It’s interesting. If the parents of these children did any research into the history of Modern Korea they would realize without external intervention (US aid during Korean War) all of Korea would essentially be North Korea. The North Koreans were kicking the South Korean’s behinds until the US decided that it was worth helping the SK’s out in the grand battle against communism. Then of course the Chinese decided they did want Korea to be communist and so sent in a million soldiers to help out in the effort, which then resulted in the split Korea we know today. Just food for thought.

Politics in the forums only please.

What truly irks me in my classes is when some of my students constantly use the phrase, “maybe he, or she, die,” when I am taking roll, and that child is not in class. This really got to me when we actually had a child die in an accident outside our institute after their class was over. How I made it through the rest of that day and week after that tragedy is beyond me? I was pretty much a zombie, but those words spoken by those few really ignorant, or hurtful and spiteful, children almost pushed me over the edge many times that week and in the weeks after. Even today, months later, it takes all my will power not to just yell at the top of my lungs for them to shut the frack up.

Adding to that, I think, is the fiercly negative ideas many hold of other countries and other people. It’s not just that Korea and Koreans are good . . . it’s that others are bad. Not just that Korea is clean; China is dirty. Not just that Koreans have high IQs; Japanese are stupid. Not just that Koreans are kind; Americans are rude, etc. I guess for me on my bad days, that trend makes the little things like “you use chopsticks so well” in the elementary school book more that grating . . . they’re getting their education early.

The same class today, the Nationalistic students did EXACTLY what you mentioned. It’s not enough to LOVE Korea, it ALWAYS has to be at the detriment of other countries.

Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, and Nationalism are touchy topics in all countries to a certain extent, but I KNOW certain things ARE taught in school here (I’ve witnessed teachers passing on race based prejudice to students as young as Kindergarten), and students aren’t taught to be critical and evaluate their teacher’s opinions early enough.

It’s not always the student’s fault they are racist, but the amount of training spent on foreigner sensitivity needs some work.

But of course I’ve noticed the aggressiveness with which Koreans promote their own culture and seek to spread it to anyone who will listen. Given that tendency, the things we find in textbooks and on Arirang TV that may be commonplace around the world seem especially overdone here. Adding to that, I think, is the fiercly negative ideas many hold of other countries and other people. It’s not just that Korea and Koreans are good . . . it’s that others are bad. Not just that Korea is clean; China is dirty. Not just that Koreans have high IQs; Japanese are stupid. Not just that Koreans are kind; Americans are rude, etc. I guess for me on my bad days, that trend makes the little things like “you use chopsticks so well” in the elementary school book more that grating . . . they’re getting their education early.

I worked at Avalon my first year. It’s a hagwon that had lots of returnees and pretty fluent speakers. A group of 4th and 5th graders were writing an essay on the most influential person in their lives, and of course a good many chose Yi Sun-shin. After reading the first batch of essays, I had to institute a Sun-shin ban owing to all the paragraphs devoted to the glory of the Japanese-killer. Students were very willing and very able to rant and rave about Dokdo, the Sea of Japan, Goguryo, and occupation, reinforcing my belief that just because you can speak English doesn’t mean you have anything I want to hear.

I dunno, I’m still pissed about the Nazi commercials.