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Two AWESOME things happened yesterday

 
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mack the knife



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: standing right behind you...

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 12:43 am    Post subject: Two AWESOME things happened yesterday Reply with quote

First, when I showed up at my student's place he had hand marks on his face. This kid had been b*tch slapped so hard I could make out the goddam fingerprints. I asked him who had done it (his father, naturally), and why. The "why" shocked me much more than the "who". He had missed TWO questions on his mid-term test (we're talking about a 5th grader here, folks). Two questions out of like, a hundred. That's AWESOME.

Second, I showed up at another student's pad and I noticed the hamster cages were missing (he had one adult and four babies). I inquired. He informed me that he had "Let them go". "Let them go where?" I asked. "Outside", he said. "Outside where?" I asked. "In front of my apartment, right down there", he answered. "Why?!" I exclaimed. He just shrugged his shoulders and laughed. That's AWESOME.

I believe it was Gandhi who once quipped "A measure of a civilization is how well it takes care of its animals." Koreans beating their kids and releasing their unwanted pets into the wild....Gandhi must be spinning around like Texas twister in his grave right now.
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Cheonmunka



Joined: 04 Jun 2004

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess the kid didn't know what else to do with the things.
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mack the knife



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: standing right behind you...

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I guess the kid didn't know what else to do with the things.


As "wired" as Koreans are, I'm sure there's not a person on this peninsula who would have trouble finding someone to adopt their unwanted pet.
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Oreovictim



Joined: 23 Aug 2006

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's horrible. When I first started, there was a middle-school student who's face was all f$%ked up. His dad probably had a stressful day at work and had just a little too much soju. My coworker said that I'll see a beat up kid once in a while and that I should just forget about it.
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sadsac



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: Gwangwang

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's so common. I lost one of my best students to an Ipshi because he got a 95 on his maths test. His mother was so upset that he had done so poorly. My old man would have bought me a new car if I ever got 95 on a maths test. Things are so different here. Smile
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TOMODACHI-KID



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Location: LAND OF THE RISING SUN: TAKASAGO-KATSUSHIKA

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 1:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, Korean parents are very strict on their kids. All academic, no personality, or real individualism!
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gruegoo



Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 3:43 am    Post subject: Re: Two AWESOME things happened yesterday Reply with quote

mack the knife wrote:
First, when I showed up at my student's place he had hand marks on his face. This kid had been b*tch slapped so hard I could make out the goddam fingerprints. I asked him who had done it (his father, naturally), and why. The "why" shocked me much more than the "who". He had missed TWO questions on his mid-term test (we're talking about a 5th grader here, folks). Two questions out of like, a hundred. That's AWESOME.


Unfortunate... poor kid.


mack the knife wrote:
Second, I showed up at another student's pad and I noticed the hamster cages were missing (he had one adult and four babies). I inquired. He informed me that he had "Let them go". "Let them go where?" I asked. "Outside", he said. "Outside where?" I asked. "In front of my apartment, right down there", he answered. "Why?!" I exclaimed. He just shrugged his shoulders and laughed. That's AWESOME.

I believe it was Gandhi who once quipped "A measure of a civilization is how well it takes care of its animals." Koreans beating their kids and releasing their unwanted pets into the wild....Gandhi must be spinning around like Texas twister in his grave right now.


Hate to be the one complaining about the quote, but I don't think it's valid towards this situation, nor does it strengthen your point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be implying that because of child abuse and animal abuse, Korea is a less than ideal civilization (lets say society instead). By that logic, all of western society is in the crapper because Europeans and North Americans treat their animals horribly (remember, he said animals, and not specifically pets).

Neither is abuse a Korean-only occurence. I can pretty much guarantee you that children get beaten in every country in the world. Without accurate statistics, you'd have a very hard time convincing me that child abuse is worse in Korea than anywhere else. It could very well be, as I haven't seen stats comparing Korea to any other country, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the numbers and can confirm they're relatively accurate.

Regarding the "hamster incident", wow old was this person? If it was a child then I don't think he can be representative of a population as a whole. Kids release their pets into the wild all the time, it's not exactly restricted to Korea. If we're all being judged based on the actions of our society's children... every country in the world is in a lot of trouble. Very Happy If it was an adult, your argument is stronger.

Anyways, I'm not saying your statement is wrong or invalid, just that your argument is not a strong one. With better examples I'm sure a case could be made to strongly support your statement.
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Yo!Chingo



Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: Seoul Korea

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 3:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It used to really upset me when I'd give a kid a not so great score and he'd start crying histerically. Most kids in the States either don't give a F#C@ or just take it in stride. There's always next time. Here the kid can and most likely is beaten. On those occasions where I'd give a child a less than spectacular grade I'd cry inside b/c I knew what would happen.
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mack the knife



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: standing right behind you...

PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2007 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Regarding the "hamster incident", wow old was this person? If it was a child then I don't think he can be representative of a population as a whole. Kids release their pets into the wild all the time, it's not exactly restricted to Korea.


But you're forgetting the TWO most important FACTS:

1) I WITNESSED both of these events.

2) On the SAME DAY.

Sure, you hear stories back home, and if you're a teacher at a school, sooner or later you'll come across an abusive situation....but I never experienced either firsthand until I came here, neither as a student nor as a normal, I-don't-put-my-puppies-in-brown-paper-bags-in-the-river human being.
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babtangee



Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!

PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2007 4:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mack the knife wrote:
... a normal, I-don't-put-my-puppies-in-brown-paper-bags-in-the-river human being.


They should be brown hessian bags - assuming you don't want to give the puppies a cruel, fighting chance.
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Pak Yu Man



Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy

PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2007 4:16 am    Post subject: Re: Two AWESOME things happened yesterday Reply with quote

mack the knife wrote:
Two questions out of like, a hundred.


He should had two slap marks then Smile

Just a joke.
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