RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

My take on it is this: It's ok to like Japanese things individually but it's not ok to like Japan as a whole, if that makes any sense.

Say you like manga, sushi and studying Japanese? Cool! No problem!

Say you like Japan? Bad, Scary, Devil.

My kids are always saying they like this or that Japanese thing, and a bunch of them list Japan as the number 1 place outside of Korea that they want to visit, but the idea of Japan? That's a no-no.

Of course any historical/Dokdo/comfort women topics provoke the nationalistic fervour, as well. Not entirely unjustified, I might add...

Anyway, my CT said this when I asked her thoughts on Japan/the Japanese:

"We really, really hate them. But I think we also respect them." 

Yeh, that's similar to my impression. My wife hates Japan with a passion, or so I thought, but has travelled there 3 times before I met, we have gone twice together, she loves japanese food, ghibli etc etc.  So I asked her directly how that works in her mind.  Her response was something along the lines of 'yeh, I don't like Japan, but I can go and use their stuff because I like their stuff.'  After further discussion, I discover it's not Japan she doesn't like, she doesn't like the Japanese government, what they have done in the past, the war, the occupation, what their attitude still is with comfort women etc.  Japanese people and japanese stuff generally is fine.  Makes sense when I think about it.

My take on it is this: It's ok to like Japanese things individually but it's not ok to like Japan as a whole, if that makes any sense.

Say you like manga, sushi and studying Japanese? Cool! No problem!

Say you like Japan? Bad, Scary, Devil.

My kids are always saying they like this or that Japanese thing, and a bunch of them list Japan as the number 1 place outside of Korea that they want to visit, but the idea of Japan? That's a no-no.

Of course any historical/Dokdo/comfort women topics provoke the nationalistic fervour, as well. Not entirely unjustified, I might add...

Anyway, my CT said this when I asked her thoughts on Japan/the Japanese:

"We really, really hate them. But I think we also respect them." 

Yeh, that's similar to my impression. My wife hates Japan with a passion, or so I thought, but has travelled there 3 times before I met, we have gone twice together, she loves japanese food, ghibli etc etc.  So I asked her directly how that works in her mind.  Her response was something along the lines of 'yeh, I don't like Japan, but I can go and use their stuff because I like their stuff.'  After further discussion, I discover it's not Japan she doesn't like, she doesn't like the Japanese government, what they have done in the past, the war, the occupation, what their attitude still is with comfort women etc.  Japanese people and japanese stuff generally is fine.  Makes sense when I think about it.

Koreans don't much like thier own government, so that's fair... I guess.

Did my medical check for my contract renewal and was a bit annoyed to find out the price has more than doubled since last year (same hospital).  It was 70,000 compared to 30,000.

Apparently the Busan MOE have changed the requirements this year and have asked for extra drug testing   

I'm thankful I don't have to do a health checkup, but I'm starting to get really anxious about applying for my pension refund...

Did my medical check for my contract renewal and was a bit annoyed to find out the price has more than doubled since last year (same hospital).  It was 70,000 compared to 30,000.

Apparently the Busan MOE have changed the requirements this year and have asked for extra drug testing   

Damn! That hurts... Just did my medical check here in Ulsan and there were no upfront costs (maybe something will come out of my pay, though). I asked if I needed to pay after the exam and they assured me that it was all good.

Also, no anal probing as happened to some other waygook users early this year 

maybe it's because the US is slowly legalizing marijuana? lol

Did my medical check for my contract renewal and was a bit annoyed to find out the price has more than doubled since last year (same hospital).  It was 70,000 compared to 30,000.

Apparently the Busan MOE have changed the requirements this year and have asked for extra drug testing   

What extra drugs did they make you test for? Mine was 120,000 in Daegu :(

Even though I don't use drugs, I didn't ask because I didn't want to seem nervous about it 

Sorry to hear how expensive yours was :' (

Not really a rant or rave, but I got dismissed from class today because 'the kids don't want to study.'

Damn, I wish it were that easy when I was in middle school...

Damn, I wish it were that easy when I was in middle school...

I know what you mean. As much as I complain about how students here don't really have to try because they know they'll move on to the next grade no matter what, I can't really fault the students for it. I know for a fact that if I could have gotten away with doing absolutely nothing through the entirety of my education, that's exactly what I would have done. 

I often have to remind myself how bad a student I was when I find myself frustrated with my students, haha.

Damn, I wish it were that easy when I was in middle school...

I know what you mean. As much as I complain about how students here don't really have to try because they know they'll move on to the next grade no matter what, I can't really fault the students for it. I know for a fact that if I could have gotten away with doing absolutely nothing through the entirety of my education, that's exactly what I would have done. 

I often have to remind myself how bad a student I was when I find myself frustrated with my students, haha.

It looks like my next two classes are canceled so the 3rd grade middle school students can practice K-pop dances. Not complaining, really, but I wish I would know these things in advance so I could just plop down and get comfortable reading or studying something without worrying about being interrupted by class.

Damn, I wish it were that easy when I was in middle school...

I know what you mean. As much as I complain about how students here don't really have to try because they know they'll move on to the next grade no matter what, I can't really fault the students for it. I know for a fact that if I could have gotten away with doing absolutely nothing through the entirety of my education, that's exactly what I would have done. 

I often have to remind myself how bad a student I was when I find myself frustrated with my students, haha.

It looks like my next two classes are canceled so the 3rd grade middle school students can practice K-pop dances. Not complaining, really, but I wish I would know these things in advance so I could just plop down and get comfortable reading or studying something without worrying about being interrupted by class.

That happens so often at my school. Oftentimes, half of the class will be missing because they have to practice for a dance that is two months away. Or sometimes the homeroom teacher will have them stay behind and skip my class so they can clean the classroom.

I was told children were not allowed to clean the classroom because the parents said so. This is just before children come to clean my English room. I walk down the hall and see many classrooms being cleaned by children.

I was told children were not allowed to clean the classroom because the parents said so. This is just before children come to clean my English room. I walk down the hall and see many classrooms being cleaned by children.

Cleaning seems like a full time job for some of the students at my school. 

It seems like whenever my CT can't be bothered to teach, she makes her students clean.  They're always cleaning.

I was told children were not allowed to clean the classroom because the parents said so. This is just before children come to clean my English room. I walk down the hall and see many classrooms being cleaned by children.

I was told children must clean the classroom but they never do so 

Not really a rant or rave, but I got dismissed from class today because 'the kids don't want to study.'

It's the most disheartening time of the year. I spent the better part of the school year building rapport with the students, and in the last month or so it starts to get torn apart by student (and teacher? ) fatigue. I wish it was easier to end on a high note, to make our last memory of each other a positive one, but year after year this seems to be the pattern. We won't be having subject teachers' classes in February so they may forget about me before the school year is even finished.

It's the most disheartening time of the year. I spent the better part of the school year building rapport with the students, and in the last month or so it starts to get torn apart by student (and teacher? ) fatigue. I wish it was easier to end on a high note, to make our last memory of each other a positive one, but year after year this seems to be the pattern. We won't be having subject teachers' classes in February so they may forget about me before the school year is even finished.

That's not too big a deal in this situation. Fortunately (or unfortunately), due to the previous native English teacher not liking this place and complaining, I was kind of shoehorned into this school mid-year and due to a combination of many factors, I have pretty much no rapport with anyone. (I don't even know any of the kids' names.) It's actually one of the most awkward places I've ever been in, and every day I pray for class cancellations and for the time to speed on by.

It was more like a "Huh, that actually works here?" moment than any sort of feeling of disappointment.

I was told children were not allowed to clean the classroom because the parents said so. This is just before children come to clean my English room. I walk down the hall and see many classrooms being cleaned by children.

They get told to clean my classroom. Sometimes they don't, sometimes they do. When they do, the seem to tear the class apart .

It's the most disheartening time of the year. I spent the better part of the school year building rapport with the students, and in the last month or so it starts to get torn apart by student (and teacher? ) fatigue. I wish it was easier to end on a high note, to make our last memory of each other a positive one, but year after year this seems to be the pattern. We won't be having subject teachers' classes in February so they may forget about me before the school year is even finished.

That's not too big a deal in this situation. Fortunately (or unfortunately), due to the previous native English teacher not liking this place and complaining, I was kind of shoehorned into this school mid-year and due to a combination of many factors, I have pretty much no rapport with anyone. (I don't even know any of the kids' names.) It's actually one of the most awkward places I've ever been in, and every day I pray for class cancellations and for the time to speed on by.

It was more like a "Huh, that actually works here?" moment than any sort of feeling of disappointment.

Unfortunately, our job isn't really to be life long friends to students. A lot of people come here, and want to leave behind a legacy or something. Your kids will forget about you almost immediately after you leave... minus a few.

Don't get me wrong, I learn my kids names (afterschool where there aren't 32 kids a class) and I still am friendly with them in the classroom, and in the halls. However, I have no intention, or am I trying to be life friends, or strive for them to remember me...

But hey, if hooking up with your students later at home, and having them on Kakao, and ya know, accidentally getting a few pregnant is your prerogative, then who am I to argue.

Unfortunately, our job isn't really to be life long friends to students. A lot of people come here, and want to leave behind a legacy or something. Your kids will forget about you almost immediately after you leave... minus a few.

Don't get me wrong, I learn my kids names (afterschool where there aren't 32 kids a class) and I still am friendly with them in the classroom, and in the halls. However, I have no intention, or am I trying to be life friends, or strive for them to remember me...

But hey, if hooking up with your students later at home, and having them on Kakao, and ya know, accidentally getting a few pregnant is your prerogative, then who am I to argue.

I think you got your reply mixed up. I've already stated that I don't even know the names of the kids at this school and don't really care.

Even that's so, I think you might be reading a little bit too much into donovan's comment.

It's the most disheartening time of the year. I spent the better part of the school year building rapport with the students, and in the last month or so it starts to get torn apart by student (and teacher? ) fatigue. I wish it was easier to end on a high note, to make our last memory of each other a positive one, but year after year this seems to be the pattern. We won't be having subject teachers' classes in February so they may forget about me before the school year is even finished.

That's not too big a deal in this situation. Fortunately (or unfortunately), due to the previous native English teacher not liking this place and complaining, I was kind of shoehorned into this school mid-year and due to a combination of many factors, I have pretty much no rapport with anyone. (I don't even know any of the kids' names.) It's actually one of the most awkward places I've ever been in, and every day I pray for class cancellations and for the time to speed on by.

It was more like a "Huh, that actually works here?" moment than any sort of feeling of disappointment.

Unfortunately, our job isn't really to be life long friends to students. A lot of people come here, and want to leave behind a legacy or something. Your kids will forget about you almost immediately after you leave... minus a few.

Don't get me wrong, I learn my kids names (afterschool where there aren't 32 kids a class) and I still am friendly with them in the classroom, and in the halls. However, I have no intention, or am I trying to be life friends, or strive for them to remember me...

But hey, if hooking up with your students later at home, and having them on Kakao, and ya know, accidentally getting a few pregnant is your prerogative, then who am I to argue.

Ummm. Is your picture porn? It's too small and I'm not sure I want to try to make it bigger at work.

Don't get me wrong.

Of course. I'll try not to tease out any perverse implications from your innocent comments. Wouldn't want to misinterpret.