lawyers, etc. Yet there are many with white celebrities on them. There are even white barbies here. Why? Because "white is the epitome of what it is to be beautiful and successful."
So I'll conclude this article by saying...Ignorance has no ethnicity; therefore, anybody can be it's prisoner!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Will Never Be Forgotten
I had to do a family album for sure. I miss my family and friends so much. It's weird being without them. I wish I could have put enough and every last one of them in a suitcase and brought them with me; however, I would have gotten a hernia. I've been working on this simple blog all freakin day. Yes there are many others who are left out of the pictures I have posted. Yet trust me, they are indeed number one in my life. I'm definitely doing a part two to this blog. Family, (those whom are posted in the pics and not) I love you so much. And I mean that. You all are the best. Thank you for being all that you are to me. I love you so much.
~Rodney
010-3285-2326
Sunday, March 1, 2009
First Weekend in Busan, South Korea
I'm finally in Busan. I tell yeah. When I got dropped off at my apartment (which is a studio home), I was like what the freak? It's like so small. But it's good for me. Koreans don't live above their means like us "foreigners" do. They live below their means. Which is smart when you think about it. When some of you see the pics, you're going to laugh. I had hella trouble when I first got in here because every instruction is writen in Korean. Thank G-d for people like my new Korean friend Yujin Lee who came to my crib with Shyanne, who is one of my Canadian friends. Yujin wrote everything down for me in English to make things semi easier for me. All I have to do now is find a barbershop, work out at the fitness center near me, pray that things go super well at my school then I'll be set.
I would type more but it's 12AM Monday morning. And after partying all weekend, I need sufficient rest so that I could be productive at work tomorrow.
Later for now!!!
P.S. Party pics will be up sometime this week. Be on the look out.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
In The Beginning
So I've finally made it to South Korea. Right now I'm in Cheonan City for orientation. I leave for my city (Busan, South Korea) this Friday. Let me begin by saying, jetlag was a mutha. It was the worst during the third and fourth day here. However, I'm cool now. I haven't been out much because of orientation. Yet I've hit up the streets a little to get my celebrity on. I'm not ashamed to say that the Korean chicks are hot. Seriously. I was in denial before I got over to this side of the fence; however, many of them are impuda (Korean woman for pretty). Koreans stare like crazy. They open up to you when you speak to them in Korean. I know a few words for right now. But even the few words get me far. I must say I'm in a weird place right now. I eat rice and soup morning, noon, and night. I kid you not. Koreans eat fire kimchi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Seriously! Eating is very strange here. And being that I'm a semi kosher keeping Messianic, it's difficult to know if I'm doing it right or not because most things I don't know what it is. LOL! The journey has just begun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
