Very Interesting

Here are a few interesting things that I learned today......

1.  If you remember from an earlier blog I wrote about Koreans and how they age (they are already one years old when they leave the womb)......I also found out that they only age at the beginning of the new lunar year, which can change every year.  So if I were Korean, I would turn a year older on January 1st, not March 5th.  Their birthdate is just that....a day that they left their mother's womb.

2.  Kids at schools in bigger cities are much meaner than those in the smaller towns like my own. 

3.  If a student brings a weapon to school, specifically elementary or middle school, there really isn't anything teachers or administration can do.  They can only suggest counseling or that the child go to another school.  If the parent(s) don't agree, the child will remain in the school.  The school cannot kick the child out.  If the student is in high school and brings a weapon, then (and only then) can the student be expelled.  I assume this is because students pay for high school and elementary and middle school are provided because it is Korea's obligation to students.
**On a side note here, my co-teacher told me that she has never heard of a student bringing a weapon to school.  When I shared with her about one of my past students bringing a gun to school she was shocked.  She later explained to me that students usually fight physically, using their fists and legs to kick.

4.  After talking to my students, it seems that they do not realize that there is another world outside of Korea.  So many of them have no intentions of ever leaving, but there are quite a few who would love to have an opportunity to come and study in America.

5.  According to my co-teacher, Korea is changing.  Things are not how "they use to be".  Students don't want to think on their own and are lacking (good) common sense.  I told her that in some instances, American and Korean students are the same.  While all American students do not fit this statement, sadly, so many of them do.  I think the biggest difference between Korean and American students is that Korean students are so much more focused on and dedicated to their education.  It seems, from my own observations, that this attitude begins at the middle school level.  A perfect field trip would be to take a group of Korean students to America for one month, and then take a group of American students to Korea for one month! 

ㅕㅜ샤ㅣ ㅜㄷㅌㅅ 쌰ㅡㄷ! 
(Until next time).......