The Hunt: Searching for Teaching Jobs in Korea

*Since I wrote my original post "The Hunt: Searching for Teaching Jobs in Korea", there have been some changes to the availability of public school jobs and I've learned some new information. Unfortunately it is true that many GEPIK public school jobs are being cut. Here is the updated version (the same corrections have also been made to the original post, but I've re-posted it again here for ease).

Recruiters and Programs

If you're looking for a teaching job in Korea, you'll need to start by applying through a recruiter or program. For recruiters, I recommend Teach ESL Korea, Hands Korea, or Work n' Play. All offer public and private school jobs. For public school only there is Korvia. You can also apply directly to public schools via EPIK and TALK, which are government programs that place teachers throughout Korea (usually not in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do, the province surrounding Seoul). 

Avoiding the negativity and finding the right job

When doing research on English teaching jobs in South Korea, the results can be overwhelming, and sometimes it seems like no one has anything nice to say. Here's some advice on how to avoid the negativity and get accurate information: 

1) Rely on real people, not internet forums- When I started encountering lots of negative feedback on the internet about private and public schools alike, I frantically emailed my recruiter, worried about picking the wrong job. He emailed me back with a piece of logic I  hadn't thought of before: positive experiences appear vastly outnumbered on the internet because foreigners who are having a great time in Korea (which is the majority of them) are too busy having adventures and enjoying their lives to post their complaints on a random internet forum. I'm not saying bad experiences don't happen, they do, but it is often blown out of proportion on the internet. 

Although popular sites like Dave's ESL Cafe, Waygook.org, etc. can be helpful for many things, unless what you read applies directly to your potential employer or particular school, take the negativity with a grain of salt. These internet forums usually don't attract unbiased sources, but they certainly do attract naysayers and those who like to stir the pot. If you want general information about working and living in Korea, check out reputable and well known websites like EatYourKimchi, and do lots of research to find personal blogs from people living in your potential new hometown or city. Every other foreigner has a blog, and most likely you'll be able to find a contact who has worked at your school or in your area, or someone who can point you in the right direction. 

You should also find contacts through people you know from home or through your recruiter. Seriously, if you tell people, even strangers, that you're looking for a teaching job in Korea, you'll quickly find that everyone and their mom knows someone or knows someone who knows someone, that is teaching in Korea.  I can't stress this enough: the best hagwon or private school jobs usually come through word out mouth! 

And don't be shy about contacting teachers just because you don't know them! Most foreigners here would be thrilled to share something about their experience with you. My contacts before coming here included a friend I hadn't seen in five years, my friend's cousin who I'd never met, and my friend's brother's friend from college (who I'd certainly never met). All were extremely helpful!

2) What are you looking for out of this experience? Although issues can occur with your job that are entirely out of your control, sometimes I wonder what percentage of people on those forums are truly unhappy because they didn't consider what they were signing up for? Even though you may not want to teach English as a permanent career, an interest in education, kids, or at least getting to know foreign cultures will make your experience much more pleasant. Remember: the majority of your time here will be spent teaching and in school. If your only interest in coming to South Korea is an apartment and a pay check, then you might be in for a long year. 

Public vs. Private Schools- How to Decide

If you've done any internet research, you've probably noticed by now that hagwons, or private academies, don't always have the best reputation, and that many people prefer public school jobs. The biggest reason is that public schools are held accountable by the government and have standardized contracts, where as hagwons are private business that are unregulated and can pretty much do whatever they want...including going out of business. However, I'd like to be optimistic and say that where you choose to work should depend on your personality. Many people also work at hagwons that they enjoy. 

Public
Pros: standard contract, less teaching hours, more vacation (20-25 days)
Cons: usually only one foreign teacher, can't always choose location, longer application process
Neutral: Lesson planning

Native English teachers (NETs) at public schools are employed by GEPIK or EPIK. GEPIK hires mostly through the private recruiters I listed above, while one must apply directly to EPIK. These are government offices that provide the teaching contracts for public schools. NETs can also contact these offices if they have questions about, or problems with their schools. Among the other pros listed above, people tend to gravitate towards these jobs because the government technically ensures stability.

HOWEVER, these jobs are losing their stability. Already, most public schools in Seoul no longer receive funding for foreign teachers. I currently work for GEPIK and these jobs are also starting to get cut drastically. Unless schools are funded by local city halls, only rural schools will receive funding from GEPIK starting in 2014. While teachers can't be let go mid-contract, hundreds of contracts are not being renewed. 

If you're interested it's still worth applying, but beware these jobs are becoming extremely competitive. You will need to get at least TEFL certified, and online certificate programs cost $300-$400. In the next couple of years, public school job numbers could continue to decline, or go on the rise again. It's hard to tell because it depends on each province, annual budget votes, and of course, politics. Currently however, they are very much on the decline. If you're planning to work in Korea for more than a year or two, be aware that renewal may not be possible. 

You can also apply through EPIK or TALK, which serve all of Korea, but because of increasing competition you can no longer request a specific location...which means you can be placed anywhere...including the middle of nowhere. Generally, if you would like to be surrounded by other foreigners or expats at work, then public schools are definitely not for you. You will more than likely be the only foreigner at your school.

I put lesson planning in a neutral category because I think this definitely depends on the person. If you enjoy devising lesson plans and thinking of creative ways to teach then you will certainly enjoy working at a public school. Some public schools provide textbooks, but many expect you to come up with your own lessons for regular classes. 

*Ask about after school classes and English Camps at public schools!!*

Most public school teachers also run 1-2 week "English Camps" during summer and winter breaks. Expectations for English Camps vary greatly by school (anywhere from 1 to 4 hours a day). Your interview is a good time to ask what kind of special programs are expected of you during breaks and throughout the year! While I get paid overtime and enjoy the challenge, I didn't know until I arrived at my school that I would be expected to teach special Fall and Spring after school courses until 8 p.m. twice a week for 5 weeks, which is highly unusual for public schools!    

Hagwon (Private)
Pros: usually higher pay, more available, many foreign teachers, easier application process, can choose where you want to go!
Cons: non-standard or lack of contract, less vacation (7-10 days), more teaching hours
Neutral: lesson planning, the unusual work schedule

Due to slightly longer hours, overtime, and less vacation, hagwon teachers tend to get paid more than public school NETs. If you're coming to Korea to save money or pay-off student loans or debt, this may be something to seriously consider. In addition, you'll also enjoy the company of other foreign teachers, which certainly makes for a much easier transition! While I like my school, I live in a smaller city and definitely have to make the extra effort to meet people. As for lesson planning, it varies highly, some hagwons will have you strictly follow a textbooks, others will require you to come up with your own material. You should ask in the interview what is expected. 

The best part though is that hagwons are everywhere, so you can choose where you want to go! So here's the tough part: how do you make sure it's a good school? I don't want to undermine those who've had bad experiences at hagwons because there certainly are problems that I've heard from teachers who work at them. Because they are run like businesses, their priorities are a bit different from public schools...namely money and customer retention, which can put additional stress on bosses and employees. There's no 100% fool proof way to ensure your hagwon is great, but here are some tips:

• I'll say it again: the best hagwon jobs often come through word of mouth!  If you talk to someone living in Korea, they might know a friend who is leaving at the end of the month and needs someone to take their place at a job. Many schools use private recruiters but they also take private referrals!  

• If you can't find a friend, or friend of a friend living in Korea to speak with, don't be afraid to ask to speak to a current NET at the school you are interviewing with! The employer should allow you to speak with someone who currently works at the school. If they won't, it's probably not a good sign. 

• Prepare detailed questions to ask during the interview: "Is public transportation easily accessible from the school and my apartment?" "How long have the other foreign teachers been working there?" "How often will I be expected to work over time?" "How much time is given for class preparation?" 

• Go with your gut and be patient. Although it's hard to give up a job that looks great on paper, if you speak with someone who rubs you the wrong way, or there's a clause in the contract that no one seems to able to clarify, then follow your instincts. I'd say this applies to both private and public schools. 

• If you follow the above advice hopefully you won't need this, but there is a hagwon blacklist that you can check on the internet, for schools that are unusually atrocious. I also found this site which compiles hagwon reviews which should offer positive reviews as well.

I listed the unusual schedule as neutral because again I think this is personality based. Most hagwons, unless you're teaching kindergarten, have their hours from 1-9pm or 2-10pm. If you're a night person who likes to stay up late and wake up late, this might be your dream schedule! Even if you haven't historically been a night person, many hagwon teachers who adapt to this schedule don't mind it since their friends and co-workers will be on it too.  I will be honest and warn you though that hagwons are much more likely to ask you to come in on the weekends or stay late, but you should get paid overtime.

While there is certainly less vacation time during the year with private schools, if you're planning to travel after you leave Korea, which most people do anyway, this doesn't have to be a big problem. There is also so much stuff to see locally in Korea! You can easily satisfy your need for a break with day or weekend trips. Having less vacation, or being in a more rural area like myself, really encourages you to get to know Korea and have an authentic living experience.

*The Classroom and Co-Teachers- Public vs. Private *

In hagwons you'll be physically in the classroom teaching about 28-30 hours a week, whereas you're only the classroom 22 hours a week with public schools. It's true that more teaching hours can be tiring, but there are other factors to consider. While public schools leave ample time for "desk warming", the technical term for sitting at your desk, some people get very bored by this and prefer more fast-paced hagwon schedules.  Public school also classes tend to be much larger, 20-35 students, while hagwons usually have 10-15 students (less if it's a small academy). 

Working at a public school also involves co-teaching with a Korean English teacher. Unfortunately there are no standard expectations or training sessions for Korean co-teachers. While some may be helpful, others may not.While in some public schools you'll be fully in charge of the classroom, in others you might be more of a side kick. Many NETs establish beneficial relationships with their co-teachers, but many teachers also prefer the independence that comes with working in a hagwon, where there are usually no co-teachers. 

Your experience will be what you make of it

At the end of the day your experience is going to be what you make of it. People have good and bad experiences at public schools and at private schools, in rural areas and in urban areas. I've met people who've been in Korea for many years and held several different jobs, and although some have been better than others they are all still here because the fun they've had and the friends they've made have been worth it. The happiest teachers are the ones who take the good with the bad, and chalk it all up to experience.

Gangnam Style: What's the deal with K-Pop?

The most common question I've been asked from friends at home over the past few weeks is: What is going on in this music video?!

Before I had internet installed in my apartment last week (*fist pumps*) I wrote my blog posts using the WiFi at a coffee shop, where I first saw this video....and then saw it over and over again. At first I couldn't stand it, but by listen number 1,435,675 I was bobbing my head along to the-how-can-this-possibly-be-so-catchy beat. And by listen 23,453,765 I was at a club dancing to it...very enthusiastically I might add.

Gangnam (pronounced gahng-nahm) is the ritzy, trendy area of Seoul. Saying "Gangnam style" is the equivalent of saying "Beverly Hills style." The song and video, particularly the infamous and eyebrow-raising "horse dance", intend satirize "Gangnam posers", or as Psy, the singer of the song explains in a CNN interview:

"People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are -- it’s only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are "Gangnam Style" -- so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something that they’re not."

You can read the rest of the interview here. To answer what you're thinking, despite his comical appearance, Psy is in fact very famous, and was so even before this song. He also studied at Boston University and the Berklee College of Music (yup, funny and smart, line up ladies), and has had a successful career writing songs for other groups/singers. Rumor has it he might soon be making music with Justin Beiber.

I believe the other men in the video (the guy in the banana yellow suit and Mr. hip-thrusting-in-the-elevator) are famous Korean comedians. While it has all of the trappings of a typical, vapid K-Pop hit, on the contrary, the song is meant to be satirical (and of course, make you dance like you're trying too hard to be Gangnam style). Psy's satire and quirky appearance separate him from other K-Pop acts, and certainly contributed to making him such a success internationally. There is a great Atlantic Monthly article discussing the surprisingly subversive nature of the music video, as it more than pokes fun at the empty, materialistic pursuits of Gangnam trust fund babies. Definitely worth the read!

This video also leads me to a lot of other talking points about K-Pop music. The next being: do you like/listen to it? Well, yes and no. Would I put it on in the privacy of my own apartment while doing the dishes? No, probably not. It's not really something you can sit back and relax to; but do I enjoy it when it's blasting over the loud speakers of my school, and playing at bars and clubs? Of course! Nothing beats writing lesson plans while quietly rocking out to this song by Dal Shabet:

Though I admit it took me a while to figure out that they were actually singing "Mr. Bang Bang" and not some weird pronunciation of the word "baby" over and over, I'm pretty into this song. 

Now I'll give all of you out there a moment to press play (and maybe replay), and some more time to reflect on how much you actually do like this song, despite what your inner-indie god/goddess is telling you (it's okay. If you're struggling, I'm sure K-Pop is, or will soon be, super cool in an ironic way...either that or you can always say that you like, totally discovered this song first like three zillion years ago on your rando- friend's blog and all these people listening to it now might as well be Gangnam style posers).

Anyway, point is, if you look closely you might notice some things about K-Pop music that you don't see in Gangnam Style. There are six girls in Dal Shabet, but they are not differentiated Scary, Sporty, Baby, and Posh style (if you don't get that reference...well...maybe there are other, better blogs out there for you)...in fact, they all look quite the same. Listeners in America like to complain about how manufactured music groups are in America, but I'm rather sure that the K-Pop industry is unrivaled in its ability to churn out indistinct pop groups.

Well to be fair.... at least they appear indistinct. These groups spend hours upon hours on Korean variety and talk shows, giving fans (who redefine the terms diehard and zealous I might add) a chance to get to know each member of the group very well. Since I don't understand Korean however, and admittedly have to make my judgments solely on appearance, it's difficult for my fiercely-individualistic-American self to understand how one could genuinely drool over a group in which everyone dresses the same, dances the same, and yes...probably had the same plastic surgery (a friend of mine pointed out their eerily similar facial and nose structures).

For me there's an obvious line between enjoying K-Pop music and being truly ingrained in K-Pop culture. K-Pop naturally reflects the general homogeneity of Korean culture, and an extreme desire to blend in, which I often find hard to understand. Yes people in America want to fit in, and resort to superficial means to do so, but the creed of individuality is still deeply embedded in American society.

From the beginning, most of us in the States have been taught that we are special, and have unique gifts to contribute to society, school, our friend groups, etc. Thus "fitting" in America usually means conceding only some aspects of one's self in order to intertwine one's individual identity with that of a group, while in Korea "fitting in" often means conforming to that group in every conceivable way.

Now I've touched on homogeneity in Korea before, but I feel it bears some elaboration here. Though some of you may agree with my assessment of Korean vs. American "fitting in", I can still hear some readers' internal groaning, "People in America also try to look and dress the same to fit in. It's no different". Well for those who have not experienced what I'm talking about, I'll tell you now: it is different.

Let me give an example (one of my personal favorites): clothes. In America, people will buy certain brands to associate with different trends. If you want to be preppy you'll get a Lacoste polo and some J. Crew salmon-colored pants. If you want to be quasi-alternative, you'll get a cut-out dress from Urban Outfitters or American Apparel. If you want to go goth, you'll get a black t-shirt and spiked collar from Hot Topic. In Korea however, on the whole, these dichotomies hardly exist. Even those who I see dressing outside of mainstream Korean fashion still seem to follow the same prescribed alternative fashions (generally a subdued punk look). While the number of people I see donning these alternative fashions in Seoul seems to be growing, they still feel like the exception, not the rule. 

Anyone who knows me well can attest to my normally excessive shopping habits, but in Korea I find shopping less enthralling. When it comes to clothes I tend to gravitate towards pieces that are elaborate, intricate, or loud. In Korea however, no matter where you shop, you'll find almost all clothes come in only a handful of styles and cuts, and are made from the same fabrics. In general patterns are more subdued, and clothing items lack detail or hardware. Many stores do not carry signature styles or looks like they do in the States. In America, we tend to look for small ways to stand out, in Korea, not so much.

2NE1

Wonder Girls....look familiar?

It seems like many factors, including geography, and hundreds of years of less than stellar foreign relations with neighboring aggressors, have made it more necessary for Koreans to protect their overall culture than foster individuality. I dwell on this here because it's been one of the most difficult cultural aspects to relate to; clothes and K-Pop are only two examples of how it enters my everyday life. I don't mean this evaluation of Korea's homogeneity to be negative, but perhaps you can try to imagine how unfamiliar the concept of blending in feels to a loud, outspoken Jersey girl. More importantly, I think the way culture affects the structure of Korean vs. American pop groups (and how we perceive them) is extremely fascinating.

For me the disposition toward homogeneity also explain why these music groups are so large (some groups have as many  as nine members)! I could never imagine seeing such large groups in America because each member would need to have defining, or even opposing characteristics, which would be difficult to achieve with so many members. For example, in American male pop groups there's always the bad boy, the boy next door, the heart throb, etc. In Korea it seems like they are all meant to be the heart throb (add dash of bad boy)...though with varying degrees of success.

Of course there will always be favorites who emerge as front men/women in these groups. Netizens and paparazzi are as ruthless as anywhere else. While for me I am taken with what I see as the distinct indistinctness of K-Pop groups, the K-Pop industry itself is certainly a unique culture and genre all its own. Though I've put them under some scrutiny in this post, many artists in these groups are very talented and undoubtedly work as hard as any American artist. If you're interested in learning more, I thought eatyourkimchi.com made a great video on the messy split of the group T-ara. It gives more even more insight on how these groups function (even if you've never listen to them it will still be interesting).

How to Swim with Sharks in Busan

Dun dun.

Dun dun.

Dun dun.

Careful, he's hungry. I ran into this guy at the Busan Aquarium. I had a few days off from school and decided to take a trip to Busan, the second largest city in South Korea...or Seoul with a beach. While the Busan aquarium may not have had fish swimming in toilet bowls and washing machines, for a mere $120, you can actually go diving in the shark tank! They only do it on weekends and you have to book it in advance, but I'm thinking it might be worth making a return trip for...hopefully the sharks don't think that I'm bite sized.

I also found what appears to be the stuffed animal version of Nemo's dad after a night on the town. Lookin' a little out of it there eh?

Moving on from the never ending rotation of questionable stuffed animals...I stayed at the Pusan Hostel, which I discovered is actually a temporary hostel, a.k.a. a giant apartment located in super ritzy complex (please refer your eyes to the picture below). Lesson: you can live in a fancy apartment as long as you rent it out to 20 other guests on the weekends to pay the bills. It was a bit far from the major downtown areas but I had a room to myself and a fabulous view of the ocean! Definitely one of the nicest apartment complexes I've seen in Korea so far.

View of the buildings from a neighboring park.

 Though I've traveled a lot, this was my first true solo trip abroad, going to a new city by myself. Traveling in Korea isn't like traveling in Europe where you're guaranteed to run into other foreigners where ever you go. During the day I went sight seeing with other people from the hostel, a small group of English teachers and travelers, but at night I would generally go out and just make friends with the first English speaking people I could find, which were surprisingly few and far between for such a big city! Nevertheless I had a great time!

My adventures started immediately after I arrived. I wanted to try and get a nice view of the city, so I began walking up a nearby hill thinking I would get to the top, see the city and walk back down, but the trail kept going and going...I ended up hiking 5 kilometers around the rocky coast before I finally found the view I was looking for.

Almost...

Parts of the trail were just a man made path, you can see the fence.

 Getting there...

There it is!

I knew Gwangalli Beach, a popular nighttime destination, was just beyond that bridge. What started as me looking for a bus or taxi to Gwangalli turned into another 5-ish kilometer venture until my toes finally hit the sand. I re-energized with a true American meal: a chicken quesadilla with avocado. Back home this wouldn't be news/blog worthy, but finding good Mexican food and avocados for cheap in Korea after weeks of nothing but kimchi, Korean BBQ, and dumplings was like stumbling on the holy grail. I ate it at the Fuzzy Navel, a popular restaurant across the street from the beach.

This is a picture of Gwangalli at night. On the right you can kind of see the crowds (there was a concert going on further to the right). There are three beaches in Busan, Haeundae being the largest and most popular, but Gwangalli is known for its nightlife.  I've been taking a lot of pictures with my iPhone, for the most part I think the quality is decent, but for night time I need to start carrying around a real camera.

The next day I checked out the Haedong Younggungsa temple, famous for its beach side location. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. While it certainly was beautiful (you can't go wrong with a good ocean back drop), I noticed that the temple also looked somewhat familiar:

Me forgetting to throw up my peace sign!

Because of the many wars and Japanese occupations, most temples in Korea are reconstructions...with identical paint jobs. Most of the Haedong buildings looked like smaller versions of the ones at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. I guess in general it just didn't have the same wow factor as other historical sites I've been to (though perhaps I've become a bit jaded).

Afterwards we went to Songjeong beach, which I'd recommend going to if you ever find yourself in Busan. Most people head straight for Haeundae Beach since it's large/well-known/has lots of touristy things to do, but if you're looking for a cleaner, less crowded beach for a relaxing day, hop on the #181 bus and get off when you see water! It's very close to the Haedong temple.

Since it rained Friday we skipped the beach and went to the aquarium which was awesome, evidenced by the opening photos. After that we went to Spa Land, the most amazing jimjilbbang (Korean spa) ever! It's inside Centum City, an urban development which is also home to the world's largest department store (they love superlatives in Korea). It's definitely a great place to relax if you're in Busan, but it might make all subsequent jimjillbbangs look pretty lame. It has 13 saunas, each with a different theme...how would you like your hot steam room? Turkish? Or Roman bath style? I opted to lounge in the outdoor hot spring (I know, life is rough).

Inside the department store....personally I think the Guggenheim could sue for copyright infringement...

Then we trekked to the other side of Busan (it is absolutely huge) and shopped around the BIFF Square where they hold the eponymous Busan International Film Festival. The outdoor markets in the area are enormous, you could spend hours just walking through the streets and combing through the various kiosks. I myself like to buy cheap funky socks:

I spy with my little eye...Obama socks.

A very tiny part of the market area.

We also checked out the famous Jagalchi fish market. And by checked out, I mean we walked in, saw this lady wrangle an octopus, turn it inside out, put it in a plastic bag, and give it to a customer....after that we decided we'd pretty much seen all we needed to see at the fish market. While we were walking away we saw another octopus unsuccessfully try to escape from the red bucket of doom...sorry buddy!

After regaining our appetite we tried some of the famous street food. If you go to Korea and eat nothing else, try hotteok. It's fried dough filled with brown sugar and nuts...the heat melts the brown sugar so it turns into a gooey filling...so unbelievably good.

And for the grand finale: we went up the Busan towers for some lovely views of the city!

Sorry for the poor picture quality...again I was just carrying the iPhone...but yes, that is another giant department store. Korea: the country that likes shopping more than I do.

What it's like to teach in Korea

Growing up it was hard to imagine my teachers having lives outside of the classroom. Running into a high school teacher on the street was usually awkward for both parties involved, like two parallel universes accidentally crossing. Aside from the token "cool teacher" with whom I might occasionally have a personal conversation, I treated my teachers as distant authority figures and engaged with them through formal interactions.

Though some students back home had closer relationships with their teachers, many of the interactions that comprise the teacher-student relationship in Korea would be grounds for dismissal in the States. I do not say this (or anything else) to pass judgment, but I want to emphasize the level of difference in accepted teacher-student interactions. Teachers in Korea are much more like parents. Touching, texting, playing, and even corporal punishments, are all a daily part of Korean school life.

Teachers in Korea will shake, pick up, and even hit their students, no matter what their age. Corporal punishments were only recently made illegal in public schools. Many teachers, especially of the older generation, will still hit (somewhat gently) their students on the back of the head when they are falling asleep in class. Teachers also give physical punishments like standing in a corner. One time my co-teacher made a student repeatedly lift a fire extinguisher like he was lifting weights.

On very rare occasions, I've heard of students getting into physical fights with their teachers. It you witness something like this, it will surely be uncomfortable but it's best to stay out of it. Schools deal with severe punishments much differently in Korea. There is no such thing as detention. It is an absurd concept to them that that one's punishment for wrong doing is simply doing nothing (does seem a little backwards the more you think about it huh?). Though punishments vary, at my school for example, really bad students will have to do community service.

When it comes to teaching in any classroom, you will gain the student's respect if you are composed and know (or at least act like) you know what you're doing. Although it's tempting to be the "cool teacher" and level with your students, its hard to get back control once your students begin to view you as a peer rather than an authority figure. Luckily though, since hierarchy is highly valued in Korean culture, students tend to be respectful regardless, and the fact that you're a foreigner will certainly make them interested in getting to know you. As I also mentioned in my previous post, students will get to know you by asking more personal questions such as "How old are you?", "Are you married?", etc. 

Of course you can answer these questions and more, but don't be afraid to be clear about where your boundaries are in general. I know foreign teachers whose students will call their cellphones after school to ask about homework, meeting up for extra practice, etc. I sometimes eat lunch and take walks with a foreign student who is having a hard time at my school. Where you draw the line still means using common sense, but interactions between students and teachers that might be frowned upon in the States are not always as unusual in Korea.

Maintaining authority in the classroom is always the hardest part. Though more experienced teachers may give different advice, so far I've found that the easiest way to maintain authority while still building good relationships with my students is to be strict about staying on task in class, while constantly asking for their feedback, their likes, and theirs dislikes. This way I can create activities that are tailored to their interests. I think most students will be more attentive if they feel that you are actually listening to them, and not just talking at them.

On that note however, when it comes to teaching, suspend your expectations and be very patient. Lessons you thought would take 20 minutes might take up the entire class. Preparation is key, but no matter how thorough your lesson plans are you still might get stuck or finish too quickly, so plan to be flexible. I like to always have an extra game or easy activity ready in case I need to pass the time. Korean students are shy and for the most part have been taught English in a very systematic way that does not encourage much spontaneous conversation or creativity, but everyone loves a good game.

Note: If you are teaching middle or high school students, you will hit culture barriers immediately in trying to do activities that involve acting out emotions or creative work. The Korean education system is based on memorization and repetition, thus the idea of writing a creative essay or an original argument is completely foreign to them (no pun intended). I recently went to a workshop where a teacher described how confused and distraught her middle school students when she tried to get them to play Charades. They could not understand why or how someone would act out arbitrary emotions, and were extremely embarrassed by the game.   

Though you can't reverse a lifetime of deep set cultural values in one year, let alone one class, I find it helps to provide students examples of what you want them to do, even if it makes you feel a little silly as well. Have them imitate you or someone else. For example, when trying to get my students give speeches, I first had them watch and imitate Obama speaking. Having a model made it easier for the students to practice their speaking skills and it made a funny game for the class. And of course I started by doing the first impression! The key point: if you're not interested in what you are doing, your students won't be either. 

Outside of the classroom you will probably find yourself in a different working environment from what you're used to at home. As I emphasized in my last post, some of the same rules still apply: make a good first impression, be on time (early), and act professionally.  However you may see some things that wouldn't fly at home, such as sleeping in the office. Koreans work extremely hard. You'll find students sleeping in class and teachers snoozing at their desks (I've even heard of schools that have couches where teachers can go for a brief repose). I'm not saying to bring along your pillow and blanket everyday for a mid-afternoon siesta, but if you close your eyes and lean back for a few minutes every once in a while you won't attract much attention. 

Though this may vary by school, public school teachers will frequently hear the term desk warming: this means long periods of time spent at your desk with not much to do. Though it may sound wonderful, I suggest finding ways to occupy yourself and keep busy (like writing a blog for instance). While many public school teachers will simultaneously surf the internet, myself included, desk warming is a good time to gather teaching materials and prepare lessons. Classes often get cancelled and switched around. It's always good to have lesson plans, or at least game ideas, tucked away for unexpected happenings. 

Though it may seem cliched, if you think back to the best teachers you had growing up, it's more than the likely that they were the always prepared, confident, and enthusiastic about their job! All of these things are also important for maintaining a good student-teacher relationship, not just in Korea, but anywhere in the world!  

The Korean War: History From the Other Side

Last weekend I took a trip to the Korean War Museum in Seoul. I think it was the first time I'd been to such a large museum dedicated to something that barely registers blip on the radar of the American conscious (at least for my generation). Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the exterior, but here's a picture of all the old military airplanes sitting out on the side lawn.

The museum was a big reminder of how selective our history textbooks are when it comes to re-creating the past. A brief history lesson for those whose memories might need refreshing (or just a complete freshing): After WWII, the Japanese surrendered Korea to the Allies (Japan had been ruling it officially since 1910- I'd give some background on the history between Japan and Korea, but I only have a blog post and not a 1,000 pages to write- what I will say is that if you're watching a Korea vs. Japan match in the Olympics, and you get the feeling that it's a little personal...you're probably right). The Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-1945 resulted in much of the conflict we see between Japan and South Korea today.

Eyes glued to the Korea vs. Japan Judo match....

To the point: the Korean War broke out because of an arbitrary political division, that is, a border imposed along the 38th parallel by the Allies to separate Soviet (communist) controlled North Korea, from US (democratic-ish) controlled South Korea. Now if we take away anything from imperial/ colonial history, I think it should be that arbitrary, externally imposed divisions of any kind: geographic, ethnic, economic...usually result in big problems.

In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and briefly occupied the majority of the country. The UN permitted an intervention, for the which the US provided the vast majority of foreign troops. The UN forces helped quickly push back the North Koreans behind the 38th parallel, and most thought it would be a swift victory...until the Chinese intervened on behalf of the North Koreans.  The bloodiest months of the war were spent fighting over mere kilometers surrounding the border that still exists today, the demilitarized zone, or DMZ. (*Note: this is a brief, bare bones summary of what happened...most of which I learned at the museum).

Most reasons for the lack of attention given to the Korean War tare obvious: it came after the largest war in history, it never generated as much controversy as the Vietnam War, and unless you've been following the Samsung v. Apple lawsuit, South Korea isn't a country we normally think about when it comes to international issues (North Korea on the other hand...).  It's easy to forget that the Korean War technically isn't over. In 1953 North and South Korea signed an armistice or ceasefire, not a peace treaty, which is why there are still fears about attacks from North Korea. Though I don't think it's at all likely, it does explain all of the emergency gear in the subways, which I naively pointed out in a previous post as weird, zombie- apocalypse precautions:

 
The oddest thing about the museum was the mock firing range. I usually think of war museums as places that promote a "never again" message. But considering that tensions still exist and military service is compulsory, I guess it doesn't seem so out of place. The "guns" even had kick back:

In the museum they also have some ideas about what future soldiers will look like:

And due to what seems to be a lack of primary images, etc, there are also a lot of natural-history-museum style dioramas depicting certain events. I don't have any photos, but there was even an entire room modelled after a war time South Korean village- i.e. lots of shacks.

This is a model of an infamous incident where North Korean troops massacred South Korean soldiers trying to cut down a tree that was blocking their line of sight.

I have had a few discussions with Koreans and foreigners about whether or not they think South and North Korea will, or ever even could reunite (it would be a huge economic and social burden on South Korea). Opinions are definitely mixed. My English class today provided a great example. I had the students create their own mascots for the 2018 Winter Olympics which will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. One group named their mascot after a mountain in North Korea to express their desire for unification.

To me this demonstrates not only how students feel about the state of the country, but also indicates something about how important it is for them to confront their identity as South Korea continues to open up to global culture. As I've said before, one of the most interesting things about being here is that in terms of modernization, South Korea is still a young country, navigating the cultural and social woes of entering an increasingly interconnected world, where Eastern and Western cultural lines are becoming more and more blurred.

To end on a lighter note, the haze finally cleared up enough for me to get some good pictures of the mountains I see on the bus ride coming from Seoul to Yeoju. Even along the highway the Korean landscape is beautiful.

In cute news, I recently discovered that these guys live across the street from my apartment complex. Korea is a tiny country so you have to squeeze in farms and animals where ever you can.

The big guy at the front was quacking at me as I drove by on my bike.

And finally, in awesome news...I got my first paycheck and decided to upgrade to a much newer, faster bike. It originally had a flower sticker on the front which I had to rip off. Now I'm really cool:

Watch out pedestrians of Korea...I can break 35 mph now...