The Days You Want To Scream

For only the second time since I came to Korea, I yelled at some students in one of my classes yesterday. It probably wasn't the best move, since they are now guaranteed to ignore me even more when I am in their classroom, but I had just had enough of their total disrespect. A large part of my impatience stemmed from the fact that I have been so frustrated with this job lately, and just feel so over it. So it felt rather miraculous to stumble across another expat's blog entry this afternoon that perfectly and brilliantly summed up so many of the issues that come with working in a Korean public school. It actually helped remind me that these things happen to everyone and it's just the culture of work and education in this country. (If only I could use the cultural justification to excuse the terrible behavior of my students, but unfortunately I know that my school, when compared to other Korean high schools, is particularly and awfully unusual in this regard.)

I want to include the link to this girl's blog entry so that I can always remember that I am not alone in this sea of intercultural confusion/frustration, and so that anyone who is curious about what it is like to teach in Korea can have at least some vague point of reference. Here are "ten things you need to know to survive at a Korean public school."

Edit: Oh yeah, and one other thing this blogger fails to mention: if you are working at a public school in the wintertime, prepare to freeze. I don't think I will ever understand the need for half the doors and windows in school to be open when it is 10-20 degrees below freezing outside!!! I can see my breath in the hallways and the bathrooms and every teacher wanders the halls in full triple-layers, winter coats and scarves. I guess this could be categorized under # 9, about Common Sense meaning something completely different in Korea. My god it's cold!!!!