A thread for pointless Friday ramblings.

My three yearly pilgrimage to the immigration office happened this morning. In and out in 5 minutes, all with a friendly chat with the young immi officer while he was organizing the info...need a new card as well as an F6 update. This used to be a slightly harrowing visit in days gone by...never knowing if you'd get a Gestapo officer and if they wanted to grill you or even the ones that refuse to speak to you, but now it's a breeze...even somewhat enjoyable 

How come you didn't go for the F-5 when it was relatively easy to get? I didn't either and I regret because I ain't got time for the KIIP course and whatnot that they need now.
FYI, you can even do the renewal online. So I heard. Of course if you need a new card, then you must visit their office. But for a simple renewal, or reporting a new passport number for example, you can just do it online.

My three yearly pilgrimage to the immigration office happened this morning. In and out in 5 minutes, all with a friendly chat with the young immi officer while he was organizing the info...need a new card as well as an F6 update. This used to be a slightly harrowing visit in days gone by...never knowing if you'd get a Gestapo officer and if they wanted to grill you or even the ones that refuse to speak to you, but now it's a breeze...even somewhat enjoyable 

I did mine earlier this year. This time to Ansan rather than my usual Suwon. Suwon always had a "bad air" around it with the pretentious immi officers I encountered but maybe I got lucky at my first time in Ansan as the immi officer there was efficient and didn't waste time. It does help that you show up with every document that they need or otherwise it can be a right "clusterfuck". I actually left Ansan feeling happy with the whole encounter, the first time, I felt that from Korean immigration offices.

I did mine earlier this year. This time to Ansan rather than my usual Suwon. Suwon always had a "bad air" around it with the pretentious immi officers I encountered but maybe I got lucky at my first time in Ansan as the immi officer there was efficient and didn't waste time. It does help that you show up with every document that they need or otherwise it can be a right "clusterfuck". I actually left Ansan feeling happy with the whole encounter, the first time, I felt that from Korean immigration offices.

I never had any problems with the Suwon office, beyond how long it took me to get there and how long I had to wait around.  But, I was very happy when I was able to start using that new Ansan office at Gojan.  Easy trip for me on the subway and never has the same crowds.  In and out. 

How come you didn't go for the F-5 when it was relatively easy to get? I didn't either and I regret because I ain't got time for the KIIP course and whatnot that they need now.
FYI, you can even do the renewal online. So I heard. Of course if you need a new card, then you must visit their office. But for a simple renewal, or reporting a new passport number for example, you can just do it online.

I just never got around to changing over to the F5 back when it was easy to get. Something I regret as well. Always too busy, and now I can't be bothered...oh well!
I don't know about online visa renewal but F6 people have to go in and show their new passport in person. I had a bit of a bitch about it a couple of years ago on here. Have they changed their policy?

I actually left Ansan feeling happy with the whole encounter, the first time, I felt that from Korean immigration offices.

Yeah, I've had good experiences from 3 visits now. Makes a world of difference. Before that, we dreaded going.

I just never got around to changing over to the F5 back when it was easy to get. Something I regret as well. Always too busy, and now I can't be bothered...oh well!
I don't know about online visa renewal but F6 people have to go in and show their new passport in person. I had a bit of a bitch about it a couple of years ago on here. Have they changed their policy? 

Must be some new thing. I swear I read about this somewhere. Was it on reddit? Can't find anything now.
I could be wrong though.
Still got more than a year on mine, so I will find out next year I guess. I got a new card the last time so no need to bother with that one, luckily.

One more big roundabout opened just up the road. I might grab my deckchair, a chilly bin of beer and peanuts, and wander up when the rain departs. It's going to be a shit-show. Need a bit of a laugh! 

Whatever happened to Kyndo?
Hasn't even logged in for 2 months.

i don't blame him. i'd get frustrated too if I was the only one putting in any actual effort to mod the site

I did mine earlier this year. This time to Ansan rather than my usual Suwon. Suwon always had a "bad air" around it with the pretentious immi officers I encountered but maybe I got lucky at my first time in Ansan as the immi officer there was efficient and didn't waste time. It does help that you show up with every document that they need or otherwise it can be a right "clusterfuck". I actually left Ansan feeling happy with the whole encounter, the first time, I felt that from Korean immigration offices.

Funny you say that, I've always found the staff at the Korean immi to be rude as well. The atmosphere is tense. I really dislike the way they clearly treat south and central Asian people worse as well. Noticeably worse than me. No need for it.

It's been my experience that those who are positive about their time here and Korea generally seem to attract positive interactions in these kinds of situations and those are negative tend to find themselves repeatedly in negative situations.

People can sometimes pick up on things with your attitude. They can pick up if you look down on them/think you're above them or if you're angry or crabby. Likewise if you're kind, patient, generous, gentle, etc.

Now, before everyone thinks I'm going to far on the whole "bad foreigner" thing, I will say that if there's a situation that can cause even kind, generous people to be a little crabby, it's them waking up 3 hours early to get a bring a bunch of paperwork somewhere, either arriving late because of traffic or way early, maybe running in the baking sun or being rained on, nervous about the outcome or that they forgot something, and having to navigate a bunch of bureaucratic paperwork. It is very easy for someone who is normally nice and patient and doesn't have an attitude towards the place to nonetheless be frazzled for a variety of reasons.

But yeah, your attitude and demeanor can go A LONG way towards outcomes.

Funny you say that, I've always found the staff at the Korean immi to be rude as well. The atmosphere is tense. I really dislike the way they clearly treat south and central Asian people worse as well. Noticeably worse than me. No need for it.

I’ve noticed that as well. They do talk down to those Non-Korean Asians in a “why are you so stupid and wasting my time” manner.

Now, before everyone thinks I'm going to far on the whole "bad foreigner" thing, I will say that if there's a situation that can cause even kind, generous people to be a little crabby, it's them waking up 3 hours early to get a bring a bunch of paperwork somewhere, either arriving late because of traffic or way early, maybe running in the baking sun or being rained on, nervous about the outcome or that they forgot something, and having to navigate a bunch of bureaucratic paperwork. It is very easy for someone who is normally nice and patient and doesn't have an attitude towards the place to nonetheless be frazzled for a variety of reasons.

If you can't handle the job then don't do it. Courtesy costs nothing.

I will never forget my experience of the Korean Embassy in Manila. The lady at reception was the rudest person I have ever encountered.  I arrived there for an appointment and when I went to the desk, her greeting was, 'What'. When I told her I had an appointment with Mr Lee, she told me I can't see him.  I explained I had just flown from Korea for our appointment and she still refused to call him. Fortunately for me he came out of his office and then I was able to have my appointment with him. If I thought he was going to be any different, I was sadly mistaken, he was just as rude as she was.

On my way out, I heard this self same lady talking to the Filipinos that had waited for hours in lines to hand in their documents. She spoke to them like they were animals. Truly disgusting.

I also found that the people at the immigration office in Seoul were very unfriendly. Only once or twice did I meet an officer that was remotely friendly.

Now, before everyone thinks I'm going to far on the whole "bad foreigner" thing, I will say that if there's a situation that can cause even kind, generous people to be a little crabby, it's them waking up 3 hours early to get a bring a bunch of paperwork somewhere, either arriving late because of traffic or way early, maybe running in the baking sun or being rained on, nervous about the outcome or that they forgot something, and having to navigate a bunch of bureaucratic paperwork. It is very easy for someone who is normally nice and patient and doesn't have an attitude towards the place to nonetheless be frazzled for a variety of reasons.

If you can't handle the job then don't do it. Courtesy costs nothing.

Uhh, I was talking about people going to immigration and the vibe they give off, not the workers at immigration.

If you don't think this is a two-way street, then you are deluded.

Sorry, but some foreigners here think they walk on water and don't realize the vibe they give off to the locals. You have some who give off a superiority vibe. Others who just carry themselves angrily. You may think you present yourself as the nicest, most open-minded and fair guy in the world, but given the near-constant hostility you write about Korea with, I'm going to guess that bleeds over into how you interact with Koreans and they probably reciprocate in kind.

Ever consider that YOU are the asshole?

We got a skinny little rat faced girl of about 25 on one visit to the Cheongju office. She refused to look at me and she answered my questions with silence. She treated my wife with utter contempt and more or less snarled at her when she asked about something. We were looking at each other sideways the whole time. Mind blowing, embarrassing visit. Effin bitch!
My wife was going to lodge a complaint, but I talked her out of it...didn't want more shit coming down on us at a later date. Thank Christ the next 3 visits we got normal people.

Nah, Marty, you’re just the asshole here. Have been and will always be.

Marty, the ultimate apologist.

Marty, just tell me how I was the a-hole when I walked into the embassy for the 1st time ever, greeted the lady with a smile and got, 'What?' as a response?  Give it up, not every Korean is perfect and not every foreigner has a bad attitude like you are trying to portray. Victim blaming much.

Just to clarify too about the way she treated Filipinos. Many of them travelled from provinces and that cost them, taking time of work, airfare and lining up from 4 am so they could get a chance to hand in their documents. They did not give off a bad vibe, they were just too pleased to be able to, at last, hand in their documents. She treated them like an absolute dog, it was totally disgusting and hardly an advert for Korea.

So, get off your high horse and stop defending a few disgusting Koreans no matter what they do. For your information, I don't interact badly with Koreans, I still have Korean friends, in fact one visits us once or twice a year in the Philippines. I just can't handle rude people, be they Koreans, South Africans, Taiwanese (believe me there are quite a few rude ones here) or whatever nationality. As I said, courtesy costs NOTHING.

Living in a tourist destination I ask people about tourists and almost all of them have the same opinion about Koreans. They are rude, loud and only want things Korean, they won't eat local food, just Korean food. Same with the Chinese.  Many dive businesses will not take Korean customers as they say they won't listen and do things like walking on the coral and breaking off bits of coral to take home (highly illegal by the way).

Are all Koreans like this? Are all Koreans rude and loud. OF COURSE NOT, but sadly that is the reputation they have in the Philippines and please don't go around defending this type of behavior. Do I have a bad attitude to Koreans? NO, DEFINITELY NOT, I just can't stand entitled rude people WHATEVER their nationality.

Nah, Marty, you’re just the asshole here. Have been and will always be.

Helpful hint: If you're still posting gripes about a country on an internet message board, long after you've left said country, odds are YOU are the asshole.

People who aren't assholes tend not to do that. Nor do they seemingly encounter a neverending stream of negativity in their daily lives.

Notice how none of these complainer types ever consider the possibility that they could be in any way to blame or be responsible? They ALWAYS are right and the other party is ALWAYS at fault.

When Marty can't give a good reply, he just deflects. Age old trick of his. No one believes you for one moment.

When I asked him to tell me why I was the a-hole in that situation he went off on a tangent without answering the question. Oh, that's right because he cannot defend this kind of pathetic behaviour.

Marty, the ultimate apologist.

Marty, just tell me how I was the a-hole when I walked into the embassy for the 1st time ever, greeted the lady with a smile and got, 'What?' as a response?  Give it up, not every Korean is perfect and not every foreigner has a bad attitude like you are trying to portray. Victim blaming much.

Just to clarify too about the way she treated Filipinos. Many of them travelled from provinces and that cost them, taking time of work, airfare and lining up from 4 am so they could get a chance to hand in their documents. They did not give off a bad vibe, they were just too pleased to be able to, at last, hand in their documents. She treated them like an absolute dog, it was totally disgusting and hardly an advert for Korea.

So, get off your high horse and stop defending a few disgusting Koreans no matter what they do. For your information, I don't interact badly with Koreans, I still have Korean friends, in fact one visits us once or twice a year in the Philippines. I just can't handle rude people, be they Koreans, South Africans, Taiwanese (believe me there are quite a few rude ones here) or whatever nationality. As I said, courtesy costs NOTHING.

Living in a tourist destination I ask people about tourists and almost all of them have the same opinion about Koreans. They are rude, loud and only want things Korean, they won't eat local food, just Korean food. Same with the Chinese.  Many dive businesses will not take Korean customers as they say they won't listen and do things like walking on the coral and breaking off bits of coral to take home (highly illegal by the way).

Are all Koreans like this? Are all Koreans rude and loud. OF COURSE NOT, but sadly that is the reputation they have in the Philippines and please don't go around defending this type of behavior. Do I have a bad attitude to Koreans? NO, DEFINITELY NOT, I just can't stand entitled rude people WHATEVER their nationality.

I don't know who was or wasn't. What I do know is that you are a horribly unreliable narrator and do constantly complain about Koreans, so I don't know how impartial you are. On top of that you're on a site about Korea long after you left the place, still complaining about it.

Additionally, as I said, negative people tend to draw negativity. You are consistently negative.

Finally, the fact that you don't even consider any possibility you could have given off a negative vibe is a VERY strong indicator that you are sometimes at fault.

I mean you delude yourself to the point you think you're doing the locals a favor by paying moderately above market rates and aren't taking advantage of a severe class gap to live like a king, essentially exploiting the place.

Helpful hint: If you're still posting gripes about a country on an internet message board, long after you've left said country, odds are YOU are the asshole.

Helpful hint: Re-check your meds because you always confuse the different posters here - never posted that I've left Korea.

Oh, and you're still the poster child for all online assholes everywhere.