South Korea

[Breetai]

My cousin is from US.

OK! He will find a job without much trouble then. Hopefully he finds a nice one!

 

[Breetai]

Neither of those.

Normally they say "Hanguk" - Korea -, "Dae han minguk" - approximately Korean republic - or simply "uri nara", which latter means literally "our country".

I don't think many people realize that the English names for countries are English names!

England, for example, is called Young-[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] (Yeong-guk) in Korean. America is Me-[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] (Mee-guk). Why would they use English terms for those countries?


Apparently "G00K" is censored... G00K, read like "spook" is how "guk" should be read.

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

I don't think many people realize that the English names for countries are English names!

England, for example, is called Young-[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] (Yeong-guk) in Korean. America is Me-[wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] (Mee-guk). Why would they use English terms for those countries?


Apparently "G00K" is censored... G00K, read like "spook" is how "guk" should be read.

And incidentally, where Mi-guk (미&#44397 means America, it literally means "beautiful land". As does Sri-lanka in Ceylonese (Sinhala).

 

[Breetai]

And incidentally, where Mi-guk (미&#44397 means America, it literally means "beautiful land". As does Sri-lanka in Ceylonese (Sinhala).

Ahhh... America the "beautiful" land, as in 美.

It should read 米, which is also pronounced 미 and means "rice land" (especially considering the country I'm in now!) Beautiful 美 is wrong!!!

 

[OnceUponAChristian]

By all accounts Nippon is a lot cooler than South Korea...confirmation?

 

[Breetai]

By all accounts Nippon is a lot cooler than South Korea...confirmation?

Usually South Korea is a bit cooler, unless you're talking about Hokkaido. It's milder there.

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

Usually South Korea is a bit cooler, unless you're talking about Hokkaido. It's milder there.

Gonna be hot enough today .... 33 deg and humidity close to 90% with no breeze.

 

[Breetai]

Gonna be hot enough today .... 33 deg and humidity close to 90% with no breeze.

Sounds like Tokyo...

Sapporo is rainy and 20 degrees. Nice!!!

 

[JGG]

I know this thread has been quiet for a while, but I have just applied for a research position in Soeul, and before they offer my a job, want to know a bit about what I am potentially getting into.

If there is anyone living in Soeul, who is willing to answer questions about the region, I would appreciate it.

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

I know this thread has been quiet for a while, but I have just applied for a research position in Soeul, and before they offer my a job, want to know a bit about what I am potentially getting into.

If there is anyone living in Soeul, who is willing to answer questions about the region, I would appreciate it.

No worries: ask away. I've lived there for about 9 years.

 

[JGG]

No worries: ask away. I've lived there for about 9 years.

Ah thanks, I appreciate it. I'm thinking specifically of Soeul and surrounding area.

(1) I'm wondering if there is any sort of Jewish community. I would invite my in-laws to come, they and my son are Jewish. Is there a Jewish temple somewhere? Are Jews well received?

(2) Any idea where/if there are elementary schools that teach in English?

(3) How good/safe is the community around Korea University? Any chance they'd understand English around there (I figure it will take me some time to learn Korean). Or, how easy/reliable is travel to and from KU by subway?

I appreciate it, and if I think of more, I'll be back.

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

Ah thanks, I appreciate it. I'm thinking specifically of Soeul and surrounding area.

(1) I'm wondering if there is any sort of Jewish community. I would invite my in-laws to come, they and my son are Jewish. Is there a Jewish temple somewhere? Are Jews well received?

(2) Any idea where/if there are elementary schools that teach in English?

(3) How good/safe is the community around Korea University? Any chance they'd understand English around there (I figure it will take me some time to learn Korean). Or, how easy/reliable is travel to and from KU by subway?

I appreciate it, and if I think of more, I'll be back.

I don't know of a Jewish community here. There is no synagogue in the city, but apparently there is one on the US base at Yongsan. This is close to the city centre but access is, of course, restricted, although accompanied visitors are permitted, as are holders of other military or veterans' ID. http://www.korea4expats.com/article-Worship--in-Seoul.html

The only elementary schools teaching in English are the international ones, including the US school on Yongsan base.

The community is generally very safe wherever you are in Korea. Violent crime is very, very low here. (In part, this may stem from the absence of a concept of "self-defence" in that where a fight occurs, the victim is the most injured. Self-defence is no legal defence.)

The subway system is excellent - if crowded on some lines at peak times - and cheap. I think it is the third largest system by ridership in the world and about 5th by miles.

Many Seoulites speak some English, especially the younger ones. Korean is one of the hardest languages for an English speaker to learn. I speak 4 languages but have been strruggling for 4 years to get a grip on Korean and am still barely at "low-intermediate". That said, they use an alphabet of 24 characters and that can be learnt in a couple of hours: this will at least help with reading direction signs, menus and stuff, even if you do not immediately know what the word means.

Letters are groupled into syllables. For example the word "Han" - Korea - is composed of 3 letters of Roman characters and 3 characters of Korean (Hangeul) characters:-

H a n

ㅎㅏ ㄴ

In the Korean word, these three characters are written together to form

한

(I hope you can see the characters - if not, try mouse right click, encoding, Korean)

Overall, a good place to be.

 

[Inbox24]

hey guys, is it likely for a korean girl to marry a a non-korean guy (but still asian) lolol or do koreans stick together.?

 

[Breetai]

hey guys, is it likely for a korean girl to marry a a non-korean guy (but still asian) lolol or do koreans stick together.?

I don't know if that's even worth answering...

Well, here's my answer. If you are Japanese, then it is less likely.

 

[kyla2]

my best frend lives THere!!!

 

[Inbox24]

no i'm not japanese!

does that make it easier?

 

[Breetai]

no i'm not japanese!

does that make it easier?

Is it likely for an Australian to marry a non-Australian?

 

[Inbox24]

yes, i see your point. haha

 

[vangelicmonk]

I will be taking a Korean class this next semester (to suppliment my ongoing but anemic private study of hangul) and hopefully be moving out to South Korea for school in 3 years or so. My long term plan (this could be really long term depending on God) is to do missions/ministry in North Korea when it opens more (if not before).

 

[Inbox24]

lucky chum