Заключение

В ходе данного исследования мы попытались выяснить те особенности процесса адаптации европейских трудовых мигрантов - представителей стран Европы и Северной Америки - которые обусловлены их переездом в Южную Корею. Для реализации этой цели, мы рассмотрели мотивы, которыми руководствуются западные мигранты, когда принимают решение о переезде и основные цели, которые они преследуют; Выявили основные трудности, с которыми приходится сталкиваться европейским мигрантам в процессе их адаптации; определили факторы, которые способствуют более легкому протеканию этого процесса; а также выделили основные стратегии, которые применяют трудовые мигранты с Запада для интеграции в социально-экономическое пространство Южной Кореи.

Так, нам удалось классифицировать три основные категории мигрантов, которые приезжают в Южную Корею. Первая категория - это мигранты-студенты, для которых переезд в Южную Корею является первым этапом на пути к получению необходимой квалификации для дальнейшего трудоустройства в этой стране. Вторая категория - это мигранты-специалисты, уже имеющие профессиональное образование, в основном - инженерно-технического или IT профилей - и приезжают в Южную Корею с целью максимальной реализации своего карьерного потенциала. Последняя выделенная нами группа - это брачные мигранты, которые приехали в Корею за своими супругами, при этом также включены в ее экономическую среду.

Основными мотивами, которыми руководствуются европейские мигранты приезжая в такую расово отличительную страну, как Южная Корея, является, во-первых, получение специфические профессиональных навыков: Корея заслуженно считается центром рождения новых технологий и является родиной таких компаний-гигантов, как Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia. Работа в одной из этих компаний или же просто трудоустройство в сфере IT в Южной Корее, открывает, по словам наших респондентов, новые двери в их карьере. Во-вторых, одним из мотивов, которым руководствуются мигранты-студенты, является желание получить образование за рубежом: важную роль при этом сыграл такой фактор, как его большая доступность в Южной Корее по сравнению со странами Европы и США. Своеобразным комлементарным мотивом для двух предыдущих служит заинтересованность в культуре Южной Кореи. И наконец, последним выявленным нами мотивом оказалось наличие романтических или супружеских отношений с представителями Кореи.

Большинство трудностей, с которыми сталкиваются западные мигранты в процессе адаптации происходят из их принадлежности к другой расе и закрепившегося в связи с этим за мигрантами образом «белого человека». Наши респонденты часто упоминали об элементах проявления дискриминации по отношению к ним и ущемления их интересов как на рабочем месте, так и в быту, из-за чего они чувствуют постоянное напоминание об их «чуждости». Так, в рабочих отношениях к европейским мигрантам часто не относятся всерьез и считают их менее компетентными, чем работников-корейцев. Так, отчасти эта проблема связана с тем, что мигранты не являются естественными носителями корейского языка, из-за чего они их другие рабочие навыки также ставятся под сомнение. Нередки случаи дискриминации и в обыденной жизни: недобросовестно выполненные услуги или намеренное завышение цен - то, с чем часто приходилось сталкиваться нашим респондентам.

Однако европейская внешность мигрантов нередко также играет им на руку: например, европейским девушкам легче получить подработку, чем девушкам с азиатской внешностью, а западным мигрантам в целом чаще оказывают небольшие услуги на работе и дарят небольшие подарки при покупке в быту. Важнейшим же фактором, который, по мнению наших респондентов, способствовал их адаптации, является наличие сетей социальных связей, причем особое значение отводится социальным контактам с соотечественниками или другими мигрантами, говорящими на языке респондента. Знание корейского языка также является основным инструментом, с помощью которого возможна интеграция в южнокорейское общество. Кроме того, смена и разнообразие социальных ролей помогает мигрантам глубже укрепиться в социально-экономическую среду Южной Кореи.

Главными стратегиями интеграции западных мигрантов, которые нам удалось выявить в ходе нашего исследования, являются стратегия подражания и стратегия принятия образа. Первая стратегия подразумевает перенимание тех паттернов поведения социальных и экономических отношений, которым следуют их коллеги-корейцы. Однако в силу влияния образа «белого человека» применение этой стратегии не всегда бывает эффективно, поэтому европейским мигрантам приходится находить другие возможные пути интеграции в сложившуюся экономическую культуру. Так, одним из них является демонстрирование большого количества усилий, прилагаемых к выполнению рабочих обязанностей, которое, по словам наших респондентов, помогло им завоевать доверие среди своих коллег и начальства. Другой отличительной стратегией интеграции является так называемое принятие образа, в ходе которого западные мигранты воздействуют на саму адаптирующую среду путем использования своей инаковости. Применение этой стратегии очень точно было названо одним из наших респондентов «сыграть картой иностранца»: европейские мигранты используют тот устоявшийся образ «белого человека» себе в плюс, находя альтернативные подходы к разрешению проблемных ситуаций. Например, западные мигранты могут включаться в открытый диалог с начальством, избегая при этом серьезных социальных санкций, что не могли бы сделать их корейские коллеги. Стоит заметить также, что две описанные стратегии не являются взаимоисключающими и могут быть взаимозаменяемы в зависимости от конкретных условий.

Наконец, интересным открытием нашего исследования оказался тот факт, что абсолютное большинство опрошенных нами европейских мигрантов не готовы остаться в Южной Корее на постоянное место жительства. Как выяснилось, большинство из них рассматривает данный этап своей жизни как промежуточный пункт перед возвращением на родину или миграцией в другие страны, необходимый для накопления сбережений и/или получения определенного профессионального опыта.

Таким образом, можем заключить, что в целом социальная адаптация и интеграция европейских мигрантов в социально-экономическое пространство Южной Кореи действительно имеет уникальные особенности, объяснимые, в первую очередь, существующей экономической культурой в Корее, и во-вторых - фактом большой этнической дистанции между мигрантами и гражданами принимающей страны. Однако, на наш взгляд, изучение данной проблемы нуждается в более детальном анализе в рамках других теоретических концепций. В связи с минимальным количеством исследований, посвященных адаптации западных трудовых мигрантов в азиатских странах, мы считаем необходимым продолжить углубленную разработку данной тематики.

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Приложение

Гайд интервью (на русском языке)

Общая информация о респонденте:

Имя

Возраст

Национальность

Срок проживания в Корее

Наличие и место работы (или факт обучения в высшем учебном заведении)

Мотивация:

Как Вы приняли решение приехать в Корею? Почему?

Что послужило решающим фактором в Вашем решении?

Какова была Ваша исходная цель?

Барьеры:

Каково, на Ваш взгляд, было отношение к Вам со стороны местного населения, когда Вы только приехали в страну? Каково было отношение к Вам на работе?

Чувствовали ли Вы, что «выделяетесь» среди других людей? Как это проявлялось?

Действительно ли, на Ваш взгляд, европейцы сталкиваются с «особым» отношением со стороны корейцев?

Как это проявляется (примеры - на собственном опыте или опыте друзей)?

Какой характер носит подобное отношение (негативное или позитивное)?

Насколько часто Вам приходится сталкиваться с подобными ситуациями?

Как Вы обычно на них реагируете?

Переживали ли Вы когда-нибудь ситуации, когда в связи с тем фактом, что Вы европеец, Вам отказывали в каких-то услугах или выполняли их ненадлежащим образом (недобросовестно)? Приведите примеры.

Какие трудности Вы считаете самыми значительными, с которыми Вам приходилось сталкиваться до сих пор?

Факторы, способтсвующие адаптации:

Что помогало Вам привыкнуть к новой обстановке больше всего?

Стремились или стремитесь ли Вы сами заводить знакомства с корейскими людьми? С соотечественниками? С людьми, которые говорят на вашем языке?

В каких ситуациях это обычно происходило?

Можете ли Вы примерно (в процентах) оценить долю Ваших корейских друзей из общего числа друзей? Долю иностранцев?

Стратегии интеграции:

Изменилось ли отношение к Вам на работе со временем? Каким образом? Предпринимали ли Вы что-то специально для этого?

Испытали ли Вы культурный шок по приезде в Корею?

Что в южнокорейской рабочей культуре Вам показалось наиболее отличным от европейской?

Назовите самые большие расхождения в поведении корейцев и европейцев в каких-либо ситуациях, с которыми Вам приходилось сталкиваться на работе или в бытовых отношениях.

Отличались ли Ваши реакции по началу, когда Вы только приехали в страну, и сейчас, когда Вы уже живете здесь довольно продолжительный срок? Каким образом, в какую сторону произошли изменения?

Как Вы обычно себя ведете в таких ситуациях: действуете так, как привыкли, или поступаете так, как принято в Корее?

Удалось ли, по Вашему мнению, преодолеть те трудности, с которыми Вы столкнулись? Если да, то каким образом? Если нет, то как Вы научились приспосабливаться к ним?

Дополнительный блок:

Хотите ли Вы остаться в Корее на постоянной основе?

Какие факторы или события могли бы повлиять на Ваше решение остаться?

Какие факторы или события заставят Вас передумать?

Гайд интервью (на английском языке)

General information:

Name

Age

Nationality

Studying or working in Korea? Where?

How long have you been living in Korea?

Motivation:

How did you decide to come to Korea? Why?

What were the factors that made you make this decision?

What was your initial purpose?

Difficulties:

In your opinion, how the local people treated you when you just came to the country? How was it at the workplace?

Did you feel that you “stand out” from the others (you are not like the others)? How could you feel that?

Has it changed with time? In what way?

Do you think that European people face any type of “special treat” from the locals?

How can you say so? (examples: your experience or experience of your friends)

What sort of treat exactly it usually is (positive or negative)?

How frequently you experience this sort of situations?

What usually your reaction is?

Have you ever experienced situations when local people refused you in something or didn't provide you with a proper service because of the fact that you are European?

Can you recall any examples?

What difficulties you suppose the most significant that you had to experience so far?

Facilitating factors:

What helped you to adjust the most in Korea?

Have you ever tried to initiate new acquaintances with Korean people (by yourself)? With the people who speak your language? Who are from the same country?

How it usually happened?

Can you approximately measure the percentage of your friend among Koreans? Foreigners?

Integration strategies:

Have the attitude towards you changed at work with the time? In what way? Did you do something for that?

Have you experienced a cultural shock when you first came to Korea?

What did you find most different in Korean corporate culture compare to the European one?

Can you recall some examples of situations that you experienced where the behaviors of Korean and European people at the workplace are different?

Has your reaction changed with time while you are living here? In what way?

How do you usually behave in this kind of situations: you do as you are used to or you follow the way it's done in Korea?

Do you think you succeeded to overcome the difficulties you experienced? How?

If not, how did you become used to handle them?

Additional information:

Do you want to stay in Korea on a permanent basis?

What factors or events can influence your decision?

What factors or events can make you change your mind?

Пример транскрипта

Hi! Thank you for participating in my research! To start with, can you please introduce yourself? What is your name, what is your age and where are you from?

Okay. My name is Turki. I'm from the UK and 28 years old.

Okay. And as I understood, you got a job in Korea and now you're working there, right?

Yes. After I graduated from a Korean university I joined the company called “SK” as for designing and engineering.

I got it. So how long have you been in Korea so far?

I've been in Korea for just about 5 years.

Oh, that's quite a long!

Yeah. I came to Korea in 2009 in March. And so now I just…yeah, 3 years in university and 2 years at the company.

Okay, so how did you first decide to come to Korea?

Well, at that time I had an associate degree: it's a degree below the bachelor degree. And I was pursuing master degree but I didn't feel any more values in what I'm doing, so I wanted some fresh field. I knew some people around who were like “Let's go abroad, let's study in America”. But I didn't feel like going there I would be having such an amazing like…I mean all new experience. Maybe I would have a nice time, but I wouldn't have such a shocking experience. So I wanted to try something out of the Far East. So, China, Korea and Japan were the three options for me. And after a couple of days like thinking I chose Korea over these other two. And that's how I went here. It just that I wanted: new, fresh experience in my life.

And so did you know Korean language before you came to Korea?

No. After I decided to go to Korea I just learnt by myself how to read, very briefly. Just very-very basic: how to read and the alphabet is. Not much. And I learnt… when I came to Korea I had a 1 year language program.

And when you first came to Korea, did you think about it as a place where you can stay for a long term period? So you can graduate university, you can get a job, you want to live here - did you think about it like this?

No, I think that…I was already preparing my mentality that things there are gonna be so different and I kept emphasizing this point before I go and live there. And that's shown me the way that kind of…I didn't even have any culture shock or I didn't have either plans or what things are gonna be. I was like “I'm going to expect the worst of all the changes”. So when I went there really thing I will live there and I didn't even think either that I'm gonna be back. I was just thinking like “okay, this is so far so good”. And even after all life I'll get used to it, maybe I'll move to another country, but I didn't really think that much, I didn't have a plan exactly.

As you already mentioned, you just wanted kind of fresh experience, right?

Yes. I wanted something different.

And you mentioned cultural shock. My next question actually is “have you experienced cultural shock when you first came to Korea?”

I do…I did of course. But it was very…how to say…late compare to others who joined with me at the same time. We are from the same country and all came as exchange students, so everybody experienced it very fast. I think because I was already expecting this shock I already knew that I'm gonna be shocked by so many things, so I expected the worst, but I didn't have any at the beginning. But after a while after I tried to be…I think it took me 3 month to just realize “okay, things here are really different”. And for me it's started as…communication, I didn't have so bad troubles with communication, because I think with me when they take us somewhere…there were few people who speak English and who care of us. So I didn't have problems with communications as much as with food. Communication in a way of a native language, but in a way how people see themselves… I didn't see those things. So that's why I think this is a deeper cultural shock than actual appearances of what people wear. So I think that's why it took me.

What did you find most different from the European culture compare to Korean culture?

Hmm. I think for me because I saw their culture as advanced culture…not culture, I saw the country as a very advanced country and I…somehow I had this thought that the more advanced the country the more the society is already advanced. Otherwise the progress wouldn't be happening. And I had great expectation of how individualistic is everyone in Korea and what everyone think of themselves, their dreams and who they really are. And this is what for me a culture shock: even though I expected the worst from everything, but because it's a very advanced country I expected the best when it comes to the society, values. And that was a culture shock for me - how everybody…like I didn't…I was not able to adapt because I'm different, I'm a foreigner. And being there I was reminded of that all the time. And I've been, how to say, pointed out like “Oh, you're different”. They see it as a positive thing but I was thinking about it as a negative thing, because like it is not gonna be easy to integrate myself - they keep reminding me. I mean that everyone was like the one and I am another one. This is what… I didn't expect that, at all.

That's very interesting point. Can you recall some most vivid examples of the situations you personally experienced where the behavior of Korean people and European people is totally different?

(thinking) Well, I think it's the group mentality. That's, for example, if you wake early and you didn't eat any breakfast, it's very easy if you like… you came late and because you didn't eat your breakfast, so you have brought with you some small sandwiches or something to eat. And you are going to the class or the office or workshop and you start thinking to yourself like `heck, whatever, no one even looks or think different of it”. But in Korea if someone would have like something to eat at the class they would have to share, so that means that they would actually have to bring for everyone. At the beginning I thought it's just like a gesture, they like to share. But I think it's not just like to share, it's a social pressure, because you're not used to that all thinking as a group. So I remember this one time, I was in laboratory and I had…I liked to eat chocolate, a little bit of chocolate after lunch. So I had my chocolate with me at that time, and everybody was giving me a look. I felt like I'm in a high school or no one has seen chocolate before. You know, I was like “oh, why everybody doing that?” and later on they've been looking in a way that “can you share with me?”, but I was like “Oh, it's a small chocolate”, so I didn't think about even share. Later of course I suddenly realized how everybody behaves when they eat something. And then I was asking my friends and I just realized that people, if they see you eating something, they want to have some of it. And this is a normal idea, because “we are a group, we are together”. So they wouldn't eat by themselves: it is like a selfish act. This is for me was very-very different approach to food. Of sharing I guess, this idea to share.

How about some manner of communication? For example, between youngest and older people - how about that?

I don't know… because for me… my parent taught me that children should respect their parents, but not just respect because they are their parents, but because they are older and somehow wiser. Maybe if you was in Europe I would face that more, but for me I didn't really get so much affected with it. But I still have this small shock with it, because people would…it looks like they are following their seniors blindly. Of course it's not just blindly, but…when experience, for example, when a teacher would say “read this from here to here” and he didn't realize that everybody cannot just worship the seniority. And I would raise my hand and say “sorry, teacher, from this point to this point - we didn't learn that part”. And everybody was considering me in a way a hero, but at the same time not that hero that they want to be, and it's kind of “oh, that is good that we have a foreigner here”.

But can't point it out...

Yeah, can't point it out. And so I was like “okay, you don't need to…he didn't mean it”. So I think here this is a thing that to raise your opinion over the others' is not very common. Even now, when I'm working at the company it's really rare to see someone who…to see a junior like having an opinion after their seniors put it. That's very rare to see.

And how about this all social hierarchy, this seniors-juniors thing? What do you think about it?

Well, that's interesting because… I think my opinion wouldn't, how to say, represent foreigners, but because I meet some friends after I started the university and we were talking about Korean culture and confessions, because I felt like so many people were talking about how the confession affecting all the Korean culture and this seniors-juniors and say like “oh, it's stupid, these young minds talk and think about things”. And I meant that how that relationship is not the one hierarchy: it's a two-way relationship that junior wouldn't do that until the senior is actually responsible, because for us it's individual, and individual have a mutual understanding and mutual relationships. “I would give you something and you would give me the same”. There it's like exactly the same relationships. But in Korea a senior would actually give more and they would take responsibility. In exchange juniors would pay more, and listen more, and kind of respect that authority. It's kind of inner system; they have to have seniors but they would do a lot of things in these relationships. So I didn't see it as a bad thing, I thought “as long as a senior is doing his job there is nothing bad that juniors listening and bowing”.

Okay, that's interesting. And can you say how do you usually behave in the situations that you can face in European cultures and that is different in Korea? You usually do like you're used to or you follow the way like it's done in Korea?

I would say that in the beginning I wanted just to be myself, but then I thought if I'm not ready to change then I'm no gonna enjoy this experience. So I found that thing that after 1 year living in Korea I've decided that I will do it this way: I will be involved, I will loose my identity and be absorbed by Korea, doing all my actions in a Korean way. Then leaving my “foreigner card” with me: whenever I feel like “okay, this I can't do, not now, this is too much”, I would raise that. For example, I would be at the company and they would feel like going for a company dinner, and of course if the seniors say that everybody just follow. I could easily just say like “I don't want to” and I would be fine and they wouldn't freak out, because I'm a foreigner. At the same time I was like “oh, it would be nice to just involve and I would be one of them”. So I would do that, but of course, for example, if they continue until midnight and I don't want to continue more, I would just raise that card again and say “oh, I cannot do this” and leave. That's. I think I'm more of the one involving, I enjoy actually going there: I feel like I'm doing a role play, but all the time - is just stressful.

When you first came to Korea what in your opinion helped to adjust to the new place the most?

What do you mean?

Like did you have some people that could support you or maybe before you came to Korea you started learning Korean language, some reading skills, writing skills, comprehension skills, or maybe you studied the culture.

I think for me it was the buddy club, I think you know what it is. In our university there is kind of a club for foreigners, where Koreans want to help foreigners. So they would spread these activities and they would take care of them once they arrived, and help them to buy things. And for me it was very-very…the biggest thing to overcome the culture shock for me, I felt like “they are nice and now it's my turn to try myself”. I think that's one of the biggest things that helped me to adjust to Korean culture and Korean life at the beginning. And this group of Koreans would assign one or two Koreans to their foreigners and they would help them all the time. Later on I joined the buddy club and I became a buddy myself.

Okay, got it. In your opinion how the local people treated you when you just came to the country?

I think curiosity would be the main here. Because, for example, if I would be walking on the street and I would have curly hair naturally - for Koreans this is not very common, and only vey old ladies would have that (laughing). So people on the streets would be like “Oh, look!”, especially 5 years ago - things have changed now: there were only 5-6 thousand foreigners, but now there are 2 millions…Things have changed so much for these 5 years. Now I don't get this look at all. That time I mean walking on the streets and people would easily just like “Oh, there is a foreigner”, they would have this shy look, and they would try to tell their friends “Look, there is a foreigner”. Not in a bad a or a good way, it's more about curiosity. I think it's like being…I don't know. It seems like seeing something unexpected. And the old ladies would stop and try to touch my hair (laughing), “Oh my god, this is natural?”, and I would be like “Yes, really, it's natural”. But I think it was more of a curiosity, more than anything. People would be like “where are you from?” and those things. After a while it became…I see a bad thing about that because I think they think of themselves as very normal and they think of me as a very exotic thing. So, they asked so many questions and at the beginning it's kind of freaking that people would care and ask you more of these questions, but later you start to feel that you're giving so much information but you're not hearing from them. Because at some point you want actually to know these people, like you're asking me “where are you from?”, but at the same time it's very natural usually for a friendship to ask “okay, what about you? What is your major?”. But they don't think that these things are very important at all, they would just dismiss it or answer very shortly, like “oh, it's not important, what about you now?”. This kind of attitude. It's of a good nature of course.

What you're saying is that first time when you came, 5 years ago, first thing they paid attention to was your appearance?

Yes. They wanted to guess where I am from and until they ask they would judge based on what they expect…they would try to reflect it based on your background.

Because of that, did you feel that you like stand out from the other people?

Stand out…yeah, I wouldn't say stand up, just stand out, yeah.

Anyway you had a feeling that you're not like the others?

Yes, yes. And they would keep me reminded of that all the time. Even now.

Can you say how is it shown that you always stand out, you are always reminded that you're not like other people here?

Okay, I will give you two examples. One from 5 years ago at the university level. That time when I go to the class and I've already been at the university for a year, I'm now used to it and just naturally getting my courses and go to the classed where I signed to. But the moment I go to the class everybody would just look “Oh my god, we have a foreigner in the class”. And they would see what I'm writing, if I'm doing the homework. There are always more eyes to me, and the teacher when he came for the class at the first time was like “Oh, there is a foreigner” and he would ask me right away “You. What's your name and where are you from? And how come you're studying here?”, those things. So you always feel that you're receiving different treatment. Later on even here, at the company, for example, still if you do something very-very simple, like you just eat with your coworkers, for example, they are eating barbeque and you just eat with them naturally, but they still would be like “wow! You're using these chopsticks so nice!” or “wow! You like Korean food!”. This is what I mean: they remind me that “you're different”. This is what I meant.

Okay, I got it. Do you think that foreigners here face any kind of special treatment from Korean people?

I would say yes, but not as bad as paraphrased in the media.

Not necessary a bad thing! It can be also a good thing.

I mean like it's not always bad…They don't get that much…There is a difference, when they see me with my friends and they approach us and asked where we are from, so they have this idea of each country be like…you know like hierarchy is in the nature of their society, there is this kind of similar hierarchy. It's not like very-very bad thing, it's not like “okay, you're not eating this because you are from this country”. But it's more like in the way they see…for example, if I told them that there is this guy from Mongolia and this guy from Bangladesh and the other guy from, I don't know, Finland. In your mind, even though it's like…how to say, it's our unconscious that we already put a Bangladesh guy a little bit lower than a Finnish guy in term of education. We, how to say, foresee that this Bangladesh guy have…there is a higher change that this guy have less education than the Finnish guy. And I think this is how they see things, a little bit slightly like this. In a way that, for example, if I'm with a couple of friends and they [Koreans] would ask us where we are from, the first thing is skin color. I think there is a difference…I still feel it. It means that if your skin color is white or if it's dark. I wouldn't say that they discriminate against the darker skin, but I think it's a “positive” discrimination toward the white. So they would be like “okay, we're favoring the European as well as American”. They would favor American over the African or, I don't know, South Asian. Something like that.

You know, in one of the interview before, I had this opinion that Koreans really put American on the top, more than the other nations. Do you think this is true?

I think because most of the foreigners in Korea are either American or South Asians, so in that case America would be on the top. Because not so many Europeans come actually. But if they come either from Europe of from Canada they would be on the top over Americans, simply because they see them as more intelligent. That's all.

Have you ever experienced yourself the situations where you were treated specially by Korean people? It's not necessary a bad way, there could be some positive way too. Can you recall?

I think… I think it would be like…when the people ask me like where people ask me where I am from and I say that I'm from the UK, they would be like “really? People from the UK usually have lighter skin”. Then I try to explain that “oh, I don't know, maybe because I'm originally from Saudi Arabia, that why I'm different”, but anyway if I would be with the other Saudi guy who has darker skin than me, and they would say simple like “oh, you have a better face” or “you have a handsome face” or something like that. And because of that that can do like “I will tell you this” or “I will help you with this”. It doesn't look so official…it looks more like a joke, but I get actual advantage over this.

How frequently you experience kind of these things?

(thinking) I think at the beginning it was more, but now because I'm working it's different, because I don't interact with so many new people that much, so I don't really feel…Because at the university level I used to feel like this treatment once a week at least, this kind of special treatment. But once I joined the company I don't feel it that much anymore, because of the environment at work.

And what usually you reaction was?

It depends on my mood, but usually I would…you know, if it's a good advantage to me I would laugh about it, if it's a good thing. If it's a bad thing toward me I would try to explain why it is different…not explain why this is bad, but try to ask like “Why would you do that?” And if they would deny and they would joke or things like this, I would just pass on. There is no need to go on.

Has it changed with time? Maybe first time you were more emotional about that and now you just don't care…

I think because in the beginning I used to…the first couple of times to my advantage, so I didn't…I kind of expected that, so I didn't.

Okay. Let's move on to the next question. Have you ever experienced situations when Korean people refused you in something or didn't provide you with a proper service because of the fact that you are from a foreign country?

That's a lot, a lot of times. But it's not…I would see it even in Europe too, but [in Korea] I think that's just a new thing. But first I said yes, it happened a lot, to a lot of foreigners.

Can you give me some example?

An example would be like I want to get a phone, for example, or you want to get some papers from the government or you want to buy a computer…not just a laptop, but you want actually build a computer from a shop. And whatever you are doing that might involve some paper work or some different procedure because you're a foreigner. Because of the Korean system they would be hesitant or they would just simply refuse servicing you because it's not so beneficial for them, you're not that much of a value because from a point of business I mean. “If I try to sell phone and I can do it for Korean in 5 minutes, but in you case I don't even know the system and I need to ask around and I need to feel embarrassed first, I will just say that I don't know because it doesn't “cost” so much”. So really would get that a lot. So of it needs some papers or paper works they would likely to do it. And lately, for example, for me buying a car. I wanted to buy a used car, and went I went to the store, of course, there was so much paper work and insurances, but because of I'm a foreigner there were like a few extra papers and…they still not sure, they don't want to make something wrong and maybe not lose the money at the end. So it's not risky they would like…oh, I had this guy, I saw this guy…I mean you saw number on it, so you're like “how much is it?” and they would be like “oh, sorry, we're not selling”. And then I saw another guy who just got a price. But I understand it know, it's just about how difficult it is sometimes to deal with a foreigner for them. So for them it's just easier to refuse it.

And how frequently you experienced this kind of situations?

A total rejection is not that much…maybe couple of times a year. But more kind of when they're hesitant and they would be like…they ask me something and they'd be like “Hmm” and they have to ask their friends how to do that and only after that they can say “Okay, we will try”. So this kind of approach…I think I would face it. Every time I try to do any thing that requires papers I able to see this almost every time.

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