Brian in Jeollonam-do had a good article about volunteering in South Korea. It had a link to a Korea Herald article which was interesting too. I had started to make some comments but ... didn't want to be too negative there. I do believe it is important to help others in need and didn't want to be appearing to turn people off of it in his comments section.
Back home I helped in many different ways. Cash donations to charities. Giving my time to programs, especially the local food bank. I thought I would continue to do it here.
Since I first got to South Korea I was told one way or another that foreigners were NOT ALLOWED to volunteer to help Koreans. Hell, according to some people, including Korean Red Cross, we were NOT ALLOWED to donate blood. Our assistance wasn't just not wanted it was legislated against.
I based my own involvement or lack thereof on what I and friends were told by Immigration back in 2003-4. Several of us inquired about volunteering at an orphanage and were told it would violate our E-2 VISA. ANYTHING we did other than teach at our school, even if for no compensation, would violate our E-2 VISA. I even had a Korean friend corroborate that with Immigration and he was told what we were told. One friend wanted to hold a peace rally and was told the same thing. Our help wasn't just not wanted. It was illegal and could see us kicked out of the country. What the kimchi?
Based on that I decided if Korea didn't want me to do anything to help Koreans in need out they could kiss my ass.
Then there is the Korean Red Cross. I wanted to donate blood at a blood drive. I was told by the KRC people there that foreigners were NOT ALLOWED to donate blood. Our blood is not the same as Korean blood and not wanted. What the kimchi?
Was I in medieval times? Different skin colour means different blood colour?
The bull shit about foreigners having aids was active even back the early 2000's. Talking with some supposedly adult Koreans about it I heard the whole line of crap over and over again. Foreign blood is different. Most foreigners have aids. Shit like that. These were supposed to be educated people.
I missed Brian's post about the changes in Immigrations policy when they were originally posted. I can only hope the article is true. Maybe I would have changed my attitude toward volunteering in Korea then. It is hard to say.
Now, I only have 3 months left. I don't want to take the chance though that some twat in Immigration will give a different version of what appeared in that article and I will get in trouble. Immigration doesn't always do what the government says (look at testing for cannabis) and they often give contradictory or false information. Nor can I get the bad taste out of my mouth about how foreigners who wanted to volunteer have been treated.
I am not saying people shouldn't help out. This is just why I haven't.
I, too wanted to give my blood or get an organ donor card in case I had an accident. We sent a few emails to several hospitals in Korea with my wife and two of my foreign friends; and we were told (sadly I'm not lying) that, I quote "westerners' organs/blood were too different from Koreans' ones, and therefore we couldn't donate in Korea".
ReplyDeleteThis completely pissed me off. Korea is in lack of both blood and organs and is refusing Foreigners' organs for some nazi racist medieval untrue obscure fucking retard reason? (pick your favorite adjective)
This is so sadly stupid.
you are a better man than me. I couldn't imagine volunteering to help better a community that explicitly rejects me. Just for laughs I think I will inquire about donating blood. I once had a Korean ask me if Black people had red blood.
ReplyDeleteMr. Baekseju
ReplyDeleteAnd to make it worse Red Cross is supposed to be an INTERNATIONAL agency. Yet the ricetards representing it in Korea make it look like an insular group of racists.
I did email a complaint to the Red Cross back home via email. Never heard anything back from them. Just added them to the list of agencies I won't contribute too.
Mike
ReplyDeleteI still had some blinders on ... and some hopes that Korea would change. I have since accepted the reality here and won't volunteer.
You should ask about donating blood and see if you can record it or video it. Might be worth some laughs.
It makes me annoyed... I help out with animal charities whenever I can, but it seems like Koreans are determined to keep us looking like jerks by actively stopping volunteering/helping by foreigners.
ReplyDeleteYeah. It is almost like the intentionally don't want foreigners to look good.
ReplyDelete