Korea is not without its problems.

The education system is majorly ****ed up and anybody who even remotely goes against its policies on how a teacher should teach is normally gone after their contract is up. I do not expect to stay at this job for more than a year. I hope I can get another position in South Korea teaching English. However I think that if my contract is not renewed, my visa is canceled and I have to leave the country and likely won't be permitted back for some time. I'm not sure how visa laws work here.

To be honest, I don't want to work at my current position right now. One school is just way too stifling and restrictive for my tastes. The system is slowly though steadily taking away my flexibility with regards to creating my own curriculum. I am just becoming a lobotomized teacher and I will hit a breaking point where I just won't let that happen any more. Meanwhile, the other school is awesome and I love being there. I just experience two extremes on a weekly basis.

It's just gonna grind me down a little at a time until I hit a breaking point where I cannot handle living here. If that happens before the year is up, then I am obviously gone. If not, well then it's hopefully year two.

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. Google Girls Generation and figure it out

Gee gee gee gee baby baby

Korean's culture absolutly rocks. S.Korea is one of the biggest ''culture'' exporter in the world.

Yeah, thats what i call it too. "Culture."

Girls Generation has 9 members, not 13.

Super Junior is so large that they split into smaller groups and perform concerts on their own.

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, shawty, shawty, shawty, shawty, shawty, shawty

Ugh.

If by culture you mean cancer, then yes. K-Pop is some of the cheesiest sounding music I have ever heard. Everytime I hear the song "Lollipop", I wish that I was deaf.

I wasn't talking specificly about kpop, but all their ''drama'', movies, tv shows : it's really something unique, something different from North America. And even thought kpop is really cheesy/annoying (I don't know alot of songs), I think it's really awesome that such a small country (and not as known as China or Japan), is able to reach out a wide audience, ie. america, europe, all over asia.

Asian culture has always had an exotic feel to Western America and vice versa. Despite that, there's still a world of difference between the two. The acceptance and understanding of foreign cultures is increasing among western and eastern cultures. I would not be surprised to see a high level of cultural globalization in the very distant future.

I must enjoy torturing myself. I don't know why, but I'm creating a lesson plan comparing American pop music to Korean pop music. I play two music videos (one American, one Korean) and ask them to fill in some blanks on a lyric sheet. I play the music videos again and ask the students to point out any differences they see.

The students will likely enjoy it. But I'm buying ear plugs this weekend. I might buy some extra pairs for my co-teachers in case they want them.

Yeah, that's one of the songs.

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In other news, **** dust season. I hate China more than poison. I would nuke China if it wouldn't decimate the world economy, piss off a billion people, kill millions of Chinese people on impact and even more due to cancer from radiation, actually increase the amount of dust in South Korea and have the resulting fallout kill hundreds of thousands of people (like me) in South Korea, North Korea, Japan and Mongolia.

While I was channel surfing yesterday I saw a report about how Korean pop groups deliberately include foreign members to increase popularity outside Korea.

SuperUberBob,

I'm interested in seeing the lesson plans. I'm planning on teaching overseas soon. My biggest fear is not having enough to teach or where to start. What did you do on your first day and week of classes?

No more blog

It could happen, but it doesn't appear to be the trend now. K-Pop barely makes a dent in the western world (potential exception: Big Bang). So, there is no popularity to increase in the first place. K-Pop is already popular in Japan and China without the need of foreigners.

The music industry works slightly different in Korea than in America. The publishers are more than just record distributors. They are talent agencies that search for young talent and train it. Many of the popular vocalists were recruited as 12 year old children to be engineered into a pop star success by age 16. Though in some cases, these people could be put into bands while they are only 14 years old.

I plan to post all of my (good) lesson plans online after I leave the country for good.

As for the first session, I had all of the students write down 5 questions that they wanted to ask me. Walk around and occasionally correct some of their grammar. Have them pass the papers in to you. You'll get a lot of the basic questions (age, height/weight, country etc). Other notoriously popular ones are if you have a girlfriend, can you speak Korean and your opinion on kimchi.

I then wrote these questions on the board and had the students guess the answers. You'll get some surprisingly accurate answers. After 5 or 6 answers, stop and have the students vote on the answer. Something like, "If you think the answer is ___________, raise your hand." After all the votes are counted, start crossing off the answers one-by-one. Then, circle the correct answer. In some instances, my students as a class correctly guessed my exact height and weight. You'll also get a couple of wiseass answers from each class (2 meters tall, born in China etc.) that cause some laughing.

The lesson is a great icebreaker and is a whole lot of fun for them. It puts a great first impression in their minds. Plus, you have to keep in mind that Korean students are very shy when trying to speak English. So, you have to minimize the pressure on them early by starting off with very simple, comfortable speaking exercises. Then, gradually work towards your more normal speaking lessons as you go on throughout the year.


It's there. I had to make it friends only because I was told that my co-workers might have been snooping around on it. Since the entire blog butchers the code of conduct, it might be a breach of contract and my ass could be fired.

Make a LJ account, PM me its name and I'll add you to the list.

*bump*

As an aside, I made a blog post on the sheer absurdity that surrounds kimchi in this country. I thought I'd share it here:

I was talking to my co-teacher about why kimchi is so popular when it tastes so ****ty. The first thing she pointed out was how healthy the food was. She fired off several reasons why it was incredibly good. I swear, I thought she was joking when I heard these claims. She said it was considered the 3rd healthiest food in the world by the World Health Organization. Well, that was wrong. However, Health Magazine listed it as one of the five World's Healthiest Foods. I was told that it could prevent SARS. However, it was not medically proven. Supposedly, it could also cure bird flu. That was false. Yet, it did help suppress the symptoms of the avian flu in chickens, not actually cure it. This was never tried on humans. So, it can't be said for sure. Furthermore, it was only tried on a small sample of chickens and not backed up by any further research. She mentioned that it could also prevent cancer. However, it was the total opposite. According to a study run by the National Center for Biological Information, kimchi has been associated with an increase in gastric cancer.

Then there are the absurd claims that you hear. Koreans seem to enjoy making up mythical stories about kimchi. Apparently, it repels vampires, cures the common cold and enhances your sex life. Yeah, I'm not kidding.

The impact of kimchi in South Korea has provided ample opportunities for businessmen to capitalize. You can buy everything from kimchi ice cream to kimchi air conditioners. Tacos, steaks, chicken quesadillas: kimchi, kimchi, kimchi.

The entire country goes totally ape**** about it. The average Korean person eats 40 pounds (18 kg) of kimchi in a single year. There's a museum in Seoul dedicated to its history. Three government institutes spent millions to make bacteria-free kimchi for Korean astronauts. Yeah, it might be healthy for you. But when you spend taxpayer money on bacteria-free kimchi for astronauts, you probably should get an evaluation.

So really, kimchi is a lot like duct tape in some ways. It's a useful and effective product, but can't quite do everything it claims.

The real difference is that I don't say "Duct Tape" when I smile for a photo.

I love Kimchi!

I remember watching a programme talk about how families used to pass down family recipes from mother to daughter...but with the growth of women in the workforce, that had gone into decline with wives no longer knowing how to make it, or having time to, and that has led to a growth in commercially available Kimchi.

Dude, *everybody* knows how to make kimchi in South Korea and it doesn't take long to make.

Another personal post:

This one goes beyond what I do here. This cover some of the major issues with regard to corporal punishment in the Korean education system, among other things.

I am pretty sure I have bitched about this before, but I have great disdain for my primary co-teacher's disciplinary tactics. She hits the boys for no reason while sitting and chatting it up with the girls when they are supposed to be doing work. So, the boys must work while the girls can spend the class enjoying tea time with my co-teacher.

So, I've decided to take a similar route. Clearly, I don't hit my students and I never will do that. A good teacher should not have to resort to hitting a student except in case of self-defense which should not ever come up if you can control your class. But now, sometimes I will sit with some of the boys and hang with them. For example, two students were sent out of the class for again no real reason. Basically, their punishment is to stand outside until class was over. It was clearly an unjust punishment. Even if they did do something, it was hardly of any relevance. I took the initiative and went outside the class to chill with them under the pretense that it was hot inside the classroom (I was clearly sweating). When I got out of the classroom, I sat with them and they liked that I was there. I got some interesting questions. They asked me if they thought my co-teacher was hot. I definitely do not think so. But to maintain some balance, I said she was okay.

"Do you like her? She is not kind to me. She hits me hard."

This is the line that got to me. If there wasn't enough proof that hitting students is an ineffective means of control, that line was it. Hitting students just creates a downward spiral. You hit them and they don't like you. So, they act up. Then, you hit them harder. Then, they resist even harder and you get videos like these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMTXnf7mnZI

Hitting the students is completely ineffective. All it shows is two things. One, that the teacher has a lack of control of their students. Two, the teacher is on a total power trip in the classroom. The Office of Education's policy is that corporal punishment is forbidden. But that's all a front to keep outsiders quiet. Teachers here hit their students and some hit them *hard*, many times for no reason or little reason at all. The teacher in the above video got a warning. Yeah, so much for enforcing policies. Truly abhorrent.

There's a student in my school who clearly has some sort of mental disability. From my point of view, it appears that he is autistic. He will often walk up to teachers and "say" hello to them. But all he really does is nod and make some weird noise. He'll rub my upper arm and do that. I continue walking and he'll do it again. He did that while I was sleeping in between classes. It might get me a bit annoyed on occasion, but I know that he can't control it. It's just the way he is. So, I never say a word about it.

But he is not treated that way by other teachers. He is treated as though he is just another, average student when the reality is that he isn't. After my classes were over yesterday, he came in and greeted me and then did it again. I said hello back to him and wasn't really bothered. However, one of the other teachers comes by and WAP!, hits him good with a piece of wood about the size of a meter stick and forces him out of the room. It was thinner and wider. So, you'd hear a snap noise when it hit a student. He got tagged real good in the back for not knowing any better.

The reality is that the concept of mental illness is largely unknown in South Korea. It is not perceived as something to be fixed and changed. It is something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. It is often ignored or left alone until treatment is absolutely necessary. Even then, they might not get that treatment. And that treatment is normally just being locked in an insane asylum. The country is just 40-50 years behind the times when it comes to mental illness. In 2005, South Korea's suicide rate was was 26.1 persons per 100,000 which is the highest rate in the first world. The WHO estimates that 90 percent of all suicide victims had an undiagnosed mental disorder.

It is just a sordid state of affairs. The ignorance of some of these public school teachers is just astounding. Many of them have the knowledge, but have absolutely zero teaching skills what so ever. The private school has higher quality teachers. They are more intelligent, experienced, disciplined and more understanding of their students and their conditions. The more I think about it, the more different the two schools become. I think I saw a grand total of one physical attack in my entire time there. At the public school, I mean...I've lost count.

Whoopee...more Kimchi for me

For those who do care:

http://purplehaze9.livejournal.com/

Due to some nosy co-workers, I made the blog friends only. So, you'll have to register an LJ account to see it. If you do, PM me the account and I'll add you to the list.

South Korea and other Asian countries have always had a reputation of eating healthy, low calorie foods. They were proud of their conditioning and body frame. Meanwhile, they discriminated against Americans for being fat and lazy.

Pot, meet kettle.

The teenagers of this generation are turned into little fat porkers. The pride they once had is now becoming false bravado. Who's to blame for this mess? There's no doubt that American cuisine has invaded South Korea. There are nearly 300 McDonalds outlets in South Korea. On top of that Lotteria, a fast food joint not unlike McDonalds, has 920 outlets spread throughout the country. Of course, we cannot forget the 420 Dunkin' Donuts stores, 177 Starbucks outlets and countless Baskin-Robbins, KFC, Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut outlets throughout the country. They are extremely successful and will only increase in number over the long run.

But if South Korea wants to find who's truly to blame, they need only look into a mirror. Students simply do not have the time to do any playing or exercise. For them, it's study, study, study. After 8 hours of regular school, over two-thirds of the students will go to a hagwon for an additional 6-7 hours. Some of students will also attend hagwons on Saturdays (and even Sundays). Then, they will study and do homework when they get home. On weekend, some will have private tutors to give them even more work. During vacations, they go to cram school. Given the amount of focus put on academics, it should not come as a surprise that students are becoming heavier.

The physical education programs in schools are a joke. They are heavily underfunded, with most funds being allocated to academic needs more than anything else. This is very clearly seen at E***** (all-girls private school). Physical education at E****** includes a square field filled with sand. There are no nets, hoops or balls of any kind to be used. All they do is stand across from each other and play badminton, or really just hit a birdie back and forth. Again, there is no net. Yeah, they run the occasional lap or two outside but there's no real program in the schools. Of course, there is a small exercise gym in the school that goes unused by the very large majority of the students. Rather than cramming more money into Math and English curriculum, perhaps students could become more balanced people by enhancing the physical education system.

Meanwhile, N***** (public middle school) definitely has more fit students. Within Samgye and Naeseo, there are a grand total of 3 fast food outlets: Lotteria, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins. With the lack of fast food options, students are forced to eat healthier. Furthermore, the physical education programs at the Middle School dwarfs what is offered at E******. Like E******, there is a sand filled square. However, there are soccer nets and countless soccer balls used on the side. There's an outdoor basketball court available for use. Rather than students standing around and talking like in E*****, students are playing sports after they eat. I've even seen students playing catch in the back of the school. There is an indoor basketball court that can also be set up for volleyball and badminton. Table tennis equipment is available for students to use. There's even taekwondo equipment available for the boys gym classes.

The reality is that stopping or at least slowing the obesity issue down would require more than just an overhaul of the physical education system. Rather, it would require a complete cultural overhaul which I will be realistic will never happen. Society is too entrenched in this "work hard now, make money, awesome life" type of thing. Kids will continue to spend their waking hours studying and staying sedentary until they're just supersmart brainiacs who waddle to work everyday to make the big money that their parents want for them. It is what it is.

Anyone interested in opening a McDonalds in Samgye and Naeseo?

Samgye and Naeseo are so small that one burger/fries joint is more than enough for the two areas.

while i was at the airport a few days ago i heard some quick news flash, about north korea launching missiles into the sea of japan, and basically an open declaration of war to s. korea by the north. maybe i misheard, but what is the status of fear/ situation in s. korea now?

North Korea are often "testing" missiles into the Sea of Japan. I wish China would just sort them out...

DB pretty much hit it. Launching missiles is really nothing new here.

South Korea/North Korea conversations are pretty taboo and hit home pretty hard for some people, especially the elderly who were around when Korea was not split into North and South. Also note that many South Korean citizens work in North Korea. The two countries have agreed to let workers pass over the borders to get to their jobs.

So the best way to approach it is to not approach it in the first place. Steer clear of the entire issue as much as possible.

What is the typical rent range for a studio apartment in Seoul in a not so hot area? Will people on tourist visas be able to rent? You say that 2.1m won will get you by easily but that includes rent, what about excluding rent? To where would I be able to do a Visa run?