Koreans Of Sdn!

[NotCoy]

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Wow~ I am surprised to know that most of you were born in the States or at least lived for the majority of your lifetime here. That makes me feel a little lonely again for some reason. I came to the States three years ago and still trying to adjust myself here. When I was srrounded by Koreans born and raised in America, I did not feel comfortable. I guess the cultural gap is too big to overcome despite the same ethnic background. For example, I could not understand the above jokes right away.. malboro, Will Smith's Chigae, and Kopi stuff.. Happy that I eventually got those. I know that I'm the one who should work on it and try to get along well with anybody even though I feel different. haha
I'm also surprised that all of you consider yourself Korean(at least partially) and look for your brothers and sisters.. very touching~

 

[Medicaljunkie]

Your story sounds a lot like mine (except for the fact that I have no siblings)...where in Iowa are you from? I grew up near Mason City but live in a suburb of Minneapolis now.

I know, I was reading your post and I thought we may be the same person! haha. I'm from Cedar Rapids and I'm at the University of Northern Iowa for my prereqs.

Have you been back to Korea? I really would like to go, but I think I would like to know a little Korean before.

 

[Medicaljunkie]

Wow~ I am surprised to know that most of you were born in the States or at least lived for the majority of your lifetime here. That makes me feel a little lonely again for some reason. I came to the States three years ago and still trying to adjust myself here. When I was srrounded by Koreans born and raised in America, I did not feel comfortable. I guess the cultural gap is too big to overcome despite the same ethnic background. For example, I could not understand the above jokes right away.. malboro, Will Smith's Chigae, and Kopi stuff.. Happy that I eventually got those. I know that I'm the one who should work on it and try to get along well with anybody even though I feel different. haha
I'm also surprised that all of you consider yourself Korean(at least partially) and look for your brothers and sisters.. very touching~

I don't feel comfortable around "real" Koreans because I feel like they look down on me for being American and not speaking Korean. I cannot help it if my mother left me on the orphanage doorstep. I am not partially Korean. I am Korean and American. If I am stuck with the Korean looks in a Caucasian world, I would like to be able to call myself Korean...without getting chided by people who were fortunate enough to grow up in their homeland or grow up knowing their birthparents.

I don't know if this is how other adoptees feel, but after getting so many comments from "real" Koreans...

Just something to think about. Nothing against the real Koreans out there, it's just an adoptee's view of the world.

 

[moolman]

Wow~ I am surprised to know that most of you were born in the States or at least lived for the majority of your lifetime here. That makes me feel a little lonely again for some reason. I came to the States three years ago and still trying to adjust myself here. When I was srrounded by Koreans born and raised in America, I did not feel comfortable. I guess the cultural gap is too big to overcome despite the same ethnic background. For example, I could not understand the above jokes right away.. malboro, Will Smith's Chigae, and Kopi stuff.. Happy that I eventually got those. I know that I'm the one who should work on it and try to get along well with anybody even though I feel different. haha
I'm also surprised that all of you consider yourself Korean(at least partially) and look for your brothers and sisters.. very touching~

Well, I consider myself an American with a Korean decent. I was born in Korea but came to the US as a baby. I became a naturalized US citizen. My English is way better than my Korean. The reason I think for Asians in general to identify more with their heritage is because when other people look at me, they don't see an American, they see a Korean. The ethnicity that people automatically assume you're American is white or black, everybody else regardless of where they are born is considered not American at first.

Who here hasn't heard comments like: "You're English is so good." Or "If there was a war between Korea and the US which side would you choose?" It's ignorant people like that who put the Japanese in internment camps in WWII but left the Germans alone because they are white.

 

[Medicaljunkie]

Well, I consider myself an American with a Korean decent. I was born in Korea but came to the US as a baby. I became a naturalized US citizen. My English is way better than my Korean. The reason I think for Asians in general to identify more with their heritage is because when other people look at me, they don't see an American, they see a Korean. The ethnicity that people automatically assume you're American is white or black, everybody else regardless of where they are born is considered not American at first.

Who here hasn't heard comments like: "You're English is so good." Or "If there was a war between Korea and the US which side would you choose?" It's ignorant people like that who put the Japanese in internment camps in WWII but left the Germans alone because they are white.

I've gotten the English comment several times.
The first day of my composition class this year during role call. The teacher called out some name like "So Jung Yang" and just stared at me waiting for me to raise my hand. He was pretty surprised when I raised my hand to a German surname. haha.

What I get is "Where are you from? China?" "No." "Japan?" "No." "Vietnam?" "No." "Well where else is there?"
Or "Are you from the good Korea or the bad Korea?"
Or "How do you say _____ in Chinese?"
Or "Do you like crab meat ragoons?"

 

[jawnly211]

i have to agree with a lot that has been said in this post

i remember growing up there was a big difference in korea-born kids (the 1.5 generation) and the america-born kids (the 2nd generation).......esp in college when you have the international students coming to the states to study.......alot of schools even had two different korean organizations.........KASA and KISA

the international students would look down on american born koreans because we can not speak korean well......the 2nd gen. not being korean enough

the american born students would laugh at the international kids and consider them fobby

i guess it's all part of growing up

i hope things have changed since i was in undergrad (90's)

regardless.........as i look back, it was pretty silly........i also had plenty of hapa friends growing up (1/2 white or black, 1/2 korean).........they tended to stick to their korean side more.........maybe because that's all we hung out with

so for all the kids in the midwest.........i really hope you all get a chance to experience korea one day........if not, then come out to LA........it's close enough 👍

 

[NotCoy]

Oh.. I might have touched a sensitive issue the other day. I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I had no idea of 'looking down on american born koreans for not being able to speak korean'. I thought the other way around. Since those international students(including me.. even though I'm a permanant resident) don't speak English fluently, I thought they would be looked down. When I said I felt uncomfortable with Koreans born and raised in the States, that was just my problem. I tend to be very shy around Koreans who speak English and keep quiet because I am afraid that someone would make fun of my English. Another reason was that even though I understood English, the content didn't make sense to me. 🙁 Maybe those international students who went to college with some of you were very arrogant and afraid of the same issue that I have. (English problem or cultural difference~ haha) Don't worry people! As long as I know, nobody in Korea will look down on you for not speaking korean. (but could recommend you to learn Korean🙂) They will be jealous of you for living in the States. Korean people still have a huge fantacy about living in America. (like American dream)

I want to confess that what I'm scared of the most at this time is the fact that I have to study the didactic materials surrounded by native speakers and get used to a lot of American things. Three years has not been enough for me to completely settle down and get used to this new environment. (mainly because the only person I hung out was my husband.. haha) So I have to make some serious effort to break the gap(not only with american born koreans.. but with everyTHING!). plus I need to study like crazy in pharmacy school too.

 

[jawnly211]

notcoy

where do you live now? where do you goto school?

 

[Iwill]

I'm not a pre-pharm person.. but I just wanted to say that I am Korean!!

In fact I'm lving in korea right now.

I'm a pre med here.🙂

 

[Perseverance]

Hey guys! I'm a full korean, born and raised in Chicago. I'm glad I'm not the only korean in this forum haha. Are any of you still finishing up pre-reqs or working on your bachelors?

 

[sunrise88]

Hi.
I am new to this forum.
I am a korean girl in Canada who is currently attending university of toronto pharmacy.
I was born in korea and speak korean as fluently as english.
Anyways, it would be interesting to compare pharmacy program in canada to that of in the states.

 

[AMG CYN]

oppa!!! hahahhah! i don't really do this forum stuff and i certainly don't post...but i just had to when i saw jawnly211!! hahahha! see u on saturday...

might as well post while i'm here...

hello~ i'm new to this whole forum business. i'm korean, born and raised in LA (Los Angeles, not Louisiana).

this is interesting~ 😛 (these little faces are so cute..haha)

i have to agree with a lot that has been said in this post

i remember growing up there was a big difference in korea-born kids (the 1.5 generation) and the america-born kids (the 2nd generation).......esp in college when you have the international students coming to the states to study.......alot of schools even had two different korean organizations.........KASA and KISA

the international students would look down on american born koreans because we can not speak korean well......the 2nd gen. not being korean enough

the american born students would laugh at the international kids and consider them fobby

i guess it's all part of growing up

i hope things have changed since i was in undergrad (90's)

regardless.........as i look back, it was pretty silly........i also had plenty of hapa friends growing up (1/2 white or black, 1/2 korean).........they tended to stick to their korean side more.........maybe because that's all we hung out with

so for all the kids in the midwest.........i really hope you all get a chance to experience korea one day........if not, then come out to LA........it's close enough 👍