BY Nick Palmer
Article 1
This is the start of my Magazine entry blogs. I would like to add a different perspective to my experience. Please keep in mind that these are my personal opinions mostly based on my experience, observations and possibly lack of total understanding. In no way am I meaning this to be taken the wrong way.
I want to try a new approach in my writing. I write a story to give detail about my day to day life but I also want to start a Cultural Section. The events and happenings in Korea that have left a mark on me that explain what the Culture is. This piece will center around the Work Atmosphere and the Business aspect of Korean culture and its impacts/implications on the social stratification of Korean Society.
INTRODUCTION
I have been in Korea for 10 months now. I have worked day in and day out at my Academy. Its been basically doing sloppy teaching and slapstick 45 minutes sessions. I am not really sure if what I do you could consider true Education. I am working in a business driven society. It makes me stomach crawl at times. Many days there is more emphasis placed on representation and image rather than the quality of my "lecture" and also my overall flow as a teacher. As a teacher I often feel like just a body in a classroom set up there like an android on a pedestal for display. I am the Waegook English counterpart in order to lure business. The slogan is simple: "I have a Fluent English teacher: your kids will learn from him" In my next issue I will discuss Classroom Fundamentals Do's and the Dont's as well as the ideas being carried out. I have come to School 6 days a week without raising a stir. While it has become ridiculous with how much the school is open it has just become part of subroutine and there is nothing to do about it. Academy competition is fierce and just like the mentality of Korean people to become your work is needed if you are to be successful in Korea. Exploring Business and human ethics in the minds of Koreans part 1.
this idea stems from how people dress. All Korean people look like they are ready to go to Sunday Church. This is also a different category for later discussion but the truth is, is that when you go to Kimbob for lunch or a casual stroll to Macdonald's you don't need to wear your overcoat and tuxedo or anything other than casual comfortable clothes. Who are you trying to impress?
I do know that if you don't make an effort to look nice and keep a good image you will be left behind in what unfortunately is truly a competitive society. It is only in this manner that I do understand the dress code and habits of the Korean working mind.
When it comes to work people must work hard or succumb to the lower drudges of society work. That would include carrying a cart picking up cardboard and other recyclable goods. In my opinion, the People who have money and therefore power tend to abuse it. Maybe its their way of staving off the competition and therefore controlling the environment which surrounds the workplace but I think that people who have the higher positions could definitely make better use of their position instead of lording it above everyone else and making people like me feel smaller for not having as much and making me never feel truly satisfied or have self worth because there supposedly is something else that I could have done.If you take my boss for example, he seems to thrive off of hurting others. If something doesn't go his way he doesn't like to compromise. His business assets are more important than his employers. HE doesn't appreciate long work hours and doing extra work but seems to rather expect it. Lavish demands come with the territory of leadership and management but there is definite overkill. I don't respect him simply because he doesn't appreciate what is being done for him. There is no point in trying to change this either simply because in the mind of the Korean Director Time is money and Quantity is the way to achieve it and the solution I am sure is to penny pinch whenever possible even if it causes problems for the consumers. One man's folly is another one's prize.
Me, Christina, Vicki and the teachers before are just mechanisms to get his work done. If it was simply to rack in the money and make sure his business was booming I wouldn't care but he tries to blame our teaching when business is bad. Its pathetic.
Being a Hawgwan Director is like being a Corporate Giant. The purpose of Corporates and Academy Directors are the same: Buyout the Competition and minimize the costs/pay needed to run the School. Its all a shabby outfit.
Koreans have a shroud of self righteousness above them. If I am wearing a Suit and a Tie I must be immediately better than anyone else. The gap between Rich and Poor is unnerving. People who have so much money get richer while the poor get poorer.
Each Morning I see the "important businessmen clad up in their 500 dollar suit and their all important business clients/brief cases etc. enter the bank, walk the streets on their way to some job or meeting. They drink their Dixie cups thinking they are so great because they have so much money. They don't notice the Agassi (old women) bent over like the hunchback of Notre Dame who is at least in her 70's collecting cardboard, trash, or other trinkets that she comes across all for piddles.
This is the same all over the world. I am not writing any tell tale heart story here. It pains me though that there is such a huge gap. Its also painful to see people fall in the trap of being used. My boss gets all umbered up because his Academy isn't doing as well as he would like.
This self righteousness is manifolded from an early age. Its also ingrained in everyone's head that Time is Money and Time is not to waste. Take some time to stop and smell the roses doesn't really exist in Korea.
Classes: The kids are in such a hell bent rush to get into the classroom and out of it as soon as their class is over that they disregard me during the official class time. My boss who I believe just wants the money the kids presence endows him yells at me for stopping early because I am OTL with it and have had enough. The quicker the kids leave the better for me. It means less stress induced on me. There is a shift in the attitude or feelings when the kids from the MB classes leave and the arrival of the MCs come same with the MDs.
I write this jumbled report hoping to just create conversation and also for potential ideas later on. Its my hope to continue developing a more sound idea of what truly is Korea. My Exploration of Korea is a fun adventure and something I definitely enjoy spending my time doing. My best hobby is writing and in my spare time I want to continue my mini-reports of Korea in hopes of finding a way to fit in and make a positive influence in Korea
3 comments:
This is NOT anything like a magazine issue! It is just like the rest of your blog is! If you want to make it like a magazine, you need to write articles that give background information. If a person knew nothing about you, or your situation, they would never understand what you just said. You need to write it assuming lack of background information. Do you understand?
That was harsh. I do apologize. I just wanted to give writing tips.
Any Criticism is appreciated I want to improve on my writing. You should let me see your blog or tell me more though I am curious if you can give me more ideas. I can't go your blog so you have to change something. Im sorry but personally I don't even know you. Do I?
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