Today was my first day of school and things went fairly well. Normally, I am supposed to teach three classes on Monday, but because of some scheduling confusion, I taught a total of fifteen minutes today. Most of my day was spent getting to know the other teachers. Some were certainly more interested in the Korean-looking foreigner than others. It was definitely a learning experience for me in many ways except teaching.
I must stress to Americans teaching in Korea that smiling and looking friendly is extremely important. Being approachable is paramount to establishing good relations here. Most questions I asked other teachers were completely useless because they did not understand the question nor did they know how to reply. When they ask me questions, then I can respond to their English limitations. We do not get a lot accomplished in those terribly awkward moments, but at least it starts a dialogue.
Making friends will make this experience much more fun and valuable. However, I must admit that it can be a bit exhausting. Apparently, I will play baseball, ping pong, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and go mountain climbing with various other teachers "soon." Something tells me that Koreans are not as quick to absent-mindedly make plans with other people. They might actually mean what they say, in which case I will be dead "soon."
It is also a little tiring being the only native English speaker. Many people want to practice their English and ask me if their "words are correct." It also has occured to me why this experience can and will be difficult. As the only native English speaker, I am always on. Many conversations among friends can be like hiccups (kind of an unintentional reaction). Here, a person has to really think about what they are saying with the hopes that they are understood.
Regardless of the trials and tribulations that are inevitably going to surface for me as a teacher in Korea, there is no better way to learn a language and culture than having it slammed into your head. Moderation be damned.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
FYI
The village I live in is called Song Sa. It is lodged at the base of Jirisan Mountain. It is becoming a very good situation as there is a lot of beautiful scenery in the area (I would highly recommend a scooter to any future ETA's in rural settings). Things have already gotten a little better as I now understand the power of a deck of cards. My sisters could not care less about games (rummy, go fish, etc) but they love seeing me shuffle a deck. I think Han Seul spent two hours trying to mimic my shuffling techniques. Like any good Korean, she practiced extremely hard and is now better than me.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
A New Home
I have now moved into my new homestay and met most of my school's faculty. To say the least, it has been a whirlwind of activity. I should start off by saying that my new family, which consists of a father, a grandmother and three daughters (I haven't seen the mother as of yet) are very kind. The daughters names are Harin (15 years old), Han Seul (8 years old) and Eun Woo (7 years old). It should be interesting to see how this plays out.
There is a massive language barrier as I don't speak Korean and they don't speak English. Communication has been low and the meals awkward. Occasionally, the father asks me a question to which I can only respond "nay?" which means "yes?" It is a strange situation for everyone. I am not extremely thrilled with the fact that it will take me months just to communicate simple ideas with the people I will spend a majority of my time. The daughters don't look particularly pleased to have a strange man move into what used to be their room. It might take a while for them to warm up, as would be expected. The grandmother tells me I am handsome, which I believe is a polite way of saying that she thinks I am an idiot.
I do not actually live in Gurye but rather a small village next to Gurye. I will give the name of the village later (when I know for sure how to pronounce it). I get the feeling that they do not run into Asian Americans very often around here. Every time I open my mouth people look at me like I just punched a kitten. As soon as I tell them "Mi Guk Saram e ae oh (I am an American)," they interpret that as "speak faster!" I never had such difficulty buying a bottle of water. The elderly are particularly incredulous to my situation. As far as they are concerned, I am a Korean man who does not speak the language. I would say that I can not speak the language, but maybe I am just splitting hairs.
The other teachers, especially the principal have been very kind to me. In fact, most Americans would say that they are being a little too kind. They have made it their objective to make me feel as comfortable as possible. The intensity of their kindness has sometimes been a little overwhelming at times. For example, when I mentioned that I was going to look into the price of a scooter, they took that as "let's buy the foreigner a scooter!" Since I was told that it would be a bad idea to turn down their generous offer, I just left it as that and learned that next time I should be a little more cautious about voicing hypotheticals. It was a very kind idea, but it was a little more than I deserved, being that I have not even taught a class yet. They have quickly accepted me into the "teacher family" and I can be nothing less than grateful for that. I have never been in a situation where a group was so welcoming on the first day. My co-teacher and I get along great (she would prefer to be called Mrs. Lee). The other English teachers are also pleased to have another ETA at their school and only now do I lament my decision to only take one grammar course in college.
Overall, my school is a good place with good people and my homestay family is warm and inviting (though grandma won't let me help with dishes because I am so... handsome).
There is a massive language barrier as I don't speak Korean and they don't speak English. Communication has been low and the meals awkward. Occasionally, the father asks me a question to which I can only respond "nay?" which means "yes?" It is a strange situation for everyone. I am not extremely thrilled with the fact that it will take me months just to communicate simple ideas with the people I will spend a majority of my time. The daughters don't look particularly pleased to have a strange man move into what used to be their room. It might take a while for them to warm up, as would be expected. The grandmother tells me I am handsome, which I believe is a polite way of saying that she thinks I am an idiot.
I do not actually live in Gurye but rather a small village next to Gurye. I will give the name of the village later (when I know for sure how to pronounce it). I get the feeling that they do not run into Asian Americans very often around here. Every time I open my mouth people look at me like I just punched a kitten. As soon as I tell them "Mi Guk Saram e ae oh (I am an American)," they interpret that as "speak faster!" I never had such difficulty buying a bottle of water. The elderly are particularly incredulous to my situation. As far as they are concerned, I am a Korean man who does not speak the language. I would say that I can not speak the language, but maybe I am just splitting hairs.
The other teachers, especially the principal have been very kind to me. In fact, most Americans would say that they are being a little too kind. They have made it their objective to make me feel as comfortable as possible. The intensity of their kindness has sometimes been a little overwhelming at times. For example, when I mentioned that I was going to look into the price of a scooter, they took that as "let's buy the foreigner a scooter!" Since I was told that it would be a bad idea to turn down their generous offer, I just left it as that and learned that next time I should be a little more cautious about voicing hypotheticals. It was a very kind idea, but it was a little more than I deserved, being that I have not even taught a class yet. They have quickly accepted me into the "teacher family" and I can be nothing less than grateful for that. I have never been in a situation where a group was so welcoming on the first day. My co-teacher and I get along great (she would prefer to be called Mrs. Lee). The other English teachers are also pleased to have another ETA at their school and only now do I lament my decision to only take one grammar course in college.
Overall, my school is a good place with good people and my homestay family is warm and inviting (though grandma won't let me help with dishes because I am so... handsome).
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Last Week in Chuncheon
As the ETA orientation comes to a close, it has been beginning to hit all of us that we're actually going to have to teach. It has been reiterated to us that we are to teach conversational English, but it's times like this that I am starting to wish that I took my grammar courses a little more seriously.
Last week I met a Korean elementary English teacher and I agreed to record "a few" pages of stories for a listening exercise. First of all, there might have been a cultural misunderstanding as to the meaning of "a few" pages as I found myself reading the equivalent of a novel into a microphone for several hours. I also found myself giving a few English lessons regarding the article system, the three major tenses, and the proper use of conjunctions. Secondly, I would like to point out that it may not always be a good idea to go to random people's houses on ambiguous grounds. My mindset was, "hey, what could possibly go wrong?" Fortunately for me, the teacher (who I will just call "Manny") was a tremendously kind person with a nice family.
My payment for my help was a ton of bugolki (Korean beef and vegetables) and later on, a shirt and a hand fan. I intended to help simply for the experience of working with a Korean teacher so the food was a pleasant surprise. It should be noted that it was one of the most awkward meals I have ever had. I learned that my Korean food etiquette is at the equivalent level of a barbarian. Here are a few heads ups. Don't focus on any single part of the meal. The mother got a little concerned that I ate too much rice and not enough meat. Rotate your intake, especially since there is a larger variety than to what we Americans are generally accustomed. The meal consisted of soup, kimchi, cucumber kimchi, meat, rice, pickled radish, small egg pancakes, eggplant, and salad. I didn't quite know where to start, which brings up another point, be prepared to eat a lot. I think I might have offended the family because I only ate enough for two people. I also couldn't really finish my rice, but the look on the mother's face told me that that rice was going to be eaten, regardless of my stomach's situation. One final point to make is that sharing food is just good manners. I noticed that none of us got our own plates, which meant that we just picked what we wanted with our chop sticks. I was warned about that, but it seems more foreign in practice than in theory. After watching me cautiously fumbling around the table with my chopsticks for a few minutes, my host gave me a separate plate with a "thanks for trying anyway" look.
After I finished my meal and English lesson, I was presented with a shirt that Manny's daughters bought for me while I was working. It was very touching, especially as a stranger with horrible table manners. One thing to note is the gift giving aspect of Korean culture. If someone invites you to their home, buy a gift, if you are meeting someone important (like one's principal), buy a gift, if someone does something nice for you, buy a gift.
It's still too early for me to come up with any major generalizations of Korean culture, but I can tell that preserving a positive kibun (an ambiguous term that includes but is not limited to general feelings, atmosphere, and collective happiness) is always a priority for people. In short, if someone is not happy, it affects everyone. This has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the community feels a responsibility for the well-being of others. Happiness is a collective good to be maintained rather than an individual pursuit. Yet, such a concept seems to have a crushing effect on individuality. Since non-conformists disrupt a community's kibun, they are often looked down upon. Some of the more colorful personalities I have encountered have usually been the out casted people who are merely tolerated.
Nevertheless, as I leave Chuncheon, I can say that it has been a very memorable experience. The Korean students I have met, as well as other ETA's, have made me think that this is going to be a great year. There are always ups and downs, but I have never met such welcoming and warm people. The Korean students I have met are very down to earth and love learning about the differences between American and Korean culture. I only hope that I can inspire a few students to want to learn more about the US and bridge some of the gap between Americans and Koreans.
On an unrelated note, I saw the new Batman movie. All I can say is that if I had seen the moon landing, I could say with impunity that it was better than seeing the moon landing. I hope everyone is doing well back in the States.
Last week I met a Korean elementary English teacher and I agreed to record "a few" pages of stories for a listening exercise. First of all, there might have been a cultural misunderstanding as to the meaning of "a few" pages as I found myself reading the equivalent of a novel into a microphone for several hours. I also found myself giving a few English lessons regarding the article system, the three major tenses, and the proper use of conjunctions. Secondly, I would like to point out that it may not always be a good idea to go to random people's houses on ambiguous grounds. My mindset was, "hey, what could possibly go wrong?" Fortunately for me, the teacher (who I will just call "Manny") was a tremendously kind person with a nice family.
My payment for my help was a ton of bugolki (Korean beef and vegetables) and later on, a shirt and a hand fan. I intended to help simply for the experience of working with a Korean teacher so the food was a pleasant surprise. It should be noted that it was one of the most awkward meals I have ever had. I learned that my Korean food etiquette is at the equivalent level of a barbarian. Here are a few heads ups. Don't focus on any single part of the meal. The mother got a little concerned that I ate too much rice and not enough meat. Rotate your intake, especially since there is a larger variety than to what we Americans are generally accustomed. The meal consisted of soup, kimchi, cucumber kimchi, meat, rice, pickled radish, small egg pancakes, eggplant, and salad. I didn't quite know where to start, which brings up another point, be prepared to eat a lot. I think I might have offended the family because I only ate enough for two people. I also couldn't really finish my rice, but the look on the mother's face told me that that rice was going to be eaten, regardless of my stomach's situation. One final point to make is that sharing food is just good manners. I noticed that none of us got our own plates, which meant that we just picked what we wanted with our chop sticks. I was warned about that, but it seems more foreign in practice than in theory. After watching me cautiously fumbling around the table with my chopsticks for a few minutes, my host gave me a separate plate with a "thanks for trying anyway" look.
After I finished my meal and English lesson, I was presented with a shirt that Manny's daughters bought for me while I was working. It was very touching, especially as a stranger with horrible table manners. One thing to note is the gift giving aspect of Korean culture. If someone invites you to their home, buy a gift, if you are meeting someone important (like one's principal), buy a gift, if someone does something nice for you, buy a gift.
It's still too early for me to come up with any major generalizations of Korean culture, but I can tell that preserving a positive kibun (an ambiguous term that includes but is not limited to general feelings, atmosphere, and collective happiness) is always a priority for people. In short, if someone is not happy, it affects everyone. This has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the community feels a responsibility for the well-being of others. Happiness is a collective good to be maintained rather than an individual pursuit. Yet, such a concept seems to have a crushing effect on individuality. Since non-conformists disrupt a community's kibun, they are often looked down upon. Some of the more colorful personalities I have encountered have usually been the out casted people who are merely tolerated.
Nevertheless, as I leave Chuncheon, I can say that it has been a very memorable experience. The Korean students I have met, as well as other ETA's, have made me think that this is going to be a great year. There are always ups and downs, but I have never met such welcoming and warm people. The Korean students I have met are very down to earth and love learning about the differences between American and Korean culture. I only hope that I can inspire a few students to want to learn more about the US and bridge some of the gap between Americans and Koreans.
On an unrelated note, I saw the new Batman movie. All I can say is that if I had seen the moon landing, I could say with impunity that it was better than seeing the moon landing. I hope everyone is doing well back in the States.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Going to Gurye
A couple days ago all the ETA's were assigned their schools. In two weeks I will be teaching in a small town called Gurye in the South Western province of Jeollanam (Chonnam for short). It's actually pretty difficult to find any information (in English) on the town so I had to resort to more desperate measures. According to wikipedia, it is about 33,000 people and very isolated due to the rough terrain that surrounds the town.
Gurye do tung hakyo (구 레 고등 학교) is the name of the high school (학교-hakyo means school in Korean). It is a pretty small school with a little less than four hundred students. If anyone is interested in learning more about the school, and can actually read Korean, then go to http://gurye.hs.kr for more information. I'll just have to wait until I get there for information. It will be interesting to see what life will be like in a rural area. At the very least it will be a good learning experience for everyone involved.
Gurye do tung hakyo (구 레 고등 학교) is the name of the high school (학교-hakyo means school in Korean). It is a pretty small school with a little less than four hundred students. If anyone is interested in learning more about the school, and can actually read Korean, then go to http://gurye.hs.kr for more information. I'll just have to wait until I get there for information. It will be interesting to see what life will be like in a rural area. At the very least it will be a good learning experience for everyone involved.
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