Reporting Live from Korea for PolicyMic!

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My year teaching English in Korea has been marked by many irreplaceably unique moments, both in and out of the classroom. I stumbled my way through cultural confusions, language barriers, and unfamiliar power structures, all while learning how to teach English as a foreign language. One of the more noticeably outstanding events, transcending international boundaries and cultures, was observing the transition of my school from an all-girls high school to a co-ed one. A shift that would make for an interesting sociological experiment in any country, socio-economic situation, or time period, it has been both fascinating and unfortunately disappointing to watch the impact that gender integration has had in a Korean high school.

According to other teachers at my school and around the city, Yeoju Girls High School, now Sejong High School, has been the No. 2 school in the county for several years. This meant that the boys in town could not attend the 2^nd best school, and had to opt for lower-caliber institutions. Middle school boys with high scores on their high school entrance exams therefore had few viable options, and either had to score in the highest percentile of all male students in Yeoju to get into the No. 1 school, or deal with attending one of the low-ranking schools. Thus, the board of education made the decision to integrate Yeoju Girls High School.

Teaching at a girls’ high school during my first semester was generally delightful. Aside from a small number of problematic students, controlling classes was easy and required few punishments. As a first-year teacher in a foreign country, classroom control was one of my biggest challenges, and an all-girls setting was a nice way to ease into the job. The students are very bright, studious, and vocal, despite the shyness that plagues many Korean people, especially when it comes to speaking English. It wasn’t perfect, and there were obviously some students who were more outgoing or attentive than others. But when this high school was comprised of all female students, the girls were the group leaders, the class clowns, and the participators. They were the ones getting the right answers, helping classmates, and presenting work at the front of the class. They had opportunities to be at the top, and were honing powerful, salient skills without distraction.

I talked with the girls about the impending change in the school, and most were neutral about the transition. They, however, would not be considerably affected by the transition because only the incoming 1^st graders (American 10^th grade) would have mixed-gender classes. Each year the school will be becoming more co-ed. But still, they knew that the presence of male students in the school was going to change the tone of the school, both literally and figuratively.

As a foreign teacher, I worried about learning how to handle teenage boys from a different culture, classroom control, and messy handwriting. I was also concerned that the presence of boys would shake the confidence level of the female students, a typical concern in most arguments in favor of single-sex education. I hate to say it, but I was right about pretty much everything. Even the handwriting.

Before coming to Korea, I was aware of the stereotype that Asian women are shy, timid, or submissive. It’s pervasive in our popular culture, and stems from Confucian values, Geisha culture, and things like that. When I arrived, I found this to be true on some levels. But from the moment I arrive at school at 7:30 each morning, this stereotype is smashed to the ground by the energized, hyperactive girls racing through the halls, laughing and goofing around in their few precious moments of free time before class. This female hallway debauchery has not subsided with the addition of boys, but I can say that things have changed inside the classroom.

In my second, co-ed semester of teaching, when I pose a question to the class, hoping for a harmonious chorus of boys and girls shouting out answers, the sheer volume and tone of these post-pubescent boys’ voices drowns out the girls who might have been more vocally inclined in elementary and middle school. And if that isn’t enough to dissuade the girls’ participation, the boys will often draw on the Confucian principles of male domination over females, and totally disregard their input in group activities. When I asked one of my female students why she wasn’t participating in a team competition activity, in which I knew she knew the answers but she simply wasn’t participating, she replied, “They just ignore me. I hate them.”

The difference that the Y-chromosome addition has made at my school was most evident in a lesson I did involving a role-playing activity, where students were randomly assigned a celebrity character and a partner, and had to interview one another as if they were in a celebrity-journalist scenario. The differences in lesson outcomes of my co-ed 1^st grade classes and all-girls 2^nd grade classes were breathtaking.

When looking around the classroom for their assigned partners, the 2^nd grade girls were always content with whom they had to work, even if they were not best friends. During the activity, they laughed and tried to come up with funny answers to questions. They cheered for one another, and enthusiastically performed for the rest of the class. Of course, there were still some shy and lower-level students; Korea is not a teacher-fantasy land. But the overall tone of the 2^nd grade classes was a stark contrast to that of my 1^st grade classes.

To begin with, many girls had been randomly paired with boys. For the most part this was fine, but several were extremely embarrassed by the idea of working with a boy, and one even told me she was afraid of the boy with whom she had been paired and asked me to give her a new partner. In watching the performances it was as if every wave of feminism had simply skipped over Korea. They had zero confidence, and would hang their heads so far down that they resembled black-haired Cousin Its. It wasn’t every girl, but a significant majority, that acted in this way. It is important to keep in mind that Korean children do not grow up with drama activities in their schools, or any school-organized performing arts for the most part. Activities like this one don’t come as naturally as they would to some American high school students who have school-sponsored drama programs. However, the difference between the single-sex 2^ndgrade girls and the integrated 1^st grade girls was palpable.

Many proponents of co-education will argue that a major component of school is learning how to socialize with other people, including those of the opposite gender. I concede that this argument is valid in the younger years of education, when elementary and even middle school students are learning how to function in a classroom, make friends, and respect authority. High school students, however, are at a totally different phase of development, one with which we are all familiar. It is during these precious teenage years when high schoolers begin their child-to-adulthood transition, figuring out how to deal with changing bodies, emotions, and social pressures. In other words, it’s an awkward time, for both sexes. They are discovering their identities, and the most seemingly inconsequential social situations make for an abundance of anxiety and insecurity. From first-hand experiences in unusually convenient social experiment conditions, I can tell you that teenage girls feel more comfortable participating in class and speaking English when there are no boys around. If they spend three years of their teenage life (high school in Korea is 3 years) honing those public speaking skills and leadership abilities, without worrying about looking too smart or not pretty enough, I believe that they will be better prepared for co-ed university or workplace environments. Certainly children need to learn how to socialize in school, and for high school students I believe this means separating the sexes.

If I was teaching English in France, algebra in Wisconsin, or PE in Belize, I predict that these problems would persist. I will admit that I can’t say what the change in test scores or class participation has been in other classes. But during conversations with fellow teachers and students, I found that most agreed with me. Teenagers are awkward and rebellious, no matter what language they speak, and deserve to grow and learn in appropriate environments.

“The Shocking Reality About Xenophobia in Korea” : Bassenyourseatbelt Gets Political

Last semester, one of my best and brightest asked me if I was able to sit down on the floor with my legs crossed, “Indian Style” as we used to say in the 90’s (although it might be a politically incorrect phrase now…oy) and so I immediately took to the floor of my classroom to show off my stuff. I wasn’t sure if it was a practical joke or just another strange inquiry to which I have now become accustomed, but I did it anyway. And asked her, “Why?” She responded, “I heard foreigners can’t sit like that!” #truestory

40 girls. 1 race. 1 hair style.

It’s been a while since I’ve written about xenophobia in South Korea, even though it constantly pops up in conversation and in so many of my daily routines. Although there are 10,000 English teachers, 28,000 American soldiers, a large presence of various other expat groups, and droves of international tourists in South Korea, this peninsula is sadly a difficult place to be a foreigner. At least more difficult than I imagined it would be. I’ve mentioned this before, but South Korea is allegedly the 2nd most homogenous country in the world after…North Korea.

…and we wonder why they think we’re strange.

Even use of the word foreigner struck me as odd when I first arrived; before living here, I always associated the term with a tinge of negativity. Someone who doesn’t belong, unfortunately different, or simply other…and not in the exotic way. In Korea, it feels like a massive group of us have had a big fat sticker plastered to our faces, that entitles every ajumma and ajeoshi to stare at us in E-Mart or at the bank.

Sometimes it feels wrong to complain. Korea has given me an unmatchable opportunity: an interesting job with great pay, loads of vacation, normal working hours, and the chance to cheaply travel throughout Asia in my early 20s. But then there are times when I read, see, and hear things that I simply cannot brush off – no matter how nice my free rice cooker is – such as MBC’s recent “expose” on “The Shocking Reality About Relationships with Foreigners,” as part of their “Think Different” series. Take a look.

So. Much. To. Say. First off, just to make sure we’re all on the same page, this isn’t a joke. This is actually supposed to be journalism, and aired on one of Korea’s main news networks, MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation). The segment has struck a nerve in the waygookin community, and rightfully so. I’ve read vehement responses from expat K-bloggers, spoken to friends dating Koreans, and needless to say, my newsfeed was blowin’ up…bro. There is even a petition on Avaz.com, asking the CEO of MBC to produce a statement of apology for the video. The response from MBC? In “Korea Real Time,” a Wall Street Journal blog, Evan Ramstad reports a defensive reaction from MBC. No apologies, and cluelessness as to why the alarmist language, extreme xenophobia, and blatant bias presented in the segment might be offensive and discomforting to foreigners living in Korea. “I don’t understand why foreigners get angry about the issue while they are living with their spouses and having no problem,” an MBC spokesperson said. “Foreigner-Korean women couples are living happily, but why are they angry over an issue that has nothing to do with them?”

Wrong. The issue has everything to do with every foreigner. I can’t speak for all transplants, but I can tell you that each time I walk down the street and people take a second look at me, I wonder…I’ve seen it, maybe they’ve seen it…do they think something is wrong with me? Am I actually unwanted in my quaint, peaceful town of Yeoju that I’ve come to call home for the last 10 months? Is the hostile tone in which cab drivers address me in fact due to my big eyes and curly hair? I’m not a western man with a Korean lady attached to my arm, but that isn’t the point. I’m an outsider to them, and now I’m an outsider who is associated with messages like this one. Moreover, messages that my students will see and will affect the way they see me.

Bringing cultures together, one yarmulke at a time.

Another upsetting component in this video is the way Korean women are dealt with. Phrases like “our women” is not only objectifying, possessive, and archaic, they also paint a picture of women who lack self-respect or intelligence – a picture I can whole-heartedly argue is untrue. Women here – although a little too obsessed with skin whitening cream and hand mirrors for my taste – are decisive, altruistic, and highly intelligent. Especially the open-minded ladies I’ve met who choose to spend time with people not of their own culture. There are obviously low-caliber humans of every race and gender, and Koreans are not exempt from that. But it is always wrong to group, generalize, and characterize. I believe that is called stereotyping.

Although I would like to wholeheartedly say that I think this is changing with each new generation, I can only express this half-heartedly. Stories like my quirky opener are not uncommon in my life, nor in the lives of my other English-teaching friends. However, these kids have had considerably more exposure to non-Koreans than their elders, and this will certainly impact the way they treat foreigners in their adult lives. I guess I’ll just have to come back to Korea when my kiddies are all grown up, and our 5-year age difference will seem much less significant than it does right now.

Let’s be honest. The producers who created this video probably comprise a group of men who are simply jealous that most foreign women aren’t attracted to them. Sorry dudes!

Seatbelt Bassening, Family Style: The Bass’s Do Seoul

Visiting Korea? Living in Seoul and you feel like being exploratory? Copy everything my family and I did during their stay in here. It was a whirlwind of subway rides, sightseeing, shopping, eating, explaining, and exploring. Everyone in my family has different interests, spiciness-level tolerances, and personalities. But somehow we made it out alive. Next week I join them in Tokyo!

[Sidenote: Most people would recommend traveling throughout the country, because the traditional/outdoorsy side of Korea is wonderful. I would too. But my family likes getting to know a city through-and-through, instead of constantly moving around. So here ya go.]

My whole family was impressed by Seoul subway system. Here is my dad, engrossed.

Some highlights…

Insa-dong – 인사동

A neighborhood that was inhabited by poets, artists, and liberal thinkers back in the day, this area is now home to a bevy of traditional tea houses, unique shops, winding, cobblestone roads, and dozens of art galleries. (And lots of tourists, of course.) My dad and I wandered the streets, taking photos and peeking into a few artisan shops. We stumbled upon the Buckchon traditional village, an area perched up on a hill encompassing a small neighborhood of old-style Korean houses, still inhabited by human beings. Amazing views and a nice display of what Seoul used to look like. (And what most of Korea still does look like – including many parts of where I live.) It’s a nice first-stop for visitors like my family: not insanely crowded with an emphasis on the traditional – you won’t find any chain stores or restaurants here. My father’s friend, Chong-Sang, who served as the perfect tour guide during their stay, explained that the store owners in Insa-dong are insistent on keeping the area as homegrown and non-commercialized as possible.

Buckchon Village

Buckchon Village

When we returned at night with Chong Sang, he took us to an awesome Buddhist “temple food” restaurant called Baru-gong-yang (Gyeon-ji-dong 71, Chong-ro-gu, Seoul, 02-2031-2081) where we ate lots of delicious vegetarian foods, herbs grown in mountains, and new flavors for everyone. Highly recommend!

We then moseyed over to his favorite tea house, Gwi-chon, created by a famed Korean poet, that is now run by the poet’s niece. The tea was delicious, and the ambiance feels right, and even better if you are sipping on your tea while discussing philosophy with a true Seoulite. (Subway exit: Anguk Station, line 3)

Dad & Chong Sang – 37 year reunion!

Eating Buddhist Temple Food – vegetarian, delicious, mountain-grown.

Cheonggyecheon River – 청계천

Almost like a narrow park that slithers throughout the city, the Cheonggyecheon River is a beautiful escape from the noise, crowds, and smells of Seoul – and all you have to do is climb down some stairs. Until 2005, the Cheonggyecheon was more like a sewage system than a river, covered by pavement and city life. Lee Myung Bak, then mayor of Seoul and now South Korea’s president, took on uncovering the Cheonggyecheon as his signature project, creating an awesome green space for Seoul’s inhabitants and visitors.

It reminds me of New York City’s High Line Park – an abandoned elevated train track that is now an elevated park – in myriad ways. Not only do these two parks both posses an overgrown, all-natural aesthetic, but they are both the result of restoring pre-existing urban components into something green and enjoyable for the people. The Cheonggyecheon stretches 5.2 miles starting at Seoul City Hall, and can be accessed at several points throughout the city.

Chungyechong River

NYC High Line – courtesy Google Images :)

Vertical garden

Hey Dad!

Gyeongbokgung (Palace) – 경복궁

This palace complex is the biggest in Seoul and definitely the most popular amongst tourists. Adjacent to Insa-dong and the head of the Cheonggyecheon, you’re bound to bump into the palace even if by accident. I’m not going to go into the history of it, because I’d basically just be copying this. Just look at the photos. (Subway exit: Gyeongbokgung, line 3)

Gyeongbok Palace

Gyeongbok Palace

Gyeongbok Palace – old & new collide.

Gwangjang Market – 광장동

Supposedly the oldest and biggest market in Seoul, specializing in textiles, a friend recommended I take my family for dinner here. It took a little wandering since most of the market was closed for the day, but we finally found the after-work crowd, stuffing their faces with all kinds of Korean street foods. The biggest challenge was in finding a place to sit, and in reassuring my mother that everything would be okay (it was a little “rugged” for her). We finally found some benches, rested our rumps, and indulged in a Korean street food sampler: ddoekbokki (rice cakes with a spicy chili pepper sauce), kimbap (rolls of seaweed with rice, cucumber, spam, radish, carrots, and more), and pajeon (basically a Korean pancake with onion, garlic, and other veggies). I kind of felt like I was tricking them into thinking they were eating some gourmet Korean food, since everyone enjoyed it so much, when in reality these are foods that kids will eat as an after school snack. This is what I love about traveling – genuine excitement from the novel. (Subway stops: Jongno 5-ga, line 1, exit 8 or Euljiro 4-ga, lines 2, 5, exit 4)

From left: kimbap, ddoekbokki, pajeon. YUM.

SMILE!

Gwangjang Market by night

Korean War Museum 

To be honest, my mom and I were pretty bored after an hour. Tanks and fighter jets just don’t really get me going the same way a traditional tea house or an artisan jewelry shop does. But hey, if wars and battles and fighting is your jam, absolutely check out this museum, located right next to the American military base. Tanks, but no tanks :) (Subway stop: Samgakji, line 6, 4)

Hongdae – 홍대앞

Well, my loyal readers know how I feel about Hongdae. It’s my favorite place in Seoul, hands down. Home to the city’s biggest art university, Hongik, the neighborhood breathes youth and creativity. Kitschy coffee shops, vintage dress stores, handmade leather notebook stands, strange graffiti – my kinda hood. If I were held at gunpoint and forced to compare Hongdae to a neighborhood in NYC, I’d have to say the East Village. We visited the Sang Sang Madang Art Center, which always has a new, interesting exhibit on display and also has the coolest design shop EVER. On Saturday, we hit up the weekly open-air art fair, which happens in the park by the university. You can find amazing handcrafted jewelry, painted sneakers, cheap portrait drawing, and so much more.

An upside down cafe.

Me, Mom, and a Raspberry Lady

Hongdae art fair from above.

Shalom hair shop. They knew we were coming.

Latest exhibit at Sang Sang Madang, all about taxis.

At night we ate some delicious galbi (pork rib meat) BBQ at a restaurant I’ve been to several times but have no idea what the name is. We met up with my friends at a makgeolli bar (Korean rice wine) that offers various types of flavored makgeolli, and was definitely the best I’ve ever tasted! Good prices, and you can sit outside. It felt pretty perfect. The bar is called Weolhyang 2 (월향 2호점)
352-23 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu | Map. Check it out! (Thanks, Seoulist!) (Subway stop: Hongik University, line 2)

Mommy took a liking to soju.

Myeongdong – 명동 

Lights. People. Lights. People. Neon. Neon. Neon. People. As my dad put it, “This is modern Asia.” Myeongdong is one of Seoul’s (many) major shopping districts, with every imaginable type of store: from high-end designer department stores, to niche boutiques, to discount stalls, to chain stores. Anything you’re looking for can be found in this crowds-at-all-hours neighborhood. (Subway stop: Myeong-dong, line 4)

Allison, happy as can be.

Lots o’ froyo.

Hangang River Park Biking – 한강

On our final day together in Seoul, we subwayed over to Hangang park, which I explored a few posts back, but only on foot. This time we rented bikes (3,000 won/hour!) and had a lovely time letting the wind rip through our hair for a few hours. (Subway stop: so many. We used Yeouinaru, line 5)

Mom & Dad & Hangang River Park

Parents do bikes.

Moon & Mom ~ of course my Seoul sista came along for the ride :)

Yeoju – 여주

The family hopped on a bus and headed southeast to my city, Yeoju! They watched me teach, and it was fun to have 3 faces grinning at me from the back of  the classroom for 50 minutes. I’ve never had someone I know watch me teach, and it feels weirdly validating. I’m just glad it happened after 9 months, and not on one of my first days where I pretty much stumbled my way through a “lesson.” To my surprise and delight, the vice principal took us all out to dinner, with 3 other teachers! They taught my parents all about the food we were eating, which I could not have done, and inquired about their impressions of Korea. (For more of that, look out for some future guest bloggers.) We visited the Silleuksa temple, and of course drank some soju with the Yeoju crew before they headed back to Seoul.

My parents came on Teacher’s Day and i received these carnations from my students :)

Mommy & Daddy at Silleuksa

Funny Family

Badger Blogging Blitz: Days 6 and 7

Today’s the last day of the Badger Blogging Blitz – sorry to people who have enjoyed hearing the extra tidbits of my life in Korea, and your welcome to everyone whose inboxes/newsfeeds/livlihoods I’ve infiltrated for the last week.

This week was too good not to mention and brag about. Let me break it down for ya.

LADY GAGA

Friday night I raced straight into Seoul from work to catch the very first stop on the mega-pop-superstar’s tour, which was totally fucking awesome. She played at Seoul’s Jamsil Olympic Stadium, built for the 1988 Olympics. Apparently this was the biggest international act to play in Korea since Michael Jackson’s HIStory World Tour in 1996. Although my 5-foot-3 self had a difficult time seeing pretty much everything, (I mistakenly thought this problem wouldn’t exist for me on this continent, but it turns out I’m still a short in Asia. Plus I would never wear heels to a concert which I have standing-only tickets to–most Korean women would, apparently.) I had such a good time going gaga. The set looked like a medieval castle, she donned some ridiculous getups, and of course shouted profanities throughout the entire show. Pretty. Damn. Awesome. There were some protesters outside the venue, and the government changed the show to be 18+ due to the “pornographic” nature of her music (acceptance of homosexuality is, unfortunately, still in its infancy in Korean society) and the sexuality in her music videos (okay, they might be right about that) and she made a little announcement about it. Videos to come!

Outside Jamsil Olympic Park - 3 hours before the show started

Castle Set

Rare and fabulous queens in Korea

MUSCLEMANIA

My good friend Quinlin (who was with me at Gaga!) is dating a Korean guy named Dong Cheol who might as well be a Calvin Klein underwear model…yes that’s right, a Korean Ashton Kutcher. He participates in “Sports Model” competitions. Think body-building, but less bulky, vein-popping, and steroidy. It was quite an experience, to say the very least. There were about 200 people in the competition, which took place in Gangnam in Seoul, and 5 dudes are selected to go to the big convention in Miami to represent Korea. Great job, Dong Cheol!

Courtesy of Quinlin O'Donnell. You're welcome, readers.

Dong Cheol is 3rd from the left. Sportswear!

CERAMICS

As I’ve written about in the past, Yeoju is famous for ceramics and puts on a festival celebrating the ancient craft twice a year. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and my friend Moon joined me for some pottery perusing and purchasing. I got a mug, adding to my mugs-of-the-world collection, and an awesome circular vase. I wanted to buy so many more items, but I honestly don’t know where I’ll be living 5 months from now to display the items.

Moon and Moi

SILEUKSA

We moseyed over the the Silleuksa Temple complex, a gorgeous grounds which sits nestled between the river that runs by my apartment and a little forest, consisting of several pavilions for prayer, meditation, and places to spend the night for temple-stays. (I’m planning on doing a temple stay in June!) We were blessed with great wandering weather; there was hardly a spring season here in the R.O.K., and it already is starting to feel like summer.

Sileuksa details

The river...

...the forest.

Wandering weather.

Sileuksa

Stairway to...Buddha?

We spent the night cooking, baking, and jamming with the Yeoju crew. Joyful, joyful end to the weekend.

And now for the final question in the Badger Blogging Blitz:

How has blogging about Korea changed the way you’ve experienced it? 

When I decided to move to Korea, it only seemed natural that I would create a blog. I blogged while studying abroad in Prague, which fizzled out by the 3rd month and didn’t get the attention it deserved. But I decided my Korean experiences should be consistently and meticulously reported, as a way to both remind people at home of my existence and to serve as an account of my year here for future reference. Bassenyourseatbelt is all of those things, and has metastasized into a whole other beast–sometimes I feel like this blog has a life of its own. It has led me to some wonderful writing opportunities with Chincha?! and Seoulist, which has pushed me to level-up my writing style and really dig for interesting content. Most of all, blogging has deepened my level of curiosity. I ask questions, I read pamphlets, I travel alone if necessary, and I make a fool of myself quite a bit. I think I can thank WordPress.com for a lot of that.

Please check out my fellow Blogging Badgers, now and in the future!

Julia Bass

Emily Gaynor

Keith Kemp

David Klug

Zach McLeod/Liz Wansley

Soren Nieminen

Badger Blogging Blitz: Day 2

{Other Badger Bloggers: Emily Gaynor, Keith Kemp, David Klug, Matthew Marx, Zach McLeod/Liz Wansley, Soren Nieminen}

Daily Questions:

1. How does your school experience at the age of your students compare to that in Korea? 

It’s pretty crazy how different my high school experience was from that of my students. Let’s begin with the fact that my high school, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, is pretty much the antithesis of a Korean public high school. I had a completely unique education, so it’s hard for me to compare my time in high school to that of my students. My high school was far from most typical American public schools. As a progressive school, Fieldston emphasizes learning through doing, and learning for learning’s sake, rather than memorizing random facts for a test and forgetting them the next day. (They don’t offer A.P. classes or testing, because it forces teachers to teach to a test.) We were always encouraged to think critically about the world and express our thoughts through writing or art.

Farm Day 2007 - all the seniors dressed up in the theme of "farm" #citykids

We had a spring “fashion show,” in which various classes of art students had to create outfits using anything but fabric, and then walked down a runway in front of the whole school. There was always someone strumming a guitar in the halls of the school, wearing an obscure costume on the Senior Grass, and teachers decorated their classrooms with Pink Floyd posters. Sounds like a real freak show, huh? It was fun, but very special. Fieldston taught me how to think. I participated in so many extra curricular activities; from Field Hockey, to the Community Service Advisory Board, and a spectacular theater program, my after school hours were filled with excitement and creativity. On the weekends, I went to concerts, hung out with friends,  and explored the East Village–my students would go crazy with this type of freedom.

Fieldston Seniors' Color War - rainbow of ridiculousness

There is nothing that comes close to even resembling these sorts of activities at Sejong High School. At this institution, students spend the majority of their waking hours in school. They arrive at 7:45am and leave school at 9pm. They study for quizzes and midterms in 1st grade (American 10th grade) the same way that I studied for finals in college. They clean the hallway floors and stairways on their hands and knees, not because it needs cleaning but to instill discipline. They are terrified of their principal and give her a deep, 90-degree-angle bow whenever she is near. They run and scream through the halls, and are incredibly cheerful, despite the immense pressure they will face once their classroom doors close and the studying begins.

This is a picture in a calendar Sejong HS made, advertising the amazing study rooms that the school offers.

I never studied the way these kids study in high school. Studying for tests in high school for me meant a few hours of flipping flashcards, rereading book chapters, and talking about the material with classmates. I was constantly writing long essays in high school, a concept about as foreign to Koreans as my curly hair. They will read articles, textbook chapters, or poetry, and must answer questions about its content, but are never really asked to think critically about the topics raised in their literature. My students sit at cubicles in the library for hours, writing factoids and equations over and over, pouring over textbooks, until the wee hours of the morning, struggling to stay awake. They can’t help but fall asleep during class, even when my activities involve watching American music videos. Many of them suffer from extreme amounts of stress and depression, due to the prospect of not acing their tests and therefore living a life of eternal shame. It sounds dramatic, but this the reality of high school in Korea.

Whenever the topic of public education in American comes up, Barack Obama constantly looks to South Korea as a model for successful public schools, due to their high test scores and stellar study skills. But the President needs to take a look at the powerful, negative side effects that this system is producing. South Korea has the highest suicide (click for an excellent BBC article on the topic) rate of teenagers in the world. Not coincidentally, these are the same kids going to high school for 14 hours a day, studying all weekend, and who are subjected to a outrageously high-pressure society.

Apparently they have fun, sometimes.

2. If you had the opportunity to change 5 things at your school, what would they be and why?

I’m going to treat this question as…realistic changes. Of course, I’d love for my students to study less and be more creative, but it’d be impossible to actually impliment those kinds of changes.

1 – Hang up student artwork in the halls of my school.

2 – Talent show! (If they have one, I wasn’t invited, and I would thus change this to: Invite the foreign teacher to the talent show.)

3 – Serve dessert on a more regular basis.

4 – Clubs. I know lots of Korean schools actually have clubs, like school newspaper and theater clubs. I’m pretty sure this doesn’t happen at my school. It might only happen in middle schools.

5 – Free coffee for teachers.

New Semester, New Gender

No, this isn’t a post in which I take advantage of Korea’s ridiculously low medical fees and get a sex-change operation. Although that would definitely make for a riveting blog post. Instead, my high school has undergone a transformation, and is now co-ed. Hello boys! They are slowly immersing a Y-chromosome into the halls of my school, starting with the first grade (American 10th grade). The name of my school has changed from Yeoju Girls High School to Sejong High School. (King Sejong the Great was in power in the 15th century, and is the man responsible for Hangul, the Korean language, and is buried right here in Yeoju! Come visit me and we can go see his tomb.)

Sejong the Great in Seoul near Gyongbukgong Palace.

Last week was the first of our new semester, and the boys have been hilarious, energetic, and very engaged in classes (for the most part). It’s been an interesting experience to see how the girls’ behavior changes around the opposite sex. Although I haven’t gotten to see how the behavior of the girls I’ve known for 6 months already has changed, since the 2nd and 3rd grade classes are still girls only, it’s still a nice social experiment to sit back and watch. Girls and guys rarely sit together, although this is slowly starting to change as some of the classes get more comfortable with one another. They never sit together at lunch, and I hardly ever see boys and girls hanging out in the hallways. Not that they have much time to “hang out,” this is Korea afterall…work-hard/play-hard, minus the play.

My classroom!

Not too shabby.

One downside I’ve noticed to co-education, from a teaching standpoint, is that the boys have been dominating class discussions, excitedly answering all my questions while girls sit back and watch. It’s not consistent in every class, but it’s definitely happened a noticeable amount of times. Not only are their personalities more rambunctious and outgoing, but the sheer volume of their voices has been drowning out the sounds of the girls in class. Sometimes I’ll ask only the girls to answer, to make sure they aren’t just sitting back and letting the boys take over. We’ve all seen what that has done to our world!

Men on capitol hill discussing my uterus. Apparently science offends them.

On that note, I leave you with Girls Generation’s “The Boys” – one of my favorite K-Pop tunes. (They performed on Letterman a few weeks ago – big moves!) 

A Graduasian: Commencement at a Korean High School

No matter where you are in the world, there are certain life cycle events that are remain monumentally important in a culture, moments that seem to always call for archaic ceremonies, long speeches, and butterfly-filled stomachs. Weddings, boy-becomes-man moments, births–every society celebrates these events with its own traditions, and I had the privilege of witnessing another meaningful life cycle event in Korea: the high school graduation. Education is a focal point of Korean society, and to finish high school is a memorable achievement.

People selling flowers at the school for guests to give to the graduates. Smart business.

I entered the gym about an hour before the ceremony began, to witness some preparations and rehearsing. This, like most Korean events, was extremely chaotic and seemingly disorganized, but was probably highly structured in a way that I could never understand. The 230 graduating 3rd graders were seated in the center of the gym facing the stage, a sea of maroon in their western graduation caps and gowns. One of the only other English speaking faculty members is the school nurse (who happens to be my age–very young compared to American school nurses!) told me that wearing graduation garb is a new phenomenon in Korea and that she only wore her school uniform when she graduated high school. The homeroom teachers for the 3rd grade classes all wore gowns, along with the principal and VP–a group of 2nd graders seated on bleachers next to me roared with laughter when they saw one of their teachers in his gown (because he is “short and cute,” I was informed).

The only thing missing was "Pomp & Circumstance"

Korean Kommencement

Group receiving awards.

Bored 2nd graders.

The mass of gown-clad students was sprinkled with the brightly colored smart phone cases that about half the students own, angled above their faces taking photos in their funny outfits.

Capturing the moment.

The ceremony began with a musical performance from three of my wonderfully talented students, followed speeches from the principal, VP, and a financial supporter of the school. Then, in true Korean fashion, instead of calling up each student to accept her diploma, groups of students who had won awards or top grades were called up by the principal to the stage. I’m not sure which I prefer: waiting around for each student to have his or her named called for hours, or only honoring specific students and ignoring the rest. The award being given was described, their  names were read, the principals handed out the awards, and everyone bowed to each other. The entire ceremony was a complete hybrid of Korean and western traditions, it was intriguing to watch. Another musical performance was given, this time 2 girls sang the English song “You Raise Me Up” – I wondered if I was the only person in the room who understood what they were singing. Probably.

After the ceremony, the rush of parents to hug and kiss their graduates, give them flowers, and take photos commenced, a flurry of smiles and confusion. This was definitely a familiar sight to see, and reminded me of the fact that even if I can’t understand the words of the principal’s speech, or the titles of the awards that were distributed, the emotions and meaning behind a high school graduation are universal.

Ceremonial chaos.

Typical post-graduation moments.

All of the teachers were treated to a phenomenal lunch of barbeque duck, and lots of other side dishes after the graduation was over. And, just like every important ceremony in America, there were massive amounts of mouthwatering dishes!

 

Kim Jong Il & Hanukkah

Two major events have taken place in the past few days – the death of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il and my decision to teach my high school students about the Jewish version of Christmas. The reactions to both events by South Koreans has surprised me quite a bit. I’ll begin with Kim Jong Il.

Monday morning, I was sitting in my office perusing Facebook when my good friend and fellow blogger Liza Burkin sent me a Facebook chat informing me of the Dear Leader’s death. I immediately checked every news outlet imaginable to make sure we were thinking of the same Kim Jong Il. It was true. I glanced around my office of about 16 other teachers and no one seemed to be reacting to any shocking news story. I turned to my co-teacher and showed her the homepage of BBC.com – she slowly read the headline and was totally shocked, and seemed almost skeptical of this English-language website. I then proceeded to show her about 5 other sites, including Korean news outlets, and she was eventually convinced. She told a few other teachers, and soon everyone in the office was laughing. Not because they were rejoicing in the death of their northern enemy’s leader, but because Julia – the foreigner– was the one to bring them this important piece of Korean news. It was a funny moment.

Photo from KoreaHerald.com (English-language South Korean news site.)

Other than that, though, there didn’t really seem to be any strong reaction to the news of Kim’s death. (Although I never really know what is going on around here anyway.) In the past two days, I haven’t picked up on any panic in Korea and I have heard that this is a standard reaction to happenings in North Korea. Fellow English teachers have reported similar reactions at their schools. Last November, after an attack on Yeonpyeong Island just west of Seoul, schools remained open and there was hardly any response to the violent event. A big issue I read about was whether or not South Korea would offer condolences to the north, a dilemma which the US was also facing. Both decided not to, but South Korea did send some delegates to the funeral. I suppose we will all sit back and wait to see how the transition of leadership goes in North Korea. The heir apparent, Kim Jong-Un, seems totally underqualified from everything I’ve read. This article from the New York Post paints an interesting and frankly terrifying portrait of the person who is about to inherit a country currently perusing a nuclear arms program. An interesting time to be living in Korea, indeed.

This week, beginning Tuesday night, marked the beginning of Hanukkah, an 8-night celebration of hope and strength. But of course as we all know, Hanukkah has pretty much become just as commercialized as Christmas. However, I took advantage of Hanukkah as a moment to explain Judaism to my students, a religion none of them had ever heard of. (As of today, I’ve taught my Hanukkah lesson plan to 5 different classes and not one student has heard the word “Jewish” before.) Here is a copy of the PPT I created to explain the Jewish religion and Hanukkah in the most basic, easily-understood way. Thanks to the Hanukkah care package from my awesome Jewish mother, I was able to put menorahs on the desks in the classroom, and teach the students how to play dreidle!

Dreidle in Korea - globalization at its best.

They thoroughly enjoyed the game, especially because copious amounts of candy were involved. Funniest remark of the day in reaction to dreidle: “Julia! This is gambling!” Insightful young ladies I teach. The most fascinating aspect of the lesson, to me, was the fact that none of my students had ever heard of the Holocaust. It was very difficult to time-efficiently explain it to them, and my co-teacher explained to me after class that they do not learn about the Holocaust in high school or even college. At first, I was shocked and appalled – how could such a huge, tragic event in world history be absent from any current history books? A Genocide with a death toll of 11 million seems quite significant to me. But then I thought back to my high school education, and even my university curricula – I never once learned a thing about the Korean War, Korean involvement in WWII, or anything about Buddhism, Taoism, or Confucianism. Very little about anything in Asia at all, to be honest. So why should they know about my people and western history? The purpose of my employment in Korea is becoming more and more clear as the months progress and I realize how vastly different our world’s really are.

Hanukkorea

Turkey & Chopsticks

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! This year, as usual, I’m thankful for many things. Discount airlines, frozen Twix bars, inexpensive red wine, wearing slippers in school, the Korean desire to learn English, and my family. Surprisingly, I wasn’t too homesick for America, family, friends, or the parade balloons, this past Thursday, for my first-ever Thanksgiving away from home. (I do miss you all dearly, though.) I think it was because the Yeoju crew pulled off one of the best American Thanksgiving dinners to be had in the entire Republic of Korea.

Football jersey, abundance of wine, and the holy Turkey.

Last weekend, we made big moves and orchestrated a pilgrimage to Costco in Seoul (yes, we drove!) to purchase a turkey. If anyone was worried, your Costco cards will work in Korea! It was a strange feeling indeed, to be transplanted to big-America for a few hours, roaming around a massive warehouse with our gargantuan shopping cart, surrounded by mega-everythings. Of course we all picked up a few other goodies from America that we’ve been missing…seltzer water, cheese, deli meats, granola…it was a good day.

We had the Turkey feast the following Saturday, since Koreans don’t really tend take a day off work for American holidays, and everyone brought his or her  own delicious contribution.

Lots o' pie. (Notice the pie decorations, brought to you by the Yeoju Crew.)

I made stuffing for the first time ever, which apparently turned out to be pretty good. All the traditional foods were present, and of course everyone was traditionally in a food coma after the 2nd and 3rd rounds of eating were completed.

A few people brought Korean friends and significant others, and I think it’s safe to say that they thoroughly enjoyed the carbohydrate-fest of a holiday. We were all happy to introduce them to our favorite American specialties. It was definitely a unique Thanksgiving experience, and serves as proof that it’s possible to eat anything with chopsticks.

Thanksgiving with chopsticks!

Living in a Yellow Submarine

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Living in Korea is a little bit like living in a bubble, surrounded by people who call themselves “yellow” – and I’m not a racist. My students actually call themselves “yellow” people! I live a homogenous country and stick out like a sore thumb, but thankfully there are other people with me in my little bubble. There is a strong foreigner presence, here in South Korea, made up of mostly English teachers all over the country, and of course the 28,000 American soldiers stationed here as well. There are other waygookin (the Korean world encompassing all foreigners)  here as well; university professors, journalists, engineers, etc. But the bubble, or the “yellow submarine” as I have just coined it in this blog post, of English teachers is definitely its own subculture.

Just some waygookin hanging out in Itaewon!

Trekkies, Hell’s Angels, hackers, swingers, gamers, bodybuilders…step aside. English teachers in South Korea is a subculture force to be reckoned with. All the native English teachers love to exchange lesson plans, commiserate on dealing with life in a foreign country, and share funny stories about students (seriously, they are never ending). Below is just one of many hilariously on-point videos people have made about teaching English in Korea.  It’s nearly impossible to sit in silence with another English teacher for very long. First of all, we are all generally naturally outgoing; you have to be in this profession. Second of all, as I just mentioned, we all have 3 very easy conversation-starters upon meeting one another. We create hilarious YouTube videos about our interactions with Koreans, we have extensive websites to share lesson plan ideas (visit waygook.org if you’re interested!), and of course we all love to hang out in Seoul on the weekends. We read endless blog posts about upcoming events, constantly hoping for a visit from a familiar western music group.

I also want to be clear: the Waygookin in Korea do step out of our bubble often. Many, many people date Koreans, have Korean friends, go to dinner with their co-workers, etc. This is just a general description of the “bubble.”

Just for fun…I taught my students “Yellow Submarine” in my pop music lesson. Would you define The Beatles as pop? Yes? No? Maybe? Discuss amongst yourselves. But I don’t think there is any question about how wonderful these ladies are. (I had to give them candy in exchange for permission to film!)