Off-Campus

Yesterday, we got our introductory overviews of Korean culture and the education system. We learned about cram schools, where anyone who can afford it attends afterschool lessons (talk about an achievement gap). Highschoolers actualy go to school from 7:30-10 and then often go to cram schools afterwards until 12 or 1am-the pressure for them to succeed is so intense.

After being kind of blown away with information, we visited the town of Goesan.

We happened on a market day! It was so exciting/ we got yelled at in Korean frequently, I'm unsure of the specifics.

A huge indoor/outdoor marketplace!

Pets for sale:

Fish for sale- including those octopi

Store named after Psy

I have ALWAYS wanted a hello kitty ice cream cake.

Today, we visited an elemetary school. The kids were so funny- way goofier and more energetic than my kids at home- but it was interesting to hear from the current ETA about the similar issues his students face like a huge gap in knowledge based on the money a family has, and how those kids typically lack motivation and become behavioral challenges. He also mentioned students with special needs who get little to no assistance.

It was great to get back in the classroom- though even walking in made me tired- and I'm getting some ideas for the structure and space of my own class once I get it! Of course all of those details- where I'll be, what grade I'll be teaching, to what level I'll have my own say in what I teach- are still ambiguous so I'll have to wait and see.

In the school library:

In what I hope will be a recurring segment of my blog I'd like to introduce "Stuff of Korean T-Shirts: Part 1"

Since I've arrived I've seen:

-a sweatshirt that read: "sweatshirt"

-a shirt that says "I talk to my therapist about you"

-and several kid's shirts that said "I'll be your Minnie" with a picture of Minnie Mouse

Korea's cool, can't wait to learn more.

Wooooo,

Maeve

P.S. My breakfast: