i wonder

these red levers under my sink... what are they for? are they supposed to be turned upward or downward? upward in winter, and down in summer? or UP all the time? OR DOWN all the time?

i dont know.

tips for when youre brand spankin new

with thanks to seoul's own groove magazine.

• pronunciation: korea is so homogenous. many residents are not used to having to decipher mispronounced korean words. to avoid confusion, have a k-friend write down your request (destination, item to buy, etc) to show to taxi drivers, store owners, whatevers.
• atm: atms at banks are open from 8am to 10pm, they're not 24 hrs. some atms at convenience stores or subway stations may have 24 hr service, but their dependability is limited and they may not be in english.
  
• phones: the local area code doesnt have to be dialed when calling from a landline or pay phone. however, area codes must always be included when using a cell phone.
• phone etiquette: it is not uncommon for koreans to hang up the phone without saying "goodbye." A simple "ok, or "ya" or nothing at all is common practice for ending a phone call.
• yes, no and maybe do not always mean yes, no, and maybe. in korea, yes could mean "yes, i heard what you said," and maybe would mean almost anything. double check with who youre talking to.
• laughing: if you show anger or share sad news, koreans might respond with a smile or laugh. they're not laughing at you; this is their uncomfortable response to what they consider an awkward situation.
• red ink: dont write someone's name in red ink b/c it's reguarded as an insult or unfriendly. you use red ink if you want someone to die...
• No.4: some buildings dont have a 4th floor, or it'll say F instead of four. this is b/c 4 is a bad luck number, the korean word meaning four "sa" sounds like the chinese character for "death."
• 24/7 free korea info in english: (02) 1330. they'll translate, give directions, ask them anything, they can answer. from your cell phone, dial 021330.

question: getting hired

read all the emails/questions that i get here.
find more people to talk to here.

----- Original Message -------
From: a myspacer
Date: May 22, 2008 11:31 AM
Greetings,
I was wondering if you had any advice about getting hired..I am working through footprints recruiting right now (have you heard anything about them). I would like to be over there by the 2nd week in August that is my goal, trying to make the right steps to make that happen. Also besides Seoul what are some other major cities I should be looking into. Thanks in advance for the help. T

hi t. you dont need advice for getting hired, actually getting a job is pretty easy, as soon as you put your resume out, you'll have plenty of offers. footprints is a reputable agency, and they'll help you sift through your offers. when they tell you about a job, ask what subway station it's closest to. this will give you a sense of where you'll be. then you can get on the blk korea groups and see who's in the area, and get some better info.

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facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25747883752

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as for what other steps you can do to get the job: footprints will help you. there have been many changes to the visa laws since i arrived, so i cant be much help to you on the technical side. if you've any other questions, do email me, im always around. ~i_teach.

blacktravels.com

interesting website that i havent really looked at yet: http://www.blacktravels.com/

couchsurfing

i joined couchsurfing.com. couch surfing is letting travelers stay with you for x number of days  and perhaps the host can show them around the town.

i just think it's a really great concept, and i want to support it. i joined the black travelers group, and a couple others for women and esl teachers. i dont think i would use it, tho, to stay at someone else's house...

the older i get, the more high maintenance i become. i remember my trip to europe and staying in filthy hostels with 20beds in a room, doing bucket baths in west africa. NOW, i would have to have hot running water, i have to have a flushing toilet, i would have to have my own room, none of this sharing/communal shiyat.

other black folks in south korea

update 2009: the facebook group is the most active. use it, get other perspectives.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_25747883752

the myspace group i started way back when is around 100 members, and active, albeit lightly so. there are groups also on blackplanet, yahoo, and facebook. if you know where in korea you're going to be, maybe you could search around the profiles of people who are in the area, and get some inside info. sometimes i'll get emails and people will ask about jobs in sinchon, or haebongchon, or dageu or busan... dude, i live in pyeongchon, and it's all i know. sorry holmes.

to find more of us in seoul:

myspace: http://groups.myspace.com/seoulbrothasandsistas
blackplanet: http://groups.blackplanet.com/seoul
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25747883752
yahoo:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blackcorea/

blackexpat.com

the website is almost up and running, i was able to register today! so... you go do it too. ~supa fly