I Live In Korea

My name is Ben Gwynne. I USED to teach English in Incheon, South Korea. Here's some photos, stories, videos, etc.

Korean kids have NO SHAME in talking about their teachers. Kids walk right up to me and say I have a big nose, big head, I’m ugly, when my nostrils flare I look like a dragon, I smell like "ddong" (shit), the lines on my forehead are disgusting, etc. They pull no punches, it’s really weird because they are much better behaved than kids in the US, but it’s somewhat acceptable to comment on people’s physical features.

So we have to read journals for our students, the Korean teacher and the English teacher read them. The journal topic for one lesson is “Write About Your Teacher." A few weeks ago this one class I have wrote about their Korean teacher, I was a little bummed, I was hoping to read things about me. One of the students wrote in his journal that he “got sick looking at the Korean teacher. Her face is disgusting and I hate her.” There was more to the journal (a lot more) but that’s the gist of it. Again, when the journals are finished the Korean teacher AND me have to read it, and this kid wrote nasty things about the girl!! When I read it, I ripped his journal entry into pieces! He may have gotten in trouble for not having his journal, but I don’t care.

Anyway, last week, the same class had to write about "Ben Teacher." Let’s see what these little devils had to say..

Ben teacher hit John, but he didn’t hit me so I like him. Thinking him to hit John because John is very noisy and John me next to seat and not understand his speak. His speech so fast, I want slowly speech and I am thinking he heigh is 185 centimeters. I want slowly speech Ben teacher. By the way first I think teacher very kind but now I think teacher very so-so.LOL, I never hit John, I think the kid means I HATE John, which I kind of do. John is the kid who wrote the nasty things about the Korean teacher and he is often a pain in the butt.

“Ben teacher is very very very very very very very bad. Haha, no, he is so-so. He is funny and he kind because he give me some gift. I’m not love him but I’m not hate him.”

“My English teacher name is Ben. He is very tall. He takes glasses on his eyes. He everyday have a bottle water. He is funny, he can’t Korean says. He is everyday wear t-shirt, I see he is very cold. My English teacher is a good teacher.”

“My teacher is name is Ben teacher. He is very bad teacher because teacher drink water but we are doesn’t drink water he says. Teacher I am so thirsty I says. Teacher says ‘no sit down,’ teacher is very heartless.” That’s John, the kid who said the Korean teacher’s face makes him sick and who’s friend claims I hit. lol.

“My teacher’s name is Ben teacher. He is my English teacher, he is from America. He is tall. He is handsome and he is smart. Tomorrow is Ben teacher’s class. I like Ben teacher.” I LIKE YOU TOO CHLOE!

“My teacher name is Ben teacher. Ben teacher is very kind and angry. He teaches English and speaking very well. He works at JC school. He has short hair. He is from America. I like my teacher.” Kind AND angry? Interesting…

“Ben teacher is very kind and handsome. Very will English and very nice teacher. Teacher, I study English very well yes!”

“My teacher name is Ben. He is English teacher. He from USA, he has big eyes, short hair, a big mouth, he is tall and he is very kind and smart because he teaches many people. I think he is a very good teacher.”

“My English teacher is Ben. I think Ben teacher is very like mischief. Because from day one very very mischief but I like Ben teacher and I love Ben teacher.”

This is just from ONE of my 14 classes. I look forward to the “write about your teacher” journal topic in the future.

I know the kids are young, but I really can't imagine kids in America being so...open? I think we would lie or just skate around the subject if we hated our teacher. It's fascinating to read some of the journals where the kids talk about their family, if they think their parents love them or not, their friends, etc. They are sharing their thoughts and emotions with me and they don't even realize it, or do they?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

stay away from Chloe, she will break your heart

Kallandra said...

Haha... kind and angry? That's quite an accomplishment, Ben Teacher ^_^

Ben Gwynne said...

Chloe is an angel!!!

Zeph, maybe I have a split personality and they are saying sometimes I am kind and sometimes I am angry? Nah, can't be.

Anonymous said...

Easily I agree but I think the list inform should prepare more info then it has.

Ben Gwynne said...

ill have much more to share, there will be many more journals ill be reading that my kids write about me

Anonymous said...

Nice dispatch and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you as your information.

Anonymous said...

Again a gentle post. Thank your achates

Ben Gwynne said...

thanks to the anonymous readers, as always if you have more questions let me know, love sharing my thoughts on korea, it's wonderful culture and wonderful people

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Ben Gwynne said...

haha, thanks for the "compliment"..ill keep trying my best to make it interesting..a little tired still from my trip, so give me as week or so to get back into my groove...thanks for reading

Anonymous said...

Hello i'm new on your board but i cant read correctly a message. Bug in you site ? Thanks you

bg said...

don't think so, looks fine to me

SONYA ZING said...

Wow...this post is so funny XD
I had to laugh out loud...