KoreanClass101.com Blog

School Uniforms (교복).

These stifling expressions of fashion in the West share a much bigger spot in the limelight in the East. School uniforms are commonplace in Korean music videos, dramas, and movies. They also differ in style from school to school. It would certainly exhausting to catalog all types offered, although I’m pretty sure at least one or two bloggers have tried in the past.

School uniforms become mandatory at the junior high school level. I wonder if this is because the cirriculum gets harder at that time - hence requiring more professional attire. Maybe it’s because they are too expensive. Maybe it’s because elementary age children play outside more and would get them dirty much quicker. I wonder…

It’s important to note that school uniforms are purchased locally at retail stores. Okay okay, so Wal-Mart does the same thing over here, but we’re talking blue polo shirts and khaki shorts mostly, right? I was under the impression that Catholic school-style uniforms are purchased through a supplier linked to that particular school and not readily available at most retailers.

교복 prices vary but they most certainly cost more than their American equivalents. Cheapies will run around 250 000₩ while others go up to 500 000₩. Granted, many junior high school students will end up taking care of their 교복 and were them for three years straight until they reach high school where yet another 500 bucks can be spent on a new set. Joy.

Don’t get me wrong, I think they can be bestow a sense of distinction for students. They are unique to the students of that school and no two uniforms look quite alike from school to school. They help to foster a sense of community. They also help identify themselves in the larger community. It’s easy to spot a student with a uniform. What better way to place someone socially? Almost like a businessperson’s suit.

I did not wear a uniform in school. In fact, I didn’t even know anyone who did wear a uniform. Also, if you were to ask me in high school about uniforms, I’m sure I would have barked back some rhetoric on freedom of expression, celebration of diversity, and Slipknot. In retrospect, uniforms were probably a good idea on the grounds that they are cheap in America and they help put less focus on showing off your clothes and more focus on your studies. But then again, many Americans genuinely feel that uniforms are stifling. I suppose it varies by area. I say this because many American schools both public and private use school uniforms and seem to do just fine by them.

For that matter, I wonder which other countries have uniforms and to what degree? Do east European school students have uniforms? Are the dress codes strictly enforced? I don’t know exactly how a certain community adopts a new dresscode. Is it a smooth transition? Does it go quietly? Is it a heated debate? I pose this question because for most, uniforms are just business-as-usual; the students don’t think about them because they have always been there as long as they can remember. But certainly they were once without a dress code, right?

Thoughts?

All of my students know that I am leaving during summer vacation, and that next semester there will be a new English teacher.  And although theorhetically, they have all been told I’m not leaving until the end of August, NOT all of them really grasped that part.

This week I am in the middle of a 10-day English day camp for 4th and 5th graders.  There are all sorts of programs going on at school, so kids are in and out all day long.  If you are a Korean student, there really is no such thing as summer vacation.  One of my students told me that he wasn’t looking forward to it because even though he wouldn’t have to go to school, his mother would make him attend 학원 all day long now.

Anyway, one little girl in 1st grade saw me at school the other day.  And she screamed across the room:

“아직 안 갔지!?”
You haven’t left yet?

Adept readers will notice that that sentene is about as deep in 반말 as it could be. Most of the time, my students speak with apporiate politeness when they use Korean. If they use 반말 it is never to be intentionally disrespectful, but instead because of 4 reasons. 1) They are just joking, 2) They don’t really see me as a “선생님” (probably because I am just the silly English Teacher) and they are trying to build a more friendly relationship. 3) They are still learning how to use Korean correctly.  4) They think they can get away with it.

Anyway, I usually don’t let them get away with it. And since what she said was about as rude as it could be, I was NOT going to let this little girl slide. So after she screamed “아직 안 갔지” she ran over towards me to presumably hug me or continue this conversation. She hit a brick wall:

Austin: “너 이리 와…다시 말해봐” (Get over here…try to say that again)
(that is my standard phrase to make a kid use 존댓말.  The nuance is that the kid said something wrong and should fix it.)

Bratty girl: “니가 안 갔어?” (You didn’t go?)
Austin: “뭐래? 다시 말 해봐..디시!” (What did you say? Say it again…again!)
Bratty girl: “언제 가?” (When are you going?)
Austin: “그 건 뭐야? 어? 안 갔어 뭐야? 아직 안 갔지 뭐야? 내가 선생님이라서 니가 그렇게 말했냐?” (What is that? Huh? You didn’t go? You haven’t left yet? I am a teacher, and you speak to me like that?!”
Bratty girl just looks at me with this really confused and bewildered expression.
Austin: “다시 말 해봐…이렇게…선생님 언제 가세요?” (Try again, like this: Teacher, when are you leaving?)
Bratty girl (in a very small, timid voice): “선..생..님…언제…가…세…요…?
Austin: “오! 언제 가냐고? 8월 21일에 갈 거야! 그래 아직 안 갔어” (Oh! When am I leaving? I’m leaving August 21. You’re right I haven’t left yet.)

It is difficult to express the difference between sentences like:

아직 안 갔지? and 언제 가

with

아직 안 가셨어요? and 언제 가세요?

While there are (dis)repsectful ways of seaking in English, it does not map to the speech levels in Korean. Suffuce it to say that his girl was being really “impolite.” I use quotes because I’m about 80% sure this particular student has some sort of learning disability which might offer some explanation as to why I had such difficulty getting her to correct her mistake. Still, I think there is little excuse for it and if she is having similar problems when adressing older Koreans, she MUST learn to speak properly.

Now, I want to go back to the fouth reason I suspect kids might use 반말 with me; they think they can get away with it. This comes courtesy of 현우. I was talking with him a week or so ago, and shared some stories of students using 반말 towards me. His theory is that kids see it as an “escape” from the very rigid rules of their linguistic culture. 99% of students wouldn’t even DREAM of speaking to their Korean teacher like that. The concept doesn’t even register. But because I am a foreigner, I fall outside of the rigid social mores. Surely the consequences for using 반말 or trying to give me a 똥침 are going to be much less severe than the extremely unlikely scenario of either of those happening to a Korean teacher.

Now, I can see perhaps two ways to react. First, I sort of like the idea of allowing kids some chance to get a “release” from the “stress” and “constraints” of their culture. It’s part of the reason I try very hard to make my English classes purely enjoyable and am happy even if they didn’t learn a whole lot, so long as they enjoyed the process.

However, I believe in reinforcing the rules and expectation that Korean culture places on them. They should not get in the habit of using 반말 with adults.  I don’t want to guilty of contributing to their confusion.

What would you do?

This past Saturday at my Korean Church we had a special event - a baby’s first birthday party.

In Korea, the baby’s first birthday party is very important, and one of the events at the birthday party is said to even foretell the baby’s future. This is called 돌잡이 (doljabi). Generally, many different things are spread out on a table, and the baby is encouraged to pick one of the things. The object that the baby picks is said to influence the baby’s future. Usually on the table is money (means the baby will be rich), rice (means he won’t go hungry), a pencil (means he will be scholarly), among other objects that all have a significance for his future.

At this particular 돌잡이 there was a debit card instead of cash (nobody had any! ㅋㅋ) and also rice, a pen, a book, and a few other things on the table. Everyone was telling the baby to pick the money, but in the end, he picked the book. I did not get to ask what that means, but I would assume it means something like the pencil - that he will be scholarly.

This was my first time experiencing a 돌잡이, and it was a fun experience! Have any of you been to a 돌잡이? Did anyone have a 돌잡이, and do you remember what you picked?

setting up the 돌잡이

shihoon picks a book

Right now Korea is having its rainy season. Although it might not be as intense as rainy seasons in some parts of the world, the rainy season in Korea can make you start hating rain to an extent (in my personal point of view, haha) - and it’s called 장마 (jang ma). This post is not so much about the 장마 itself because it isn’t THAT interesting. I just wanted to share a video with all of you who read the KClass Blog

Here’s a video I took on a bus from where I live (near 동대문) to 강남 (a major downtown area in Seoul) on my way to go meet a friend.  The bus goes over one of the many bridges that go over 한강 (Han River) which is about 1 km wide on average. After the bus goes over Han River and you’ll recognize some signs that have some words you must already know written on them

그럼, 비디오 재미있게 보세요!  (Well then, enjoy the video!)

Mistranslation.

Okay, so a little linguistics never hurt anyone. A transference error is when something gets lost in the translation (think old Jackie Chan movies). This superbly hilarious phenomenon is not exclusive to Korean-English, English-Korean but it still is pretty funny nonetheless.

One of my favorites is the whole “our mom” situation. 우리 어머니 is a way of saying “that mother in this context”, “our mother” or “the mother that we both know”. But when you look at it, even a newbie can be thrown off by the context. “What? Our mother? Dude, that’s MY mother!” Good stuff. Why do you know my mom, man? How exactly is she your mom, too? Why don’t we have “our” everything?

This is one of those things that just doesn’t translate over well. It’s priceless when a speaker relatively new to the Korean language (like myself) starts to analyze the etymology of words. Sure it doesn’t mean what I think it means (think “brother from another mother” ) but still kind of fun when I think about it. I mean, why not “my mom”?

I also like the /p/ and /f/ relationship. Sejong thought it would be a good idea to put them together like PB&J. “Yeah, so let’s kill two birds with one stone - put them both into /ㅍ/ to entertain and confuse millions of foreigners in the process.” Thanks a lot revered King Sejong… So when I grab a “pork” what am I really grabbing? A “fork”? What about the “pool house”? Oh, the “full house”!

While we’re at it, how about that whole /l/ and /r/ ambiguity? I know the joke has been beaten into the ground but I still have a friend that says something along the lines of “light now we eat lice”. You should hear her read the book “Rain Rain Go Away” to the kids she teaches. Great stuff.

Not all mistranslations are character based. Many are misuses of certain vocabulary terms. The other day, I pulled out a small notepad out of my pocket to write down a phone number of a new friend. She giggled and said in English “Wow, that’s so analog!” I knew what she meant - a digital PDA is a bit more appropriate for the college crowd here in 2008. But I like my little notepad, it serves its purpose. But she wasn’t exactly wrong, but still it seemed a bit strange.

I also like how the word “약속” is translated into “appointment” instead of “plans”. I know that there is a word for plans but “약속” is much more commonly used. But it still kind of cracks me up inside to hear in English “I cannot meet you tomorrow; I have an appointment” Really? Doctor or dentist :)? Native speakers don’t really use the word “appointment” for anything other than business and medical visits. Why not just say “I can’t meet you tomorrow; I have plans”?

Here’s another word I love: “okay”. Seoulites like this word and we like it too. However, not everyone I know uses it the way it should be used. A common translation of “괜찮아요” is “is it okay?” or “are you okay?”. However, when it is used like “you can do this, okay?” it seems too direct. The other day I heard “He is a friend and you can call him, okay?” I couldn’t help but think “I don’t know, you tell me, is it okay to call him? Will I be okay?” I’m never sure what to say back to that.

I really like this phrase that my friend says a lot “Oh~ I am so stress” It makes me smile every time.

I must be fair, we have some strange things about English. We say “I am going to take a test” but really, we don’t steal the test and take it with us - we just write on the paper and turn it in. Koreans say “I look at a test” which actually makes a bit more sense. Also, in English we say “I want to spend time with you” but really, we don’t literally own time in the same way we own money. I can’t really “spend” time on anything.
Also, something in English that is literally untranslatable  deals with the bathroom. We say “I need to take a <fill in the action of choice>” but really, we don’t take it. We leave it there - Oh man…This blog just went from bad to worse.

I kid around because I like how we can strive for one thing and end up messing up terribly. I’m pretty sure one of my friends in Korea is writing in her blog on just how much I make her laugh - and not the kind that you want to take home and marry - the kind you want to put on stage with a tutu on while balancing on a ball - that type of laugh.

All I can say is that I could really go for some wapples light now, okay?

Thoughts?

While I was helping teach at an elementary school, I noticed the kids said 멍미 a lot. I asked the English teachers and she said she didn’t know what it meant. I thought maybe I was pronouncing it wrong or something, but later one of the students I tutor said it too, he was in 6th grade and when I asked him what it meant, he said it was ’secret language’ and that it meant just “what?!” . I don’t exactly know what it translates to, because he used it often and sometimes I think saying “what” in some situations wouldn’t quite make sense. but while I was in 서울 he high school kids used what they called “secret language” too. I think it’s more like slang though. Some other words that I learned were the slang words for elementary student, middle school student and so on. they took the normal 초등학생 and turned it into just 초딩.It’s the same for all the others: 중딩, 고딩.I don’t know if 대딩 works but it seems like it should. My cousin used this word when describing his friend, who he said used 초딩말 which is like elementary school language or, like he talks like an elementary student. Does anyone else know any “secret language” words?

Hotels.

Korea has got to be best place to immerse yourself in the culture. Where else can you knock on someone’s door and ask to stay the night? Oh, and not get shot trying to do so?

Well of course Korea has hotels. Big ones. Expensive ones, but we don’t want to talk about that. Those are no fun. And overpriced. They offer a high quality product with a high quality product price that is to be expected in any major city or country. But thankfully, Korea has other options that have more character and are definitely something unique that most visitors are hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Regardless of where you stay, as long as you can hold your own without blushing from Western embarrassment, you can almost always talk down the stated price if you are staying for an extended period of time or traveling with a decent sized group. Also, these descriptions are for one person for one night. Not a whole lot changes if you’re traveling with others. In most cases, the prices don’t change unless there are three or more in your party.

Let’s start with the highest priced and we’ll work out way down.

Hotels 50 000₩ - 400 000₩ - Expect nothing unique and be prepared to pay Western prices. Might as well have stayed in Boston.

Temple Stay 30 000₩ - 50 000₩ - No accommodation guide would be complete without mentioning a stopover in a Buddhist temple. Relax, you don’t have to be a card-carrying member to stay :). Typically, arrangements are secured via phone. It is customary to give at least a week’s notice before staying so as to help gather resources to better make your stay enjoyable. Price includes three meals a day and various guided activities. Do not be frantic about disturbing the natural order of things - not all monasteries have temple stays and those who do offer these services are good about advertising it. Do yourself a favor and research these if you are interested.

여관 (Yeogwan) 20 000₩ - 40 000₩ - These are the meat and potatoes of Korean accommodation. They are plentiful and vary somewhat in quality so expect to get what you pay for. Practically every single city from Seoul to 퍼든그 (get it? no?) has at least one 여관 so prices can be quite competitive. Payment is generally required in advance but viewing and/or picking the room beforehand is normal. Feel free to shop around for a place that suits you (and your wallet). Expect the room to have three things: a cotton mattress, a cotton/synthetic quilt, and one pillow. Also, expect the room to not have three things: a Western style bed, a kitchen, and central heat or air conditioning. Fear not! Most have Western style toilets, hot tap water, and some newer facilities have private bathrooms. Most have heated floors, shared bathrooms, a TV, and one oscillating-style floor fan. As far as extra amenities, count on some of them having adjacent 목욕탕 (bath houses). Some even offer Western beds, “free” breakfast, and wireless internet access but are few and far between.여관 are cheap, safe, and reliable.

민박 (Minbak) price negotiable - These private homes are rented out in high numbers during tourist season and are generally located away in rural areas. Get out your eagle eyes and make it a point to stop in at least once. No other experience is quite like it. Prices fluctuate depending on the season and location but are comparable to 여관. Take advantage of whomever in the home cooks and agree to pay extra for diner and breakfast. Expect to have your own room but don’t be shy - this family has opened up their home for you for the night. The least you can do is play a game of 화투 before you turn in for the night.

여인숙 (Yeoinsuk) 15 000₩- 20 000₩ - The jealous younger sibling of 여관, 여인숙 are generally less maintained, less glamorous, scaled down versions of 여관. Some are even converted from traditional houses (think Flip This House). These are for the confident Korean speaker and adventurous backpacker alike who are looking for a cheap place to stay when all others are booked or otherwise unavailable. Perhaps for the greater good, they are steadily decreasing in number and often overshadowed by their more popular sibling.

유스호스텔 (Youth Hostels) 10 000₩ - 20 000₩ (and up) - These Hostels recognize international Youth Hostel cards issued from any country. For non-members, prices are higher and availability is sometimes limited. About sixty of these operate in Korea and are generally located in less populated, scenic destinations such as lakeview properties, beachfronts, and ski resort locations. Accommodations include up to eight person bunk-bed rooms, family suites, and most have on-site currency exchanges.

Love Hotels - price varies - Okay, so I should probably mention these if only to help squeamish travelers avoid them. Here’s some hints: They have hourly rates, they’re obvious, and they’re exactly what they sound like. If you see a bunch of calling cards out front, keep walking and start giggling to yourself or loved one.

찜질방 (Jjimjillbang) less than 10 000₩ - These 24-hour saunas are the Cadillac of bath houses. In addition to having everything under the sun, they also have overnight sleeping facilities. Though sometimes loud and crowded, these are frequented by business people too tired to make the long commute home (well, that’s his side of the story). Don’t expect much more than a small bunk bed or communal room, but for cash-strapped travelers, nothing is better than falling asleep in your favorite bath house.

산장 (Mountain Huts) 3 000₩ - These hiker stops are dotted along mountain trails and contain the bare essentials. Bring your own sleeping bags and pillows and curl up on the wooden floors and call it an adventure. Make sure to check availability before setting out on your hike.

While this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, it does cover the basics. Although the biggest culture shock probably comes from 민박 (well, actually Love Hotels are pretty shocking to some foreigners), I would encourage those traveling abroad to take advantage of Korea’s group mentality and treat yourself to the experience. Of course we don’t have anything similar to 민박 in America and perhaps that is part of the charm. For that matter, overnight stays in general such as in 찜질방 are pretty foreign too. We’re also used to paying quite a lot more for a room.
I’m curious as to my fellow KC101 students’ experiences with the accommodations listed. Good? Bad? Worth it? Recommendations?

For that matter, here’s more on key money.
Thoughts?

What I noticed about the fashion in Korea was that most of the women wore high heeled shoes. The students, however, wore tennis shoes, preferably some ridiculously expensive brand name such as Le Coque, Adidas, Nike, or puma. I never saw a student wearing high heeled shoes. Also the students uniforms are usually altered. The girls that I lived (중삼) with told me that they gave their skirts to the launderer and asked them to shorten them, because only losers wear their skirts long, according to them.

As for the boy’s fashion, there was one boy who had one pant-leg shortened and rolled up partway, but when I asked about it, I was told it was just his own fashion. Boys in Korea are also more conscious of how they look, one other foreigner told me that she was surprised at how often they looked in the mirror. All the students , boys and girls, wore really cute socks with cartoonized singers heads on them or cute smiley frogs. I even saw the waiters at 도내누 restaurant wearing them.

Also my cousin told me that boys and girls wear the same clothes, regardless of whether or not it was made for their gender (and I know they do that here too, but maybe not as much). And I also noticed that when couples go out on dates or whatever they wear matching outfits, meaning they wear the same thing, usually boy style though, so like baggy long shorts and a guys T shirt.matching. Seriously. So I like Korean fashion better. It seems like Americans wear ugly clothes. Sad.

UPDATE: The migration is complete. Thanks for your patience and support. Should you come cross any issues, please report them here.

It’s time for scheduled maintenance at KoreanClass101.com. On Sunday, July 13th at 9am EST, KoreanClass101.com will go down for several hours. When it returns, there may be a few small quirks which will be ironed out ASAP.

What can you expect when the sites go live again?

Well, most of the changes are “under the hood” so you probably won’t be able to appreciate them fully right away (you will soon). What you will get right away is:

1. A new and improved vocabulary flashcards with audio that are more intuitive and easy to use.

2. A new sample sentence expansion section with audio in the Learning Center

Thanks for your patience and continued support in our quest to become the fastest, easiest and most fun way to learn Korean.

If you tried to follow along at home and translate the letter I shared, great!  If not, then file it away in your “come back to sometime” folder and take another crack at it!

Today I read it to my 6th grade students.  It was a little emotional the first time, but I manged to get though the other readings without too much trouble.  Then we played Twister!

Anyway, here is the English translation of my letter:

Dear 6th grade students,

It is almost summer vacation. You are really looking forward to it, aren’t you? Today is our last class together. I have some things I want to say, so I wrote this letter. I came to Korean in August of 2006 when you were in the 4th grade. Before that I had never lived in a foreign country so my life suddenly became very interesting.

Do you remember the first time we met? I have almost 600 students, so I can’t really remember well. However, I will always remember how you would greet me with a loud “Good Morning” each day. Because of you I felt welcome each day.

You know that during class I almost never spoke Korean. I did that so that you would grow accustomed to hearing English. It is best if native teachers only use English. It forces you to listen carefully and practice speaking! But, if you haven’t studied English for a long time, I know that it is also difficult. Thank you for studying so hard. I’m sorry that our classes were not long and I couldn’t teach you everything that I planned. I hope that I showed you learning a foreign language can be fun. Starting next semester, a new English teacher will come. Don’t worry about it. It is good for you to meet other foreigners. Even though, I don’t know anything about the new teacher, Seungbuk Elementary students are so kind, I am sure you will get along.

This fall I am planning to do some overseas travel. I want to study Spanish in Central America. I also will attend Graduate School. If you are curious about what I am doing, I will send pictures and letters to the school. If you want to contact me, you can send me an e-mail!

As you continue to study English, don’t worry about making mistakes. If you practice a lot you can learn to speak English fluently. If you continue to study diligently, English will become easier and easier.

In closing, these 2 years have been really fun and fulfilling. I have enjoyed spending time with you. Korea has become like a home to me. The teachers and students at Seongbuk Elementary School have treated me like family. As time passes I don’t know if we will meet again, and in a little while I will leave Korea, but I will carry memories in my heart. I will not forget you. Even when I am old, I will remember you fondly.

I love you all,

Mr. D