There are many foreign laborers in Korea and the media deals with their news in a negative or sad way. Some Korean people think a foreigner’s life is always tough. Do you think that way? A foreigner’s life isn’t always negative. SMT went to The Borderless village to show other images to you. You can feel a unique atmosphere as if it were another country and culture. Also, you can see foreigners who are active and happy.
How do they live in The Borderless Village
The Borderless Village is different from the city that we live.? When I arrived there, signboards attracted my eyes. Foreign and Korean letters were written on signboards. Even Korean letters were not written on some signboards and menus. There were many Chinese characters because people who live in the Borderless Village are made up of Chinese and Asian cultures. In addition, I could often see Arabic writing.
Also, The Borderless Village has many public phones, and their public phones are a little different from our public phones. Public phones which are located in The Borderless Village don't have booths and they are small. They are similar to telephones that we use in our houses.Also, five or six public phones stand in a line. Telephone books (directories) which contain international phone numbers are attached on the wall in front of the public phones.
As I walked through the streets to meet foreigners, I noticed few wandered about in the streets because most foreigners are laborers and work at the Banweol / SiWha industrial complex. Kim, who sells a meat at this place, said “Now, most foreigners who live in the village go to work, so you hardly see them.
They will finish work at 10 o’clock and the streets will be crowded with people at that time.? Streets are more crowded on weekends. They go to restaurants, Noraebangs or they go shopping.” Maybe, you are surprised that they go to Noraebangs. Actually, Noraebangs which are located in The Borderless Village are a little different from other Noraebangs. It has a machine that shows seven languages. Also there are PC rooms and video rooms.
Some foreigners manage restaurants that sell foreign food. In other words, they sell their country’s traditional food.?We can experience Chinese, Pakistan and Vietnam restaurants. These restaurants are famous to Korean people because Koreans can enjoy the real taste of another country’s food.
Ximoha who managed a Chinese restaurant said, "I am from China. Firstly, I also work at the factory. I saved money for 8 years and now I can run my won restaurant. Many foreigners and some Korean people visit my restaurant." Actually, when I visited her restaurant, six foreigners were having lunch while watching television.
Usually, Korea people have prejudice, like that their life is always tough as previously stated or they live differently with us. However, you can know that they live commonly and enjoy their life. Also they work hard in their fields. Korea people should know they are only different with us : Culture, Features.
<Borderless Village>
About fifty thousands foreign people live in Wongokbon - dong. And Wongokbon - dong is suitable to them because it is connected to the Banweol/ SiWha industrial complex where many foreign people work. Actually, foreign people lived in Wongokbon -dong about ten years ago.
Many Korean laborers were dismissed when Korea suffered from the foreign exchange crisis. So, many Koreans left Wongokbon - dong and foreign people started to go there. First, landlords didn’t rent housees to foreign people. However, they earned income to pay the rent, so the landlords decided to rent their houses to foreign people. Since then foreigners have been going to Wongokbon - dong and it is now called The Borderless Village.
