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Author Topic: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.  (Read 951 times)

Offline bosun

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The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« on: January 05, 2012, 01:04:39 AM »
I haven't spoken to anyone whose native language was English in 6 years. :o

I know there are 4 or 5 teachers floating around my town, and I saw one the other day while I was on holiday. I thought yahoo! But.. he looked at me with blank eyes and took a left turn :(

That's when I got to thinking- jeezzz how long has it been. Six years! Got to be the saddest record.

My wife, girls (step), and a few korean friends speak OK English, and my korean is a little more than ordinary, so I'm not about to throw myself off a bridge. But **** me! Too long!

Anyway, can any one beat me and claim the gold medal?
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Online justanotherwaygook

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2012, 01:23:46 AM »
How have you gone six years?  Where have you lived?  Do you work in a hagwon or public school?  There's been no orientations?  Never a trip to Seoul/Itaewon etc.?  I'd like to know more because I find it hard to believe.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2012, 01:28:59 AM by justanotherwaygook »
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Offline bosun

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2012, 01:36:23 AM »
I've been self employed for the past 4 years, and before that I only worked with Korean people.
The last contact I had was in Incheon, and before that, 5 years in Cheong-ju.

When I think about it (now), it's a really strange situation.

I swear, I have lost some English.
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Offline bosun

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2012, 01:48:17 AM »
Absolutely true. It kind of shocked me as well. Time just goes!

I work 12 hours a day, six days a week, and I have only been to Itaewon once (7 years ago). Never to greater Seoul.

The story for a number of years now.

I'm not moaning, just surprised.

Anyway, this year, I've cut my hours back, so maybe I can get to Cheong-ju for a night out.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2012, 01:49:55 AM by bosun »
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Online justanotherwaygook

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2012, 02:11:18 AM »
This is strange, indeed.  May I ask where you're from?  Never a visit to the home country?

It sounds like you live in a small rural town, eh?  Interesting situation.

I guess I just assumed virtually all foreigners were connected to at least one other in some way.  How did you wind up in Korea in the first place?
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Offline bosun

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2012, 02:30:15 AM »
From NZ.

Got tired of teaching public school in NZ.

Caught an ad in the paper for Japan.

Drove down the highway for an interview, changed my mind and went home.

Bought a paper on the way.

Saw an ad for Korea.

Got the job.

Came here 3 weeks later.

It was the late 90's.

Got married (I was divorced)

My Korean wife was widow, with 2 young girls.

We all got along fine.

Married a few years later.

Went back to NZ in 2004 for 3 days (mother died)

Worked ass off.

Now own a small business.



That's the whole story (minus the gory details).

Had a few mates in the early years, but life moves on. I got busy and that was that!



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Offline Frozencat99

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2012, 11:31:10 AM »
Friends from home don't call? Family?

I talk to native English speakers once or twice a week and that's excluding the foreigners in my town (and the one I work with). Friends Skype call me fairly frequently.

I can't imagine 6 years of no one back home ever contracting me.
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Offline purpleradish

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2012, 11:49:52 AM »
Fascinating! I guess from your explanation it's true... but wow!
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Offline #basedcowboyshirt

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2012, 01:48:52 PM »
Quote from: Frozencat99 on January 05, 2012, 11:31:10 AM
Friends from home don't call? Family?

I talk to native English speakers once or twice a week and that's excluding the foreigners in my town (and the one I work with). Friends Skype call me fairly frequently.

I can't imagine 6 years of no one back home ever contracting me.

Man, the OP is the epitome of #basedlife. He literally lives his own way, on his on rules. He doesn't #cook how society tells him to. Good for him. I mean, a lot of us think talking to people is necessary and  crucial, but he totally dispoves that and doesn't take any guff from anybody.

Good on you, OP. #cook it like that!
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Offline woman-king

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2012, 03:55:00 PM »
6 years?    :o

It will be two weeks this weekend and yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing my foreigner friends.  Korean has not come easily to me, and I start to feel a little zombie-like and disconnected from the world if I don't interact with a few other native English speakers for too long.  I only have one co-teacher who is close to being fluent, otherwise trying to communicate in English or Korean with anyone else is a lot of extra work and mentally exhausting (for me).

But if you speak fluent Korean and have a Korean wife and family that would be totally different from my situation.
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Offline Mezoti97

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2012, 03:45:37 PM »
Today. I have foreign co-workers, so every day I talk to native English speakers.

But when I used to be the only foreign teacher at my previous schools, I would say that I talked to a native English speaker (a fellow friend who taught in a different part of Korea faraway from me) maybe once a week to a few times a week on the phone.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2012, 03:47:10 PM by Mezoti97 »
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Offline Daantaat

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2012, 12:57:55 PM »
Christmas Day. But I didn't talk. I just listened to my mother blather on. Still, she's a native speaker, so I guess that counts?
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Offline Jeff619

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2012, 01:43:21 PM »
I hung out with some Brit friends over the weekend but it was almost more difficult to understand them compared to Korean.  I swear I had to stop them every sentence or so to ask what something meant.
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Offline profmiscreant

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Re: The last time you talked to a native English speaker.
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2012, 02:22:16 PM »
Yesterday, but I live in a city that has a very close-knit foreigner community. I look at my experiences in the last three years and compare them to my friends who spent the same amount of time in other towns and cities and know that my experience is a bit unusual and that I'm very lucky. In addition to the new friends I've been able to make, I still know around ten people who I met when I landed way back when.
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