We got our quizzes back in Korean class, and I got an 18/20, which is my lowest score, but still pretty good! We covered a whole chapter today in class -- they are really moving fast! At least it was about something useful: food! We have to give a speech for our speaking part of the final next Wednesday. Yikes! I really need to practice a lot.
For lunch the cafeteria had pork...it looked like pork loin, but it was not high quality. After lunch I studied and went to the afternoon workshops about: 1. korean internal diversity and 2. homosexuality in Korea. Both were really interesting. Basically they had similar points: "mixed" Koreans ( aka, not pure blood Koreans) as well as homosexuality are often not accepted into/by society because of the group-think mentality. Basically, (it's hard to explain in a nut shell) anything that goes against the group is "wrong". Individualism is taboo. Mixed Koreans are not allowed to have dual citizenship -- at the age of 18 they have to decide which citizenship they want to keep (ie: Korean or American). Also, if you are born in Korea you do not automatically get citizenship. You have to be put onto the family registry, which doesn't happen unless someone in your family signs you up. (So what happens to mixed children who have their Korean parent abandon them?) Homosexuals are not accepted because they would not be able to carry on the family name, and it goes against the group. Also, Confucianism defines very clear roles for men and women in a family, and if there were 2 of the same sex, then how could these roles be fulfilled? Again, we are in Korea at a very interesting time. All these traditional social norms are beginning to change. (This is a very brief explanation of the underlying ideas that influence everything in daily life here) Also, the workshop on homosexuality got off to a rough start. A camera crew from some international department at the university here showed up to get some footage of "foreigners" having class at KNU. It was so ridiculous and completely disrupted the class. They came in and were moving all these desks around that were really loud and carrying in their equipment. They had a huge camera and an even larger light to shine on us. After a few minutes the light actually fell over on Wally and Tim! One of the bulbs broke and glass went everywhere. Tim's shoulder actually had a little cut and was bleeding, Wally was really close to being conked on the head (in which case she probably would have passed out). And after that happened, the guy was just kinda like "haha, my bad" and didn't really seem like it was a big deal!! Then they went out the back door and went around to the front and came back in with the camera and light and were being super disruptive again. They would walk up to whoever was talking and put the camera right in their face! Also, they had brought about 15 Korean students to plant amongst us to look like we were sitting in on a Korean class or something. After they got the footage they wanted, all these Korean people just got up and left! In the middle of the talk. To top all of this off, we were talking about homosexuality which is VERY taboo here in Korea. The planted students seemed to be very uncomfortable and confused as to why we would be talking about such a subject. The whole thing was really funny and a major "WTF" moment.
After those workshops I studied for a bit, then went to get pizza with Matt, Anne, and Danielle. We had a great time! ^_^ And I went to Lotteria for the first time. It is like McDonalds and has small ice cream cones for 500w ($0.50), so of course we got those. I worked a little more on my final lesson plan, which is with my partner Olga. We are doing it about dance and body parts. We'll be doing the cha-cha slide with them as well as making up a dance with the class.
I've also been writing my speech, which is due tomorrow in writing so the teacher can correct it and then we have a few days to memorize it. Next Friday is our final exam, so I will be studying all weekend.
Today was VERY HOT. Almost our whole class took our 2 teachers out for patbingsu tonight. (Well, the teachers actually paid even though we insisted that they not) We had a good time, but now I have much studying to do before bed!
Have a great day, everyone!
PS--
I think there was a bug in my bed last night! I woke up with bug bites all over! :-( I have about 4 on my right arm, 1 on my left arm, several on my right wrist, a couple on my neck, and even 2 by my left eye! :-( Not fun!! I have calamine lotion all over me!!
Part of my class with my first teacher (on the R with the yellow shirt).
Olga, Erin, and myself with our second teacher (on the L with the black shirt).
The crazy cameramen that interrupted our talk!
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