The Kimchi Chronicles: A stranger in a Strange Land
January 29, 2011 4:51 PM Subscribe
The Kimchi Chronicles tell the story of a young american man who has decided to teach english in Korea on a whim and for lack of a better idea. His shallow xenophobia gives way to some real insight on the status value of being able to speak english - any english.
"The English teaching business is unique not least of all because one of its core requirements, being a native English-speaker, has nothing to do with individual merit. Being born in America and inheriting her mother tongue can no more be credited to me than my eye color or height. When first considering a job teaching English I found it hard to believe I could work in hundreds of countries by virtue of a natal fluke.
However, it was refreshing to discover that being American made me automatically qualified to do something overseas besides don a uniform and join the ranks of an occupying force."
Interesting read if you can let all the LOLKOREANS slide.
"The English teaching business is unique not least of all because one of its core requirements, being a native English-speaker, has nothing to do with individual merit. Being born in America and inheriting her mother tongue can no more be credited to me than my eye color or height. When first considering a job teaching English I found it hard to believe I could work in hundreds of countries by virtue of a natal fluke.
However, it was refreshing to discover that being American made me automatically qualified to do something overseas besides don a uniform and join the ranks of an occupying force."
Interesting read if you can let all the LOLKOREANS slide.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is weird and racist and bad. -- jessamyn
Shallow xenophobia doesn't even start to cover it. "Fag." "Ex-wigger Italian or Jew." hoo boy... Still, I'm intrigued.
posted by queensissy at 5:06 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by queensissy at 5:06 PM on January 29, 2011
OK, I made it through the first entry (barely) but had to stop reading the second one when he said "Dealing with a Korean child is essentially no different than managing an animal."
This is not well-written, it's not funny, and the racism is not amusing.
posted by desjardins at 5:07 PM on January 29, 2011 [6 favorites]
This is not well-written, it's not funny, and the racism is not amusing.
posted by desjardins at 5:07 PM on January 29, 2011 [6 favorites]
When first considering a job teaching English I found it hard to believe I could work in hundreds of countries by virtue of a natal fluke.United States male citizen has socioeconomic access by virtue of his birth? No way!
You forgot to the following tags to this post: ethnocentrism, racial privilege, and condescension.
posted by mistersquid at 5:11 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
It took me approximately four paragraphs before I wanted to punch that blog in the eye.
posted by sidesh0w at 5:11 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by sidesh0w at 5:11 PM on January 29, 2011
Yeah, I had to quit. I have never read any Tucker Max but I'm assuming this guy worships the man.
posted by queensissy at 5:16 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by queensissy at 5:16 PM on January 29, 2011
Wow. As someone who does basically the same job in another country, I'm doubly appalled. He's so disdainful of the country he's in and the students he's teaching. Living in another culture is completely wasted on this guy.
I hope the school he works at finds his blog. I really do.
posted by Muttoneer at 5:18 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I hope the school he works at finds his blog. I really do.
posted by Muttoneer at 5:18 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Waygook Effect is written by a guy teaching English in South Korea, and includes advice and information for people thinking about doing the same. Ask a Waygook FAQ.
posted by stavrogin at 5:19 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by stavrogin at 5:19 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
"Shallow xenophobia doesn't even start to cover it."
"This is not well-written, it's not funny, and the racism is not amusing."
Quoted for truth. On his boss: "She doesn’t seem to have the brain power required for international conspiracy," because (allegedly; a lot of this seemed fake) her English was poor. If he can't even speak Korean, what does that make him?
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 5:21 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
"This is not well-written, it's not funny, and the racism is not amusing."
Quoted for truth. On his boss: "She doesn’t seem to have the brain power required for international conspiracy," because (allegedly; a lot of this seemed fake) her English was poor. If he can't even speak Korean, what does that make him?
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 5:21 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
There's literally hundreds of blogs like this written by ESL teachers living abroad in Asia that aren't quite this offensive and condescending, and not to snark but I can't see what makes this one particularly noteworthy.
United States male citizen has socioeconomic access by virtue of his birth? No way!
He's talking about the fact he speaks English. I think you'd be surprised by how little people actually give a flying fuck you're American and how it will get you nowhere at all when you're not actually in America unless you also have tons of cash. I haven't read through the entire blog yet to see if it starts to set in that the proverbial tables have turned on him.
posted by Hoopo at 5:23 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
United States male citizen has socioeconomic access by virtue of his birth? No way!
He's talking about the fact he speaks English. I think you'd be surprised by how little people actually give a flying fuck you're American and how it will get you nowhere at all when you're not actually in America unless you also have tons of cash. I haven't read through the entire blog yet to see if it starts to set in that the proverbial tables have turned on him.
posted by Hoopo at 5:23 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
He's talking about the fact he speaks English.I was referring to this, his "natal fluke" of having been born a US citizen who speaks English, which fact gives him socioeconomic access. What did you think I meant?
posted by mistersquid at 5:37 PM on January 29, 2011
I can't wait until Stavros finds this FPP and skewers it dead.
Not the best of the web.
posted by gen at 5:41 PM on January 29, 2011
Not the best of the web.
posted by gen at 5:41 PM on January 29, 2011
"Fag…which means he probably at least likes to party."
Nice. Looks like someone read Bukowski and Kerouac and thought "hey, writing edgy shit about being out in the world isn't hard!"
THEY'RE NOT FOREIGNERS, YOU STUPID FUCK. THEY LIVE THERE!
posted by disillusioned at 5:44 PM on January 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Nice. Looks like someone read Bukowski and Kerouac and thought "hey, writing edgy shit about being out in the world isn't hard!"
THEY'RE NOT FOREIGNERS, YOU STUPID FUCK. THEY LIVE THERE!
posted by disillusioned at 5:44 PM on January 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
I find it interesting that he thinks that knowing English is the only requirement to being an English teacher. Being the son of two teachers I see it as one of several:
1. Knowing English
2. Knowing Korean
3. Being a good teacher.
4. Knowing the cultural roots of the two languages (handy for explaining idioms and other non-literal
translations).
5. Being a non-dildo.
posted by jimmythefish at 5:46 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
1. Knowing English
2. Knowing Korean
3. Being a good teacher.
4. Knowing the cultural roots of the two languages (handy for explaining idioms and other non-literal
translations).
5. Being a non-dildo.
posted by jimmythefish at 5:46 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Wow. This guy manages to have racism, homophobia, and sexism in one single entry. I don't think I've ever shat in a thread, but W.T.F. This is neither funny nor best of web: it's just straight-up offensive.
posted by reformedjerk at 5:53 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by reformedjerk at 5:53 PM on January 29, 2011
Not FPP material. This is a poorly written travelogue by a douche. I can find a thousand of those in a ten second search ('ESL' + 'Korea' + 'I've only been here a year, and already I understand').
posted by mrdaneri at 5:55 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mrdaneri at 5:55 PM on January 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't think I've ever seen someone laboring quite so intently under the misapprehension that he is clever, edgy, or funny. I would love to read a funny, thoughtful, provocative blog examining the pitfalls of teaching English in Asia. This is not it.
posted by peachfuzz at 6:00 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by peachfuzz at 6:00 PM on January 29, 2011
What did you think I meant?
I was remarking on the fact that the "US citizen" part is extraneous, and when 20-year-old ESL teachers show up in a foreign land their US (or Canadian or British) citizenship doesn't grant them any special access or privileges or status or social mobility etc.
posted by Hoopo at 6:00 PM on January 29, 2011
I was remarking on the fact that the "US citizen" part is extraneous, and when 20-year-old ESL teachers show up in a foreign land their US (or Canadian or British) citizenship doesn't grant them any special access or privileges or status or social mobility etc.
posted by Hoopo at 6:00 PM on January 29, 2011
Christ, what an asshole.
posted by reductiondesign at 6:02 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by reductiondesign at 6:02 PM on January 29, 2011
Poorly written, unfunny, racist, misogynistic and homophobic. There is nothing redeeming about this whatsoever.
posted by dersins at 6:19 PM on January 29, 2011
posted by dersins at 6:19 PM on January 29, 2011
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posted by elpapacito at 5:00 PM on January 29, 2011