Yeah, It's been almost 2 weeks since I've updated my blog. There are a few reasons why I haven't updated in a while, and I might get around to those reasons (or not) during this post.
I have about 92 days left in Korea, and roughly 65 of those are days where I have to go to work. Work is one of the main reasons why I am really hating Korea. For the past three years, I have been wasting my time here, not really teaching anyone real English, because in Korea, people rarely learn real English. Sure, some do, who have real jobs, for example: in a University or a real Language institute, but then even the students don't take it seriously until a score is attached to it.
Anyway, for familiar readers, I work in a hagwon (학원). Now, for me, I don't really like using "academy" or "institute" because there, people actually learn things, and put an effort into their education. Where I work, that doesn't really happen. I use "hagwon", because I think those words are too "good" for my situation. Basically, I am baby sitting. Many of my students will come to the hagwon pretty much directly after school. I had a chat with one of the kids that regularly comes way to early for his classes, and just after school finishes. This is how it went down (I talked to him in Korean, i'll give you the English version):
Me: You came early today? Why?
Student: What do you mean?
Me: Your class is at 3:30, right?
Student: Yes.
Me: But, you came here before I did.
Student: So?
Me: Your class is at 3:30, but now it is 2:20. Why don't you go home?
Student: My mum says to come here when I finish school.
Me: So, your mum is busy?
Student: No. She is at home.
Me: So, if your mum is at home, why don't you go home?
Student: Because she said to come here.
Me: Why did she say that?
Student: I don't know.
Me: So, in the afternoon, your mum isn't busy?
Student: Yes, she is not busy in the afternoon.
Me: So, why does your mum say to come here?
Student: I don't know.
Me: I think, if you come to hagwon early, if you don't have a class, I think you should do your homework.
Student: Why?
Me: So you don't waste time. So, do you have homework?
Student: Yes... ah... No! I don't have any homework.
This is a regular conversation I have with a lot of students. Parents tell their kids to go to hagwon right after school, even though they don't have a class, and even though a parent is able to look after them before their class. Basically, some Korean parents, if they have the time or not, are using hagwons as baby sitting places.
In my opinion, hagwons are pretty much a joke. Not all, but a lot of them. A lot of them, like mine, aren't really helpful for student's education. At this time in their life, they don't need to study for hours on end. Also, the should enjoy what they study. Student hate English, because of the way they study it. Then, they get to their early 20's and complain that they can't speak English well enough, and can't figure out why. I can understand kids going to a piano hagwon, or a taekwondo hagwon, if they enjoy it. There is society pressure, and parental pressure (I'd hate to be a korean kid) for kids to go to hagwons, so that parents can show off and brag about thier kid if they get 100% in a test, or are in first in class.
Also, the way that Koreans study (pretty much rote method - remember it, and regurgitate it verbatim during a test), it's not really education in my opinion. And, I have tried bringing in some REAL education into my classes, but it is labelled as "too hard". Not everyone is good at this method of learning. I know I'm not. For example, I've learned a lot of Korean from being in the countryside. For example, when I take a taxi, and the taxi-driver is chatty, I can get him laughing in no time - I can order pizza over the phone, I can talk to my students' parents when I see them on the street, plus heaps of other things. But, I didn't study, I learned it all from experience. Now, if I sat down and did a Korean test, I'd be fucked. I have some Korean friends who are great English speakers, but when it comes to doing TOEIC, they suck at it, because, first of all, it's not REAL English, and secondly, it is about regugitating and remembering grammar and vocab.
If I had to learn Korean the way that Koreans learned English, I'd fucking hate it too.
But, outside of work, I find that things are starting to piss me off easier, now to the point where I don't hold back, depending on the situation. I've told people off for doing stupid things, like standing in the entrances of places and gossiping, not moving out of your way (or even attempting to leave a clear path), bumping you a little too hard, and they ignore it (in korea, it happens, but if you loose your balance, it's worth an apology in my opinion), smoking in places where there is a FUCKING obvious no smoking sign. Just imagine, a foreign guy telling a Korean guy that he can't smoke, coz of the sign. You should see the look on their face! One word - priceless!
Basically, all the things I tolerated here, and put them into the pile of "cultural difference", are now in the "it's not cultural difference, it's just rude, selfish, inconsiderate and stupid - grow a fucking brain cell" pile.
Yes, I have turned into a bitter foreigner that is starting to hate everything about Korea, and I have crossed the point of no return. I'm sick of my Korean friends saying that I live too far away from them, even though I have visited them many times (and last time I checked, it's the same distance, cose and time from my place to there, as it is from their place there here), I am sick of Koreans saying "wow, you're Korean is really good" only after saying a simple sentence. I am sick of being pointed at, stared at and called out at (미국인: American, or 외국인: foreigner). I am sick of being asked "Have you eaten Gimchi before? Isn't it spicy?" after I have told them that I have lived in the Korean countryside for almost 3 years (where there is heaps of Korean food, a couple of pizza shops and a few fried chicken shops, and pizza and chicken got pretty boring a long time ago).
I even joined a group of facebook called "
Takeshima Belongs To Japan", because I am so fucking sick of hearing about "Takeshima/Dokdo is Korea's". Or the whole "Japan Sea/East Sea" thing.
Is it possible that "being/playing the victim" has become a regular thing here? Rather than moving on, and taking steps to solve the problem, lets just blame others...
I know I have made the right choice to get out of here. I know that when I leave Korea, I won't miss much, but the things I will miss, I will miss for a very long time.
