Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Teachers' Day: Teachers at Donggoo Girls' Commercial High School smile as they display gifts received from students for Teachers' Day such as throat lozenges and herbal plants, in Songbuk-dong, northern Seoul, Thursday. Teachers� Day falls on May 15.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200505/kt2005051217232312810.htm

http://photo.hankooki.com/gisaphoto/20050512/sian1008200505121723240.jpg

In South Korea May 15th is Teachers' Day. At the national level, the holiday involves the predictable propaganda barrage of bombast and honors for whatever 'educators' have found favor with the government. But at the personal level, it's an occasion for expressions of gratitude from students to their current and former teachers. These typically take the form of small gifts. Flowers predominate (I'll say roses and carnations, with the caveat that my botanic ignorance is notorious), but other offerings crop up. Some are touchingly intimate: my sister-in-law received a set of pastel-colored cotton panties--a trifle prim, but a cut above convent-issue--from her middle-school homeroom students, and to my utter amazement was utterly unamazed. Kitschy handicrafts and objets reflecting "Our Traditional Korean Culture" are deemed especially appropriate for gifting foreign professors, to the point where my long career in Korean universities netted me enough touristic trinkets to stock a down-market souvenir shop in an Insa-dong alley.
Walking With Confucius
by David Kosofsky, Chosun Ilbo (May 25, 2001)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200105/200105250319.html

[Homer]

Wow RR...an actual positive post from you about Korea. With a relvant link this time!

Brings a tear to me eye laddie.

[Dispatched]

I went to lunch with 4 of my former adult students, 3 of whom have young children... during a particular animated conversation they were having in Korean they stopped and told me what the were talking about... it seems that some parents in my smallish town were giving 'gifts' of upto 200,000won to the teacher of their kid on teachers day. 200,000won as a 'thankyou'?!?
I wonder if foreigners at public schools get that kind of thanks, might be time to change jobs!

[pet lover]

That's a good picture for the thread about students massaging teachers.

And on another note, let's all remember to write thank you notes for any gifts we get.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[kangnamdragon]

Too bad it's on a Sunday.

[mercury]

Just Got a 100,000 won gift certificate from hyundai dept store from one student! Can I trade this for cash? The only thing I would give my teachers were apples

[Real Reality]

thorin,
The subject has already been posted for this year.

[thorin]

[coolsage]

So Teacher's Day is Sunday, which means I possibly haven't been snubbed, again. Monday, I suppose, will tell the tale. No doubt students will bring chocolate and rosebuds, and that's more than enough recognition for me. But to be clearly shut out by the English Department is a slap in my white face. As if I needed to be reappraised of my inferior standing in their eyes. That behavior discourages me from interacting on a social basis. Ultimately, I'm here for the students anyway, not for a bunch of tight-assed confucianist climbers.

[Kimchieluver]

I got a 100,000 won gift certificate for Lotte Mart and some kind of tea set. More to come!!

[PEIGUY]

I recieved boxers from student (who gave panties to the Korean teacher) with a 10,000 won bill enlarged all over it! i laughed so hard.. i definately consider them priceless.. rest of thestuff is just socks. aftershave,shaving cream , hankerchief(spelling?) etc.. but the boxers take them all..

[Real Reality]

[Ody]