The Korean college entrance exam is adminstered once a year across the whole country. In Seoul, the stock market opened an hour late today and large employers were encouraged to have their employees stay home until the students could get around town to the testing sites. Many volunteers are ready with directions, etc. At the time of the listening part of the exam, airplanes do not fly, and construction sites are to be silent. It sounds like a lot of pressure. It's the main criteria for college admission. Many people have told me the freshman year in college is the first time the students can let loose a bit compared to the rigors of high school. I am glad I am not teaching freshmen. Most childen here spend a lot of time at school (2 Saturdays a month) and at after-school programs in English, math, and other subjects. The children don't have much unstructured time. So it's not surprising that on average they out perform many other countries in math proficieny and other skills.
Today paperwork came from Auburn on behalf of a Korean professor who will spend his sabbatical year at Auburn. He was one of Professor Kim's master's students and then got a PhD. A nice thing about Korean universities is that a sabbatical year is granted automatically every 7 to 10 years. But the professor does have to find somewhere that will host him or her. Professor Lee was so pleased with the news that he wanted to come over to campus from his location at Ulsan College and take Professor Kim and me out for lunch. He brought us each a beautiful wall calendar and also brought a nice cake that he said is for Michael. Professor Kim must have told him something about us (though not a lot as he was expecting me to be male!). Lunch was at a fish restaurant, and as is often the case at a nice meal, the food kept coming. I have learned that it's not the last of the meal until the rice comes at the end. Today it was served with soup and some fresh side dishes (after several we already enjoyed). The two guys shared beer, and I had a Sprite. Prof. Lee pours for Prof. Kim and vice versa, but Prof. Kim holds the glass with one hand but Prof. Lee with two. Prof. Lee also sort of sat up to serve Prof. Kim. The respect shown to one's professor continues after school is finished. We will get together again so I can answer questions Prof. Lee has. He wants us to go out to Ulsan College in the next couple of weeks so he can show us around their campus. Prof. Lee does not speak much English, so the Korean community in Auburn will probably be very helpful to him. His wife and middle school age son will accompany him. He has two daughters who are in college who will stay here.
I am home alone on Friday night again ... but Michael is due home this evening. A bonfire last week was rescheduled due to rain, so he called and asked if he could stay later at the compound. Test your worldl history: Who is Guy Fawkes? The British fellow associated with the (thwarted) 1605 Gun Powder Plot in Britian (some information from Spurgeon's devotional). Apparently it's a custom now to burn him in effigy. Michael was mostly enjoying the food and friends. Michael's birthday is coming up Nov. 21. He wanted to take the Jangs out for dinner, and our schedule conflicts have us going tomorrow night. We will eat Michael's request: dak galbi - sort of like ground beef in a good sauce. I was going to buy a cake, but now we can enjoy the one from Prof. Lee. Justin starts his military duty Nov. 29. We will be very sad not to have him here in Ulsan.
Most of the male students in my class have done their military duty. They tend to start college (so as not to deal with testing and admissions process after the duty) and take a break after the first or second year. One of my students had to report this week for a day of skill maintenance.
I received two treats today from students. One guy said he made it - it's like a long crispy wafer dipped in chocolate and then rolled in nuts (we would do it with a pretzel). I had taken him and another student out for lunch on Wednesday. He didn't speak as much English as the other one. The other student was translating. Prof. Kim said the students taking my section tend to be smarter than average and also courageous. But he said it is a very good way for them to work on English listening. They read and write very well, and even the guy who didn't talk much at lunch answers questions in class. But I know there must be times they are missing things (of course, that's true of my students in the States too). In both places, more than once in a class I ask if there are any questions. My students are now answering numbers in Korean because they know I am supposed to know the numbers. It's pretty funny. One even answered me in Korean today when he arrived and I asked how he was (jo-ah-yo - very common phrase meaning good... but it's not bad grammar like in the States :)).
Michael called and said he is heading home. I told him to feel free to take a taxi if the bus is crowded. There seem to be a lot of HHI employees on the buses in the evenings. I am not sure if I have mentioned how many scooters you see in that part of town. At a shift end there can be hundreds coming out of the work areas at one time.
Spurgeon's devotional is excellent - highly recommended. His writing earlier this week on a verse "as you have received him" and said in the life of faith Jesus becomes real to us. Before that he is a name and a historical figure from a long time ago. And today it was about "underneath are the everlasting arms" - strength for each day; grace for each need. I pray my parents are knowing these arms as my mom slowly recovers. Love to all.
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