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Feel free to write about your opinion of Korea here, culture shock,
and any particular episodes you have had.
By sharing the difficulties that you have had, you can help others no end.
 
 
A Seoulite Friend from the Hell !
NameJoan Signdate01-02-2003 23:53:46
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Comments I understood what you have bad memories in Korea, I think she was very nervous and did not know what she had done. Just I want to say to you "forget it and have a safety journey.
Atilla wrote.

:I really do not know how to start,but I think this is the right board to share the very bad experience of my life in Seoul.
:First of all let me tell you   I love both Korea and its people and I still have no bias against any, even after such a bad experience..
:
:I am a tour guide in Turkey in various languages managing territorial tours all over the country.
:Last season I have been the guide for a small group of Korean tourists which gave me a great chance to meet these nice,friendly people. Some of the tourists in my group even kept in touch with me and we have been friends even after my work has finished.
:One of the female Korean tourists that I have been the guide for, has even been sincere friend with me and we kept writing&messaging for almost a year.I was really very happy that I made a true friend with whom I can share things..Later on she began telling me that she missed me and asked me several times to come to Seoul to visit her.Let me make it clear that as we both were happily married, our friendship was just a friendship without any bad intention at all.I really appreciated and liked her as she was quite honest and friendly with me..
:I decided to visit her as I was already interested in Korean culture and language.But my purpose would be mainly visiting her more than other reasons.(Because I already had future plans to learn Korean)So I asked her just to make sure whether she would have time to spend with me and she said of course and she could spend the whole day and all her leave with a friend like me..Trusting her words I planned to stay 2 weeks in Seoul just to be able to spend with my dear friend..
:However things started changing...Before I arrive at Seoul she told me that she cannot pick me up as the airport was far,I understood that and anyway I would not want to bother her at all. When I arrived at Seoul I already had problems with the guest house which I described in another post below...I tried to call her from the guest house but, hey, she didn't pick up the phone for a long time even after several times ringing...Thinking that she might be busy I gave another call after a few hours and she answered with a reluctant voice and said she can meet me anytime anywhere..We met in front of Yonsei University and -as I know Korea is still a pretty homogenous country- we only shook hands and proceeded to have lunch together.I was very happy to see my friend finally and so was she..Second day we met again this time she took me to Nangdaemun Market and Doksugung palace..
:All this while she seemed very happy to see me, her eyes were smiling with my existence next to her and she even began holding my hand which honestly made me believe that she was truely a warm and nice friend. She also mentioned a few times how much she had missed me..All this while she did not talk much(Also due to the reason that she wasn't fluent in practical English)After the second day she said "see you" and hugged me.
:Following day onwards very strange things started to occur.I couldn't reach her by phone even though I knew she was off-day.When I reached her she was just hanging up.When I sent an e-mail to her she said she is too busy with her workshop,and do not feel well either.I still said ok to myself and thought that she really might be so..But even after 4 th,5 th and 6 th day onwards I couldnt reach her,all along she hanged up my phone..I decided to send her a mail and did so, asking why she was behaving this way and reminding her that I actually came to Seoul for her,sacrificing from my leave,time and work and my days were being wasted as I have no idea about where to go or what to do as I simply trusted what she promised to me that she would spend all the time with me.. Finally she replied to me by e-mail saying that she really apologize and take the responsibility as she invited me to Seoul but she is too busy with her workshops(she was a teacher)and she already feel bad that she left me alone and she will never forget my friendship..
:
:In Brief I had 2 empty boring cold weeks all alone by myself with no guide no friend to help and with language problems...
:All these were ok as I am used to being alone on holidays but what bothered me was I was simply stood up for no reason by an irresponsible so-called friend!
:She even blocked me from her mails and would not answer her phones at all when I call..(simply with the fear of being scolded by me probably)
:What I do not understand is how can such a nice person do such an evil act to desert a friend alone and not explain a single thing?(Although I learned she wasn't,after all)
:I understand that she is married and probably her husband got jealous but ours was just an innocent friendship,I guess there should be nothing to be so as we both are happily married..
:She was probably afraid of making explanations to me that is why she blocked my mails and did not answer phones.But hey,she was the one who invited me and assured me that our friendship would never end I was very sure I did not say&do anything wrong at all (If I did she would tell me as we have really been sincere with each other during our email correspondence)
:Another reason could be that she wouldn't want to be seen around with a foreigner because of some old fashioned Korean men staring at her with hatred and jealosy.(She would again tell me if this was the reason but did not!)
:
:I am now pretty disappointed and disgusted to be in such a situation that I even changed my further plan of enrolling a language course to learn Korean in Seoul as I simply would not want to go back to Seoul again(I am not biased but very disappointed with a Seoulite as a result if this incident,even sorry to say but the image of nice Koreans have changed in mind,although I know she doesn't represent the whole Koreans.)
:I do not want to believe that Seoulites are all like this as I met wonderful and helpful people all over Seoul during my stay,however my so-called friend was unfortunately not one of them..
:I still hold my plans to come back to Korea to learn Korean and Korean people probably,but this time I changed my plan from Seoul to Daegu due to the bad experience I described above.I still believe that there are plenty of nice Koreans to meet and I can make new friends and meet wonderful people in Korea...
:
:Shouldn't I?
:
:Thanks for reading..
:Atilla
Total Article : 39
(2/4)
No. File Subject Name Signdate Ref
29   Spoiled Tom28-08-2003 971
28   Summer Holiday John03-07-2003 972
27 gif Lovely Labyrinth of Camellias : Odongdo Island matengro26-02-2003 976
26     ¢º A Seoulite Friend from the Hell ! Joan01-02-2003 973
25         A Seoulite Friend from the Hell ! TM18-03-2003 975
24            hello! TM. jen11-12-2003 972
23      Sorry to hear that JongSoon Shin23-02-2003 971
22   The lord of the ring Mary14-01-2003 971
21   Happy Happy New Year Margarett30-12-2002 969
20 jpg If you are interested in Korea Percussion Music dulsori23-12-2002 974
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