do you work for a forgin company?

Question

if so, do you konw the language? are you the only American? Do they treat you differently? If you don't speak the language, do you feel like they are talking about you sometimes?

i work for a Korean company, and i don't speak the language, i often feel like they are making fun of me when i am standing right there in the conversation, then they start speaking Korean and laughing. i am treated different, and I'm sure paid less than i would be if I were Korean. I often come up with ideas and/or solutions but don't get listened to or credited.

I am the ONLY American in the company.

FOREIGEN that is

Lets try again FOREIGN

Answer 1

I trust you are working for a company in South Korea and not one in North Korea!

I have worked for a major company in Kuwait and my responsibilities included working in Bahrain, Qatar and Iraq. As for being able to speak their language (primarilly Kuwati Arabic as there are so many various Arab dialects), no, I spoke only a few key phases in Arabic. The company I worked for holds a Dept of Defense contract worth nearly $1,000,000,000 (one BILLION) and many of the key positions (including every position in Iraq and/or requiring a US government security clearance) are US citizens. I would would guess there were about 125 US citizens, 20 Austrilians and perhaps 25 citizens from the UK. And perhaps only 10 spoke the language well enough to get by. And when they would speak in their native language and laugh, I would usually ask what they were laughing about. 9 out of 10 times they would let me in on the joke. Sometimes I didn't get it since it was culturally based but they were never making fun of me or any other Americans. Of course, I have only their word on that. But all and all the Kuwaitis have great respect for Americans and treat us very well. No doubt kicking Saddam's *** out of their country has a lot to do with our friendship. Also, the Americans were paid more than others in the country. Of course, those of us who lived and worked in Iraq (all Americans) were paid considerably more....call it hazardous duty pay.

Out of curiosity, is there a particular reason you are the only American in the company. Are you a translator or something along that line?

Answer 2

I do... but things are definitely not like the way you have descibed them.. its the complete opposite, and everyone around speaks in English while I am around...

Almost 97% speaks Spanish, Italian, And French in my company...