Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I never knew that 'What did you do this summer?' could be such a depressing question until I started teaching in Korea. I tried to start off my first week's lessons by getting the students to write down three things they did. Most couldn't even come up with three, even after I gave a lot of examples on the board. A couple of students went to Seoul. A few went rafting. A few others went out for dinner with their family. No one, it seems, had any outings exceding a couple of days, or did anything particularly worth of discussion.

I almost feel guilty talking about my several vacations this summer. Is it as bad for those of you who teach rich Gangnam / Ilsan / Bundang kids?

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

^ they probably go to school in NZ or OZ or worse spend all day at an academy with a rather pissed off TEFL'r trying to smile and pretend he likes his new job cause he lives in gangnam

VirginIslander · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Busan

One of my students went to Europe--the Eastern Bloc. No French wine on that trip. 12 years old

My other student went to Mongolia for 8 days and slept in a tent (I forgot the name). 11 years old

Thats pretty cool. I live near the beach so most of kids went to the pool and beach a lot. The kids were dark. Thats a good indication of a happy summer.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

I have asked the "what did you do in your vacation?" question to the classes I have had so far this week ... to a lot less success than I was used to asking that question to Australian kids ... Answers like sleep ... played computer games ... studied ... are among the most common responses ... and almost noone would say that they had a "good" vacation ... Now I am only 1/3 of the way through my classes ... so it might get better next week ... but on what everyone is saying maybe it won't ... It seems like my 6 day vacation (or 8 if you count the weekend) meant that I actually did more than they did in a few weeks more ... We did however all agree that the vacation was just not long enough .... I am sure many of you would agree ....

Icicle

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'm trying to get my students to accomplish the enormous task of writing down three things they did in complete sentences using the simple past tense. For the three most memorable things from summer one of my students came up with:

1. I went to B. Academy.
2. I stay home and do B. Academy homework.
3. I was hit by B. Academy teacher.

The student in front of her had a series of welts going up her arm. Maybe she went to B. Academy, too.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

I've surveyed about a third of my girls now (middle school). Sokcho's well-situated for even the all-study all-the-time kids to catch an occasional break. They all got to the beach a few times & recreational forest valleys were also a popular destination. Korea Music Festival played here for a week too so most of them got out to free concerts (names like FT Island, the Wonder Girls, SG Wannabe, No Brain, & others).

Many have grandparents with farms & spent some time in the country. Others with relatives in Seoul took in musicals, Lotte World, Everland, etc.

Some travelled -- Bali, Hongkong, China, Japan, & roadtrips around Korea were mentioned. One girl spent a month visiting her dad who's a doctor in Kazakhstan. Another spent 4 weeks studying english in Dublin, of all places.

Only a handful bemoaned their vacation totally.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Yeah it's like "instead of school I went to science hagwon and math hagwon and two english hagwons and TKD hagwon ..."

Nothing I love more than telling them about my summers as a child.

pest2 · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada

In one of my schools, the principal made the teachers make all the students do a "normal load" of homework. Those kids seem pretty upset.

At another school, they didnt have any homework... however, most of them come from poor farming families and didnt even have the money to go to Seoul. However, there's a beach next to the school, so most of em went swimming and stuff all summer.

All in all, countryside kids dont have very exciting summers...

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

I like Korea and many Koreans very much, but I do wish they'd come spend some time in Thailand. So much fun, so many smiles. I just wish I could work here and earn as good a salary.

LuckyNomad · Joined: 28 May 2007

The majority of answers were, homework, academy, swimming in the local river, Oh I study engrish every day(obviously lying).

Then there is:
student A"teacher, he watched adult movies."
student B "Shut up! No! He watched adult movies."
Me "So...you guys watched adult movies together?"
Students "Yes!"

next class:
Student A: "Me, girlfriend, umm," (simulates making out).
Me "You kissed your girlfriend?"
Student B: "No no. More. Higher."
Me: "You...made out, with your girlfriend?" (I simulate making out)
Student A: "Yes!"

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Oreovictim · Joined: 23 Aug 2006

My middle school kids get ever MORE English academy. Instead of being there from 7:00 to 7:50 at night, they're now there from 9:00 - noon, and then they come back at night, too. Fun, fun.

There's this middle school girl who is there from 9:00 - 7:50 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Her parents must not want her to stay at home alone, so she just hangs out in the lobby all freakin' day. I feel so sorry for her.

One day, I was asking her if she was going to go to the movies this weekend. She replied, "My mother won't let me go and see movies. She wants me to study instead."

Growing up in Korea would suck.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject:

Yes, many of my students went to Everland, Lotte World, Caribbean Bay, and Jeju Island for vacations, while several went other places like Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada, and the US. One left to live in the US for 6 months. Most also did things like camping, exploring museums, and other outdoor activities. One student went to Europe for a couple weeks with her family. My hagwon also takes field trips twice a month to give the kids (and the teachers!) a delightful break. All in all, my students did much more than I did while I stayed here, but we are talking about kids reared from wealthy affluent educated parents, not the average norm. I bet they had to pay their dues in the form of waiting in lines for hours as I tried to go to Lotte World a month ago to ride a roller coaster, but gave up on the ticket line after standing for 2 hours realizing I only made it half way to the ticket window. I thought, "Are smart people buying tickets online and just walking in?" But, I didn't see people just walking in while the line grew even larger to one single stinking ticket window. Guess, that's how they control the population inside the theme parks so it's doesn't become too gridlocked as demand far exceeds supply here.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

I spent my summer spending time with my Korean in-laws. It was great. Drinking, eating and singing all day. That's what most Koreans do with their family. I wish my family at home spent time with me like that.