Too Polish for Their Liking... Tuesday, February 15

I'm too Polish and not enough Canadian, or so it was aruged.

Sounds silly?! Yup, I thought so too but this was apparently was the leading reason as to why I didn't score that much anticipated job I was hoping to land. I think my asking salary was too high as is my Korean language level. The recruiter specifically told me before hand to tell them I don't speak Korean.

I could understand if money was the issue but what's up with the "too Polish and not enough Canadian" excuse?! They didn't come flat out and say it but they didn't have to. I know what went down during the interview and the recruiter calling to talk to me today only reinforced what I suspected.

I honestly thought the interview went well. I answered all their questions despite the fact that many of them I thought were rather personal and totally irrelevant to the position. I knew they were looking for a physically attractive person but apparently my look wasn't Canadian enough for them. I've met my share of Canadians here in Korea, and Americans for that matter, and I agree, I don't think I look like the majority of them. My mother is straight from Austria but her parents are from Poland. My father is Canadian-born but his parents are Polish and Ukranian, so I'm a "fusion baby". I look more Polish than Canadian and my last name screams "I'm Polish" but those are things I've always loved.

They made several comments about me being smaller than expected but I joked it off, telling them that it's because of my boxing and jogging, which is true really. I can eat out-eat most people and eat like a horse, heck I could probably eat a horse too, but I also train a lot so my metabolism is always on the go.

Anyways, both the recruiter and my interviewer commented on my small physique and small eyes, and they asked me if one of my parents was Asian. My small eyes... another point I've always loved.

I love my strong Polish last name.
I love being small.
I love not looking like what's been labeled as typically Canadian.
I love my small eyes.

When I was younger my friends use to joke about my small eyes and ask me if my postman was Asian -- a joke I hated despite not really knowing what they meant until much later on in life. Now I hate that joke even more.

So I failed the second interview. I'm not bitter about it but am disappointed. Despite it being rather too image-conscious, I did want that job. It was a position that was so different than so many cookie-cutter jobs that are available to us foreigners here in Korea.

My choices here in Korea are either teach English, teach English,... or teach English. So what can I do if I don't want to teach English?! Exactly.

I have my boxing which still continues to bring me cash from sponsors and other bonuses but this year I really want to save mad cash and boxing, well, it definitely doesn't pay well. Black Skinny, Panty Boy Jr., and Snickers (all of which are Korean champion boxers) are proof of this fact. I could rejoin The Ring in Busan. I made crazy money with them but it could cost me my boxing license and Snickers would ever let me return to it if he knew even half of shadyness it involved.

QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What are my options?

QUOTE OF THE DAY...
I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe.
-- Leo Rosten