I feel Korea has been the hardest, not as much moving here but the language barrier is extreme and I can’t for the love of god learn the language. After four years I’m still at very beginner level :(
Yeah, anything originating from Chinese requires an intense focus if you want to become proficient with it. At least the Korean writing system was greatly simplified… I guess.
Beyond the language, what is the hardest cultural barrier you have come across? Like what cultural practice is just something that is not something you can really mix with?
I think it would be still here in Korea because it’s the furthest away from the customs I’m used to. But basically most of them somehow trace back to Confucianism and I have a hard time with many of them because the social structure is build not on merit but things like age. That has shaped the Korean society immense. And while I can appreciate being respectful to elders, they’re not always right just because they were born earlier.
Yeah, I also have trouble with “face saving” culture. Though I haven’t dealt with much of it in an eastern Asian sense, other places I have been were big on that same type of thing. It is just stupid. My friend has worked in a places to play the “rude white person”, in which he is brought on to bring up how executive staff are making decisions that will ruin the business, in meetings. Once that ice is broke it is basically up for conversation, and they can blame it on him being from outside of the culture.
So far, what has been your largest challenge? Which country, IYO, is the hardest to move to?
I feel Korea has been the hardest, not as much moving here but the language barrier is extreme and I can’t for the love of god learn the language. After four years I’m still at very beginner level :(
Yeah, anything originating from Chinese requires an intense focus if you want to become proficient with it. At least the Korean writing system was greatly simplified… I guess.
Beyond the language, what is the hardest cultural barrier you have come across? Like what cultural practice is just something that is not something you can really mix with?
I think it would be still here in Korea because it’s the furthest away from the customs I’m used to. But basically most of them somehow trace back to Confucianism and I have a hard time with many of them because the social structure is build not on merit but things like age. That has shaped the Korean society immense. And while I can appreciate being respectful to elders, they’re not always right just because they were born earlier.
Yeah, I also have trouble with “face saving” culture. Though I haven’t dealt with much of it in an eastern Asian sense, other places I have been were big on that same type of thing. It is just stupid. My friend has worked in a places to play the “rude white person”, in which he is brought on to bring up how executive staff are making decisions that will ruin the business, in meetings. Once that ice is broke it is basically up for conversation, and they can blame it on him being from outside of the culture.