Farewell for now
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Bowing out.
Sorry dear readers to make you wait an entire week to find out that I’m shucking you. I feel that it’s my time to bow out with whatever dignity is left over from all my self-depreciating posts about my adventures in Korea. I have had a wonderful time writing here and hope that it has inspired others to write about their own experiences and opinions. My decision to part ways for time being is not in any way tied to any animosity or ill-will whatsoever. I’ve simply written all that I need to write for the time being.
I’ve learned a lot about myself and of Korea during my time here. Your comments and viewpoints have helped me understand more about what makes me tick: Korea. For those still wanting to follow what I’m up to, I’ve got two blogs that might be of interest to you: one focusing on my Korean language studying and the other on my Korean history pursuits.
For those curious, I actually had a list of topics that I wanted to write but never got around to tackling them. For the sake of curiosity, I leave you with my unfinished list. Someone take the torch and blog away.
- horoscopes / year of the ~ /constitution personality determination
- (PIFF) Pusan International Film Festival / movie history
- eccentric male TV hosts and why it’s an acceptable deviation of standard gender roles
- Korean mother-in-laws
- geographic regions (part series)
- history of korean innovation
- 재벌 (monopoly-like corporations)
- grocery stores (360° shopping carts, locking escalators, soju in juice boxes, insanely nice service)
- the fine art of haggling
- cultural and linguistic double standards for Korean adoptees and half-Koreans
- 교포, 일점오세, 이세, Korean-Americans
- public transportation (bus, taxi,
KTX,subway) - gender separation at young age
- surgical masks when sick / H1N1 hysteria
- 셀카 (selca)
- religion and all those red crosses at night
- losing face/ maintaining your supervisor’s face amidst obvious error
- speaking Korean vs. not speaking Korean and how it can make you lose the upper hand
- English education and the culture of being a glorified resource
- competition between families / Korean mothers
- Koreans and their history with Japan / 독도 / culture export, import
- 민족 (korean blood) / nationalism / cultural identity
It amazes me that I never touched upon the curiously self-indulgent self-camera culture as well as the murky and complicated 교포 waters. Oh well. At least I covered the overabundance of pickles. That’s always important. Nice job Matthew.
I hope that this simple blog has been fun. So for the last time it seems, I ask you again:
Thoughts?
Posted by Matthew in How Koreans Do It |
January 26th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Damnit! I just joined less than a month ago!
January 26th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Aw~ I’m sad to see that you won’t be writing anymore! I always enjoyed your posts. There’s not many people with quite the same biting sarcastic humor that I enjoy. I really hope someone writes about Korean male hosts though. 유재석 짱~! ㅋㅋ
January 26th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Matthew,
I like a pretty heavy dose of sarcasm myself, but I have to say that your posts were getting pretty bitter and mean-spirited at the end.
Although I claim the “American” part of my Korean-American identity as much as (or more than) I claim the “Korean” part, some of your posts have made me feel embarrassed and ashamed of the Korean part, which is the very part that I come to this site to learn. I got a very strong sense of “can you believe what those wacky furriners do?” that was disheartening and even alienating.
If you ever decide to write for this blog again, please keep in mind the diverse learners that come to this site, and consider how you can truly make an effective and positive contribution to this learning community.
January 26th, 2010 at 10:38 am
@ Peter - there’s a decent amount of past articles if you haven’t already read them.
@ rooraa - I appreciate the sentiments, especially from someone like yourself who has been with the site longer than I have.
@ MHS - perception is reality. Although I have actually got quite happier recently, if my posts came off as more sour, then it’s a fault of my writing voice. As I have said in the past, I knock Korea because I love it. It’s history and people will forever be with my future. I never insult to be libelous but I do speak (rather: write) my mind. All things considered, I would self-assess my writing as quite diplomatic in that I try to offer two sides. Like the late Rodney Dangerfield, I like to compliment whilst poking fun in an attempt to placate both sides.
Having said that, I would always encourage people to look at life with a smile. Just because I point out killer fans, pickles with pasta and the fact that fat people are curious creatures to Korea, this doesn’t mean that I place any sense of value on any of it. I don’t judge either side for their beliefs; I’m merely commenting on it. I strongly believe that truth is subjective and just because I say it is so does NOT make it so. Only Picard can do that.
If a Korean feels disheartened and alienated by my writings, perhaps one is holding on to a sense of identity that is being left undisturbed and unchallenged. Keep in mind that since I’m from Texas so I got plenty of hillbilly stereotypes and redneck jokes coming way - some are comically deserving while others are just in poor taste. In my opinion, to be truly bicultural one must not only be able to self-identify on a deep level multiple (and possibly conflicting) perspectives but also switch gears and self-analyze both sets of values as objectively as possible.
All in all, I wanted to write down my thoughts. I never intended my posts to educate although if they did, that’s fine. I never intended on making my writings accessible to diverse learners because I’m not here to teach. However, I think that plenty of people got at least a laugh or two out of my meager skills in PAINT.net. If you read what I wrote and got yourself thinking about the issue, then I’m happy. if you missed the mark and thought of me as a racist slanderer then that’s also your choice to make. I have no ability to control what anyone thinks but I can control how I think.
I think this was fun.
January 26th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Aw, sorry to hear you’re giving up the writing for now (at this venue, anyway)! I always enjoyed reading your posts… and then sometimes producing comments that rivaled the original in length, if not wittiness or insight. Good luck with your continuing projects!
…I haven’t read your last few blog posts, so perhaps I’ll pretend I didn’t read this one first, and I’ll read your last few entries in ignorant bliss, not knowing that I’m approaching the end…
January 27th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Awh I’m gonna miss reading your posts, they were always so fun! I really wanted to see the other things you planned to write too, like mother-in-laws! *glances nervously at my crazy korean moma-in-law*…gulp… 0_0;;
Guess I’ll just have to fend for myself in the mean time. ^_^;
Anyway! I hope you move onto better brighter things! We’ll all miss you!
January 27th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
oh man, I was randomly googling and I found your blog just recently. I can SO relate to your posts from experiences I’ve had since returning to fulfill my mandatory military service.
anyways, I’ll miss your posts.
good luck and godspeed.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Hope to read u again soon!
January 28th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Too bad….good luck man!
January 29th, 2010 at 1:29 am
I’m going to miss your posts too.
Who’s left to blog for KC101??? Nobody it seems…
January 29th, 2010 at 7:58 am
I think you are talented, humorous writer, sad to see you go.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Aww, and I just started getting into your blog. I even bookmarked it with an icon included ): It appears as though I’m even late with this comment, baww.
I’ve also read a few of your older posts, but nothing beats a new post that gets me excited to read.
I’m interested in what you’re doing in Korea, as I’m quite a hardcore fan of Korea myself. An O.E? Homestay? Work? Not to sound creepy or anything though.
I seriously want to visit Korea in the near future. Your blog was an insight into what to expect. How I will miss them ):
They were fun while they lasted.
January 31st, 2010 at 5:38 am
Matthew
It’s sad to see you go too! Everyone is leaving KC101. I bet I’ll find you blogging for Hyunwoo Sun website. * Just Kidding* Good luck and I’ll keep up reading your blogs on your website. ^^ S_R_C
February 16th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Mathew..thanks for all the great posts!!!! We will miss them.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:27 am
I really enjoyed your writings, and I accepted them as they are: the thoughts of an American in Korea… or, shall I say, thoughts of a human about a culture…
I personally think, that we all have the right to like/dislike things, and your humor and style makes it fun.
Yes, I dont agree in so many aspects your opinion, but i still have fun on your way to dislike, or find weird the different cultural aspects.
To MHS: I think, all cultures in the world are great in a way, and weird in other way. When I was student in NYC, me as well I founded american culture/habits/some foods, whatever, weird, or, out of my taste. But the world is huge, and the most different cultures a person can experience, the better way to see, where we can find a place we feel comfortable…
Personally I had Korean housemates before, and I know quite a lot about Korea, culture and people, and I find all great. Also, I will marry a Korean man.
And even , if I think about my own culture, I can say good things as well as bad(disliked by me) things.
We are all free to feel/think/say whatever…. or write it in a blog. as I already mentionned before, I really love Korea, and I dont agree Mathew in so many things, but at least tried to laugh a bit…. And , thats allready ok^^