This past week, the target language for the students to learn and practice was the future auxiliary verb 'will' and the future 'be going to'. Today, we practiced using the language through a game called "Change Chairs If...". The students form a circle with their chairs. One student stands in the middle of the circle and makes a statement using the target language. For example, a student states, "Change chairs if you are going to university" and the appropriate students get up and change chairs. The student left standing goes on to make the next statement. Usually, the statements are short and cliche as they were today. However, one statement revealed much about my students today.
My classes are not coed. I have 3 classes of all boys and 4 classes of all girls. My first class today was a boys class of 42 boys. There was the expected sentences of "Change chairs if you will play soccer" and other sports oriented statements. Then, a boy stood up and stated, "Change chairs if you will marry". Every single boy got up and moved to another chair. This happened in all 3 of the boys classes. Every boy got up, enthusiastically, and moved, claiming to plan for a future marriage. I was surprised by this. Usually boys scoff at the thought of getting married when they are so young.
My last class today was an all girls class of 37. We played the game of "Change Chairs", and of course, the statement came up. A young, adorable 16 year old girl shouted, "Change Chairs if you will marry". I was expecting a cattle herd rumble from the scuffle of feet and bodies sliding into chairs excitedly. Not so. You cold quite frankly hear a pin drop following that statement. I was shocked. Not a single girl got up from her seat. My chin hit the floor. After the initial shock, I stopped the game for a moment to ask them if it was true that none of them planned to marry and in unison they all exclaimed a very loud "No"! I then told them that all the boys had gotten up at that statement implying they all wanted to marry. All the girls began laughing and making statements in Korean that I didn't understand. Clearly, they were as amused at the claim as I was shocked at the entire matter. Times are changing. By 190 degrees it seems.
3 comments:
Marriage to girls in Korea means becoming a slave to their husband, and especially to their new mother-in-law who will generally be a horror to them as much as possible...
Add to this the cost of raising a child and the lack of romance and other things that they dream of in a lover/partner....
Yeah, getting married in Korea, for a Korean woman, sucks.
I taught at an all girls high school and got an earful from them, and later at a national university of education with student teachers (mostly young women) about the realities of being a woman and life in Korea...
I like your blog. It's well written and thoughtful.
J
That is exactly the case Jason. Wives are slaves here. They are meant for pro-creation and nothing more. I feel so badly for Korean women, especially the older ones, as I think the younger ones are figuring this out and refusing or delaying marriage.
I get angry because women such as my co-teacher, tell me that they raise their sons in the same manner their mothers raised their sons and so the cycle continues. Dating Korean men and then listening to Korean women speak of Korean men is why I teach a free English class, geared towards women, once a week. If women choose and feel the need to learn English, I will help them if it will help them excel or get out of a horrible situation. It was one of the best decisions I have made since being here.
I would love to teach an all girls school here. I would have such fun enlightening them!! LOL!!
Btw, your compliment is too generous, but appreciated. My blog since being here has suffered low quality and I'm not sure why. I write from the heart on my sleeve and rarely edit. LOL!! It is raw and it is honest. But, not always well received. Thanks for your positive feedback. Hope all is well in UAE. Pleae write about that as I would love to know what it is like and how does one get to the UAE to teach? I am currently pursuing Saudi Arabian positions.
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