Who I am...

Jean-Baptiste; my name is too long so my friends call me JB in France or Jean-Bap (pronunced Djean Bape) in Korea.
26 years old, industrial engineer, after 22 years living in Dijon (France) I completed my studies in Grenoble (France) and left to South Korea begining of decembre 2000.
I have been working there for 20 months (in Inchon, west of Seoul) in a chemical plant (Rhodia silica korea) where I was in charge of modernization of industrial organisation (lean manufacturing, reengineering).
These 20 months have also been a great oportunity for me to meet Korean culture, people and to visit deeply the country.

Why going to Korea ?

Of course, it is a strange idea to go and work in South Korea...
This has been the first thinking of people when I told them I was going to Korea. Now, I can tell you, I also wondered a lot why I accepted this proposal of job in Korea.

During my 3rd and last year of studies in engineering school, I had to answer the question :
And now ? What will I do ?
Here is more or less the way I answered :

1- Going on studiing : MBA or Scientific diploma… a good oportunity to make student life longer (one or two years more...) but, I was fed up with theory, it was time for me to go on field.
2- Working : getting one quiet job, somewhere in France... but after 3 years in Grenoble, parties, social activities, tons of friends... it sounds really too much quiet for me
3- Traveling : a good "break" as we say in France... probably idealistic...

This is my situation when a letter from french army arrives... military duty, I have to find a job or complete 10 months duty in the army or... go for 15 months working for a french company abroad.
I fill in a file for this third choice and start looking for a company accepting to hire me for a mission abroad.

End of July 2000, I get one proposition from Rhodia Silica : WCM in Inchon plant, South Korea.

HR manager comments after the interview :
Positive : Strong personality (at that time, I did not understand why it was a positive point) and technical skills.
Negative : Low interest in Korea and Asia (At that time, I expected to go to the US)

That is true that I did not "plan" to go to Korea before getting this proposal...
But what is even stranger is that among people I met in Korea (I mean foreighners), almost none of them has chosen to come to Korea... the point is that french people do not know Korea at all.

I guess you understood that finally I had very good time in Korea, of course it has been difficult time to time, of course there has been some days when I wanted to come back to France... but now, I am in France and I miss Korea a lot... my project is to go back there soon.