Korean Job Discussion Forums

[makushi]

Dr. Buck, you da man.

To further your point: So I'm watching the movie 'Enemy at the Gate' which based on a true story set during the battle of Stalingrad.

There's a seen where the Russian hero is dreaming about his grandfather and how his grandfather taught him to hunt and shoot. In the seen the little boy is alone in the woods with his grandfather who teaches him how to set a trap, patiently wait for the target, and then the importance of taking the right shot.

One of my Korean family members looks over and says. "Don't you think his grandfather was cruel?"

I came pretty close to spontaneously combusting. I mean here the grandfather is teaching him the the skills that are allowing this boy to survive in his current situation, and at the same time creating a real lasting bond with his grandson. And all my Korean relative can see is that the "poor boy" was uncomfortable.


I can safely say that most north American men would love to have a grandfather like the one portrayed in the movie and share those kinds of experiences.

Mine taught me to fight, fish, work on cars, play cards, climb a ladder, fix a roof, and all sorts of things that I don't use in my 9-5 life but have definitely added to the quality of life I lived.

I could ramble forever on this, but suffice it to say...good post brother!

[Velvet Sea]

[Trinny]

I have a story about Canadians vs Koreans to rebutt your claims. I am not criticising you guys or saying that I am perfect, but just trying to make a point that not all the North Americans are Mr. red green type of power tool guys or ladies.

- One of my Canadian relatives keeps two lap dogs in her tiny apartment in downtown Vancouver.
- I have had one Great Dame for a pet.

- Another Canadian relatives thinks of planting geranium (sp? annual plant ) in a pot as gardening. She is afraid of touching soil. Meanwhile a pot of hosta she got from her client is sitting on her front porch all summer. She doesn't know it will thrive in her garden as an outdoor plant.
- This stupid Korean girl (me) almost lost one of her finger from an infection, touching and mixing soil in her bare hands. I was reprimanded from my GP for not wearing protective gloves.

- One of my Canadian girl friends gets really freaked out by bugs and bought a propane-powered mosquito zapper. She sprays pesticide on her grass every summer, while I am digging dandelions one by one just to keep up with appearance. Does she understand what kind of damage it does to environment?

[jaderedux]

[OiGirl]

Have any of us heard of Korean children who were killed in car accidents, abducted by strangers, etc? Of course we only have the rosy national papers to read in English, but I don't think I've seen any such stories on the local TV news. And I have met many, many Koreans (even been a member of several ajummas' groups) and never heard their stories or their friends' stories of how their youngest perished in a car accident. Does it really happen? Do Koreans just pretend the child never existed? Do I have to get a lot closer to Koreans to learn about this?

[dogbert]

[the_beaver]

[OiGirl]

Ok, I definately missed the kiddie body count in the TV news. I will plant myself with my dictionary in front of the TV tonight, I promise!

[mokpochica]

I know 5 people personally that have been hit by cars (3 of them children). Fortunately, all of them have survived. I know of more just from the 2 years I've been living in Korea. One of my friends went to a piano hagwon where a child was run over and killed by their piano van driver. 2 students from a friend's middle school were hit by cars this year. One of them has been hospitalized for months. The other died the day he was hit.

It happens a lot.

[makushi]

According to the latest OECD numbers, Korea ranks #2 in the world for the highest rate of traffic related fatalities for children aged 0-14.

Way to go Reds!

[OiGirl]

[coolsage]

Truth is, many, if not most, well-to do Korean parents, can't wait to send (or accompany) their little darlings overseas, because they know that they will receive: a more rounded education, not merely rote-learning, but also the ability to do their own thinking, a quality absent from the Korean system; the opportunity to socialize, without being confined to their own gender until they're 19; and a happy absence from the still-pervasive corporal-punishment- Confucian mind-set that has died out , thankfully, in every land except this one. It's changing, I see it and it can't come fast enough.

[steroidmaximus]

well all in all this has been a very interesting thread, despite the flaring tempers.

As a new parent, I think of this often. I do think there are some things to be learned from the Korean system: the kids should put a bit more time into their studies. I do think the Korean system goes overboard: as a teacher, I know how many hakwans the kiddies go to, and I think it is scandalous. They should play more, and not in the classroom. The classroom should be seen as a place of learning, with some socializing, and here I disagree with JH: if all the kids only play, socialize and goof off in class, I think it reduces the educational value of schooling in general, for the kids will only associate the classroom with goofing off and not learning.

I do think a big problem with the Korean parenting style is the lack of participation in the kid's life. Like was stated earlier, I don't want my kid to grow up to be a wuss, and my daughter is going to learn how to fish, camp, be self sufficient basically, and capable of independant critical thought. It irks me to no end to see kids running around without supervision all the time, especially the 11:00 out on rollerblades without protective gear variety, or sitting in front of those mini video games out by the corner supa variety. Those boys and girls are between 6-10, and my IMHO, should be in bed.

Also, the running around the restaurant screaming and staring while their parent's gab variety are pretty damned annoying, and I've seen this too often. Being taught acceptable public behaviour is important. WhenI was 4-5, if I stared or pointed at someone because they were different, I was reprimanded by my folks. If I ran around in a public space, I got an earful or a smack to the ass. Korean parents don't do this, and it explains I think the lack of social awareness so predominent toda

[jh]

[the_beaver]