A teacher invites his class to play a game, an educational game. In this game, the class splits into two teams and answers the teacher's questions; if they get the answers right, they can draw a certain amount on the board. The teacher instructs them that their goal is to complete a drawing of a cat. The teacher begins asking questions. The students consider the questions, then answer. As the game goes on, the answers get quicker and quicker, until they're almost instantaneous- the students are no longer even thinking about the questions, but they still have all the right answers!. "What's going on," the teacher asks, "how do you figure them out so quickly?"
You can't pull one over on students like that. Here's what REALLY happened.
The students were told they would be playing a game, AFTER they've already done their fun warm up activity for the day. A game AFTER the fun? They knew there had to be a catch. Given that the teacher's intent is to make them learn, the class realized this game would be be structured so that they have to WORK at each question. A pity. The game turned out to be one in which the teacher wanted them to quickly answer his questions, which they did. And then one student made a discovery--
All of these questions are in order in the review section of the book!
In between answers, the students rushed to fill in the questions in the book, eliminating the need to think for each question. Their answers became immediate for every question as they finished the game on autopilot- no longer needing to think for each answer. They left grinning from ear to ear. They had outsmarted the teacher's game.
BUT WAIT!
Why is the teacher smiling? He was just outwitted!
The teacher collects the markers as the students leave the room. He hums to himself and marks complete today's lesson in his secret, mysterious planning book:
"Complete review questions- Chapters 7-8."
What? What do you mean it's not epic? Everything about my year in Korea is epic!
No, to be perfectly honest, some weeks I get to see wonders of the world; other weeks I could be teaching ANYWHERE in the world- I'm just teaching. In weeks like that (last week) I get to catch up with what I'm actually PAID to do over here, and that's teach children. There are things I have to learn every day of every week to do that.
Like gaining an amazing amount of respect for kindergarten teachers-- seriously, children are gross. I'm glad I never was one.
But even though I'm earning my keep, I still find time to take in what it is that makes life here worth the trip. Here, why don't I show you?
First of all, Coke comes in glass bottles over here. Kinda strange for such an advanced country. But even a red-blooded American's gotta admit, the immortal Cola's name looks great in Hanguel script.
Look who is featured most prominently on this poster. Do you find it odd that the sidekick Kato, not the Title character is the focus? Let me tell you a story. For those not checking the wikipedia articles, the role of Kato was originally played by none other than Bruce Lee. And when the TV series came out in Hong Kong, it was billed as The Kato Show. On this side of the world, it seems they'd prefer to see martial arts masters than brawling gunslingers. And I for one have to agree: Seth Rogen as an action hero?
COMING SOON: JONAH HILL IN "THE SHADOW"
COMING SOON: JONAH HILL IN "THE SHADOW"
And I'm here to represent the American Midwest in these classes.
My work here is done.
My work here is done.
Have you ever been so nerdy that you needed an ENTIRE STORE for your one favorite Japanese cartoon?
But it's OK to be a nerd when you live in the real-live future, complete with spaceship docks, like this. No smoking by the fusion drives, read the sign!
That says Airship, 4th floor. No big deal. Korea just actually is a videogame.
And this is the obligatory snow level of that game. Like all obligatory snow levels, the time you get to spend enjoying the snow is ended much too quickly when the slog of "oh yeah, things to do" turns it into a depressing black slush.
Speaking of depressing... This is actually required reading in some of their classes.
This is not intentional artistic license. The characters on the right clearly indicate this store is, in fact, named after the favorite recipient of cream cheese. Lesson here: if at first you don't succeed, try try again BLINDFOLDED.
That's all I've got for you this week. This weekend promises my first trip to a traditional Korean spa (jimjilbang). Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Korean saying that I was adopting last time is "Fighting!" (A-Ja!).
I remain, as always, your humble storyteller and leading man,
Jeff-Teacher
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