Winter English Camp

For the past three weeks I've been teaching Winter English Camp. This week was the last week, and I was actually kind of sad to say goodbye to the students. I didn't expect the experience to be so great. I was actually dreading it, because I feared teaching alone. It turns out the kids were great, and I didn't need a Korean teacher there, at all. I had two classes with a maximum of 8 students in each class, but not all of the students showed up to every class. Of course, communication was difficult, at times, but not having a Korean teacher there to translate really forced the kids to try and communicate in English, which is the whole point.

I probably learned as much from the kids as they learned from me. I learned about Korean politics, social norms, and even about the students' personal lives. We talked, and talked...and talked, which is ideal for a conversation class. One student really sticks out to me, because of a conversation we had walking out of class. She told me her schedule, and I was nearly bowled over. I could not believe the list of places she had to go after camp. She said she wouldn't be home until 10 or 11pm (and this is supposed to be their break). Some students even trusted me enough to talk to me about their dating misadventures. These types of conversations really gave me an insight into their lives.

I wish my regular classes could be like camp, but with 11 classes of over 35 students per class, only twice a week, it's hard to achieve the same kind of success. I teach at a high school in a working-class neighbourhood, so most kids are, understandably, not concerned about their English conversation skills. They care more about what will help them earn money immediately after graduation. The neighbourhood is actually similar to the neighbourhood I grew up in, back home. A combination of class size and student apathy work to make the regular year especially difficult. Most days, I walk away from classes where students are unresponsive or even sleeping. But having done this camp, I can now be sure that there are some students in my classes who really do care, and are interested in improving their conversation skills.

Winter English Camp is exactly what I needed to re-energize for the rest of the year. I feel like I connected with a really great bunch of kids. I gained their trust, and actually taught them something. As a first-time teacher, I needed this experience to boost my confidence to continue during the regular year.

Late Start

This is my first ever "blog". I never thought I'd do one, but over the last 6 months I've done many things that I never expected to do. For one, I moved to Seoul in August to teach English (It would have made sense to start writing a blog when I got here, but being an over-thinker, I took my time deciding if it was right for me). The title of this blog is "Better Late Than Never" not only because I started it later than I should have, but also because I feel like I'm really starting my life late. When I say that, I mean that I feel like I'm an active participant now, and not just a passive bystander. This blog is one way that I'm trying to be more active and present in my life.

Some Thoughts on Seoul

Seoul is a city full of energy. I feel like there is an ever-present atmosphere of change and movement. Things move so quickly around me, unlike back home in Vancouver where everyone seems to go about their lives at a more leisurely pace. Here, there is a constant rush to move forward. The students I teach are perpetually on the go to tutorials, "Academy", or some other extracurricular activity that will improve their chances of moving forward. Cars on the street pass by frenetically in a rush to get somewhere. People bustle past me in crowded streets to hurriedly catch buses and taxis, all to move forward to some unknown destination. This is symbolic of Korea's rise as a preeminent economic power in Asia; this never-ending desire to move forward. It inspires one to move forward, as well, but I think that it is also important to stop and smell the roses. This is a balance that Korea needs to strike: move forward, take chances, but stop long enough to truly understand where it's going.

Well, this is the end of my very first blog entry. Let's hope I have something interesting to write, soon.