Teaching English and Living in South Korea
Experiencing Korean Culture While Working as an ESL Teacher
Sep 17, 2009
Since the mid-1990s, there has been an influx of native English speakers who have gone to South Korea to teach English. For many, perhaps, the incentive is to pay off debts or to have one last hurrah before settling down.
What many realize, once they are immersed in Korean culture, is that their expectations of a year in this country are well surpassed. When the weekend or holidays begin, there is a plethora of destinations to visit and traditional activities to experience.
Below are recommendations of what teachers should see and do during their non-teaching hours.
Eating Traditional Korean Food
There are countless delicious Korean dishes, and teachers are encouraged to try as many as possible. One that deserves special mention is Kalbi. At a Kalbi restaurant diners receive succulent marinated beef or pork ribs that have yet to be cooked. There is a grill set in each table and the guests do the cooking! There are a multitude of side dishes, including varieties of kimchi, along with lettuce leaves to wrap the meat in and pepper paste for dipping.
Reading Korean
In his Discover Magazine article, "Writing Right" (1994), Professor Jared Diamond cited that Hangul (Korea’s alphabet) is "the world's best alphabet". This is because it is easy to learn the sounds of each of the 24 phonetic characters. After learning how to read Korean, teachers will be able to recognize signs on street corners or food on menus, while simultaneously accelerating the acquiring speaking skills.
Climbing Mountains
Mountain hiking is a common past time for local Koreans. Many of these landscapes have interesting components such as rustic work-out gyms and access to natural springs to drink from. Soraksan, Korea’s third highest mountain, is a real treat. It has interesting rock formations, winding streams, and beautiful forested parcels. At the base is a bronze Buddha statue along with two Buddhist temples to see along the trail. At the peak is a communal hostel, where hikers can rest up, waking up early the next morning to view a stunning sunrise.
Relaxing at a Bathhouse
In Korean bathhouses, bathers are naked, which may be disconcerting at first, but it is a very refreshing experience, literally and figuratively. Before entering any of the hot or cold baths, bathers must scrub themselves down at a shower station, removing layers of dead skin. Guests can then soak in the tubs for as long as they wish, feeling ultimate relaxation.
Visiting the City of Gyeongju
Gyeongju was the capital of Korea between 57 BC and 935 AD. Today, the "museum without walls" (Korea's Lonely Planet, Martin Robinson, 1997) is the ultimate destination for those interested in culture and history. Visitors can expect to see excavated artifacts, royal tombs, distinctive burial mounds, temples, palaces, and natural landscapes of forests and ponds that define artistry.
The Lotus Lantern Festival takes place in Seoul in honour of Buddha’s birthday. The festival consists of performances, lantern exhibitions, and various ceremonies. The highlight of the festival is the Buddhist Lantern Parade. Tens of thousands of multi-coloured lanterns are carried by parade participants, stimulating the visual senses. After the parade, many lanterns are left in heaps on the streets, allowing visitors to collect a unique souvenir.
Pungmul Performances
Pungmul is a traditional folk musical performance consisting of three instruments: the janggu (an hourglass shaped drum), the buk (a barrel drum) and the jing (a gong). Musicians are very animated, also playing the roles of dancers and acrobats. Some of the percussionists wear head pieces with long streamers that move in rhythmic patterns in time to the music.
Temple Stays
Several temples around Korea offer temple stay programs. It is a test of inner strength, as there are long periods of silence, lengthy meditation sessions, and a very early wake-up time. But the accounts of past participants describe that despite the initial challenges, the chanting and tea ceremonies, the solitary walks among absolute beauty, and the meditation practices were, in the end, fulfilling experiences – a time where one learned about oneself on a deeper level, and acquired a true appreciation for the life of a Buddhist monk.
Incorporating Korean Culture in the Classroom
When a teacher comes back to teach Monday morning, she can incorporate her cultural experiences into classroom lessons. It can be a conversational exercise between teacher and students about Korean heritage. Teachers can prepare topic lessons such as having children act out English-dialogued skits involving dining in a traditional restaurant. Students will have a new respect for their teacher knowing he has the desire to embrace their country’s customs.
Although many ESL Teachers initially go to Korea to teach for financial reasons, they soon realize that they have the fortunate opportunity to live in a country with a rich culture and dream-like beauty.
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