Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 7:05:29 AM
Subject: Can a Black man make it in Ilsan?
Don't answer that.
That's just a rhetorical question. Anyway, I came across your blog via a link from Dave's ESL. Yeah, I'm a 29 year old Black man from "daygo" as you wrote in your blog. EMERALD HILLS 92114 here! I graduated from Gompers but played sports for Lincoln. Anyway, I'm getting ready to head out to Ilsan and work for GEPIK on Aug 31. Of course I've been a bit apprehensive about even going once I started reading how xenophobic Koreans can be. But after a while I was like, FUCK IT! It's mainly fite wolks crying about the racism so I'm just going to go and make the best of it. I'm sure not all 20M folks living in Seoul can be that bad. OK, OK, I'm rambling now but the question I do want you to answer (even if you don't know the answer) is: I have locs, is there anyone in Seoul that does "Black people" hair? I might have to fly my homegirl in from Harlem. That's where I've been living for the past few years.
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Nevermind,
Scratch the hair question. I actually read your blog!
But my homegirl (slash loctitian) is going to teach me how to do my own hair and set me up with the necessary hair stuffs and a dome hair dryer to take to Korea.
But thanks for even opening up these emails tho. And I'll be teaching and living in Hwajeong. That's only like 55mins from Itaewon. It looks like your place is soooo much closer on the Seoul Subway Map yet you're 45mins from Itaewon.
Do you all ever have any beef with the military folk there? I hear at times they pose problems for Koreans. And this is not the first time that I've heard that US military create ruckus with the locals (Japan: they raped that lil girl, Iraq: they raped that girl then killed her family to try and cover it up, the list goes on...).
Michael.
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----- Original Message ----
From: english teacher
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 11:24:31 AM
Subject: Re: Can a Black man make it in Ilsan?
OH SHIT!!! I WAS RAISED IN SOUTHEAST, OFF EUCLID AND IMPERIAL, WHAT!!!!???? :) my parents are still there, actually. wow, small world. brother, i am very very excited for you! i know of one loctician here. the other salons i know of are owned by africans, and they say they do locs. congratulations on your decision to come to korea, i will be here to greet you when you get here. if you have facebook, pls join the group, it's the most active compared to myspace & blackplanet.
there are plenty of military here. no problems... always when the military are in a foreign country, any mistake they make is sesationalized and highly publicised. if a girl was raped in iraq, it of course doesnt make all military men Rapers of Little Girls.
if you have any questions at all, email me anytime :)
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Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 8:26:35 AM
Subject: You were raised on The Four Corners?
Wow!
Everybody and they momma would hit up that taco shop on that corner. Or Green Cat or Huffman's. Remember CW Dean's? And I'm on your Facebook too but my name is .... Ha! (A little play on an Ayn Rand character). It seems like yall are having a ball out there.
But I woke up this morning at 3am and started having this saudade for Bahia. So now I'm thinking bout going to Brazil Sept-Feb and starting Korea after Carnival in March. I don't think my recruiter is going to like this too much so I'm 95% certain I'll be in Ilsan Sept 1st, insha'allah.
Honestly I didn't want to "do" too many Americans while I was in Korea so I could be all "Blackinese" but now I'm like fuck it. Let me get out there, learn some Korea/Japanese history, pick up a few Hangul words (I'll be studying German at Goethe Institut in Seoul) and just be easy. But I'll hang out and shit. Alright, time to run to the gym
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Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 7:44:48 AM
Subject: Re: You were raised on The Four Corners?
Everybody and they momma would hit up that taco shop on that corner. omg i miss carne asada burritos more than my own momma.
now I'm thinking bout going to Brazil Sept-Feb and starting Korea after Carnival in March. I don't think my recruiter is going to like this too much so I'm 95% certain I'll be in Ilsan Sept 1st, insha'allah. korea will be here. jobs are everywhere here, if you wait, it's no big deal, jsut tell your recruiter as soon as youre sure that you wont come to korea yet.
Honestly I didn't want to "do" too many Americans while I was in Korea so I could be all "Blackinese" uhm.... i dont know what this means. you weren't looking to socialize with any americans while you're here? i think many black men have this in mind when they come. there are no brothas in teh social circle i hang out with, and the men we try to reach out to dont seem interested in socializing/getting to knw us. maybe it's the gender, maybe mixed gender socializing is too complicated? i dont konw. everyone has their reasons, i know. but no pressure, should you decide you want company, me~ your sister~, and your black family will be here, always.
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Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 8:32:56 AM
Subject: Did you go to church in SD? Bayview? St Stevens?
I didn't.
I'm a heathen.
Now that I've totally scared you away...
But nah, my sister went to Bayview for a while. Now she's at some super small church over there behind Huffman's BBQ on that lil road that takes you to Lincoln.
My oh my how things have changed in the past week.
I found an opportunity for me to go to Rwanda and help them implement their national health care system so I'm looking at that now!
But I have a complete application in Korea so more than likely I'll be out there unless Rwanda comes calling.
On my wanting to be "Blackinese" ...
I was just saying that I wanted to learn more about East Asian history and culture as I don't know naaan about it now. I knew the Japanese conquered the Koreans but I didn't know how and or why. I'm studying that now. And also how USA got into the mix.
But also, out of all the places I've been I've found that Americans tend to cling to Americaness and want everything to be just like Kansas. Nah. This is their country and they do things the way THEY want to. I must admit that sometimes I get perturbed with certain shit like when I lived in Anguilla and folks would come SUPER late to things because they were on "island time".
But I'm sure I'll hang with yall. But I don't want to be the dude always complaining and want to go back home because it's different. I like different. I've heard how xenophobic Koreans can be. One of my boys is Korean born but raised in America and he tells me stories. But I've worked in Ivy League universities for the past 7 years and I have more than enough "stories" than I care to share.
OK, I'll let you go because I can be long winded.
But yo, what are the winters like out there?
Do you have a car? I'm thinking of buying a car and motorcycle when I touch down.
I'm going to be hella nosey and ask if you can send photos of your apartment.
I've seen some REEEAAALLLLLYY nice ones that need key money of say 10M Won and I've seen other really shitty ones that are just the standard govt issue.
Do you go anywhere on break?
Where?
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Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 12:19:49 AM
Subject: Re: Did you go to church in SD? Bayview? St Stevens?
Now she's at some super small church over there behind Huffman's BBQ on that lil road that takes you to Lincoln. i know that church! but yeah, i dont go to church either... doh!
found an opportunity for me to go to Rwanda and help them implement their national health care system so I'm looking at that now! awesome. you could come to korea another time if youre called to rwanda instead. jobs are here 24/7/365.
But also, out of all the places I've been I've found that Americans tend to cling to Americaness and want everything to be just like Kansas. i completely agree. but here ive seen this more out of white people. for sure ive met some brothas and sistas who were stupid immature and couldnt stop comparing everyting to back home, but most of the time i hear this from white people, being the minority for the first time in their lives and complained about everything.
I must admit that sometimes I get perturbed with certain shit like when I lived in Anguilla and folks would come SUPER late to things because they were on "island time". korean time works the same. something about..."a gentleman is never in a hurry." but its not so bad.
But yo, what are the winters like out there? cold as fuck. i hate it.
Do you have a car? I'm thinking of buying a car and motorcycle when I touch down. no, but a friend of mine recently bought a scooter. its easy to get a drivers license here, ive heard, you can just bring in your old license and take test and they switch it. my friend did it fairly easy. a couple teachers at my job have cars. they're long time residents tho, like married to kroean women and everything.
I'm going to be hella nosey and ask if you can send photos of your apartment.
I've seen some REEEAAALLLLLYY nice ones that need key money of say 10M Won and I've seen other really shitty ones that are just the standard govt issue. you can check here
my place looks like it, most officetels look about the same: one room, hard floors. i dont have pictures of my place, no camera. i know, i know, i'm going to get one one of these days....
Do you go anywhere on break? no... i dont get vacation at my job. but most teaching jobs give you paid vacation, you'll be able to travel plenty, most everyone else does. im odd.
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