Stories from an English teacher in Korea

I've brought it up a few times, but everyone else around the world seems ten times more concerned. Most people here generally just shrug it off. The older generation cares a lot about reuniting Korea again, but the kids don't seem to be too interested.

Korean diet fads are INSANE. In America we have pills for diets, but in Korea, every other woman will tell you she's on some sort of diet. It's especially disturbing coming from a skinny child. Most girls in Korea will talk about their bodies being too fat, too small, too anything. One of the most popular graduation gifts to girls leaving high school is plastic surgery of some sort.

The sexism here is insane. There are many times when I hear about something and it reminds me of the 1950's. Husbands forbidding their wives to work. Women must learn to cook and clean for men, but not the other way around. If you are divorced you do not talk about it because it is horribly shameful. If you have a child from a divorce, it is hard to get married because you are seen as "used". Thankfully this seems to be changing slowly with the younger generation, but it's still very odd to see.

In America hugging your students is somewhat against school policy. Especially once they get to be in 1st or 2nd grade. But most of us, even the male teachers, are encouraged to play and hug all of the kids.

The bullying for being half Korean is BRUTAL. Adults can hide it better, but the kids will tease half-Korean kids until they are beyond miserable. It's awful and it's common in Japan as well (according to a friend that works there)

This one was somewhat funny in a horrible sort of way. But Korea is very secluded from other cultures. Black people or anyone with dark skin is seen as "dirty" Not like, their personality or soul is dirty, but a few kids think that they are just literally covered in dirt. Everyone in Africa is dirty and poor, apparently.

Another part of the 1950's way of life here. Family issues are family issues. What happens at home is NOT discussed and never brought up. If a husband beats his wife, it's shameful for anyone to "butt in" and tell him to stop. I've had one or two incidents where I've had a student write about how they're scared of their dad when he drinks and starts throwing things. I've heard of students who are clearly being abused, but there is nothing we can actually do about it. Child Protective Services here is a joke or nonexistent.

I worked at this place for a month. The boss was obsessed with perfection. We were thrown into a classroom of 24 four year-olds who were normally allowed to run around and play the whole day. If we did not have every student actively engaged in the lesson, we were heavily scolded and called failures. I was put on probation for a week because in my circle one girl started crying because she missed her mom and another boy fell asleep because it was his nap time (these things happened every day. Again, 4 year olds).

Yes, I know, this is common everywhere. But compared to America? Wow. The boys constantly draw guns on everything they have. Any classroom activity they draw themselves with guns. They pretend to play with guns during break time.

I'm 130 and 5'4, not, in any sense of the word, fat.

Not just a kid thing. A lot of people in Korea are very blunt about appearances. I've got pretty big hips and thighs for my size and I was looking at pants one day. The woman of the store came over and immediately told me no and that I was too big for the clothes there.

Harsh.

I teach Elementary and this is fairly common for the area. Most of my students go to their Korean school, then they come to our English academy. Many others then go on to do clubs or other activities like ballet, soccer, piano, violin, etc. Most kids don't get home until around 9 or 10. I've heard this is even worse for high school students who are normally studying or in school from 7 am to 10pm.

FP edit: Few things I didn't mention:
Korea has an insane amount of bowling alleys
Parents will force their kids to talk to you in public to practice their English
People can be genuinely shocked if you can read or speak any Korean
The orange juice here tastes like Sunny D and not real orange juice.
People dye their dog's hair all the time.
Kids are left alone to wander around or they are left at home a lot.
You will never find salty chips. All chips are sweet or a little salty with sweet.

ALSO SOMEONE PLEASE SEND ME SALAD DRESSING.