Name Calling

So I've now been in South Korea for nearly 6 weeks and I've been called many things since landing in the R.O.K. (Republic of Korea).

I've been called a Meegook, which means American. I've been called a Waegook, which means foreigner. I'm pretty sure it's a bad thing that Americans get their own special variation of "gook". We don't get to be grouped with all the other foreigners like Waegooks do. Or, it could be a good thing? They do seem to like us Americans here, for the most part. I also find it troublesome that "gook" is used. Isn't that a racial slur?

I've also been called the obvious "foreigner" and I've been called a "native," as in "native English speaker." I've even been called a Yank, which still baffles me. I'm from Montana for God's sake, pretty damn far from the East coast. But I was called a Yank in Australia, too. Everyone from America is a "Yank" as soon as you leave North American soil.

But my favorite name-calling experience thus far is.... wait for it, wait for it..... a Russian. Which to the common eye, would seem slightly odd that I would be called a Russian. However, Koreans think Russians are prostitutes. Yep, the Koreans think I'm a prostitute. I'll pause for the laughter to die down...........


Please, by all means, keep going....................


Couldn't possibly be the blond hair and long legs, could it?

When I'm approached by a Korean man and asked if I'm a Russian I know to turn around and walk the other way.