Hello from Seoul

Hi Hector,

Remember me from San Francisco? How have you been?

I am in Seoul these days, and I happened to see someone just like you yesterday near Namdaemun market. So, I had to send you an email JUST IN CASE!

If not, that must be your twin you never knew existed.

Anyways, hope you are well.

Heather

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Hi Heather:

I have been teaching in Seoul for a week so maybe you did see me. You should have said hello or it could have been my twin.

I am at the NIIED center near Marronier Park near Hyehwa station. It would be good to see you if you have time. I leave this Saturday.

I forgot you had come to Seoul. Thanks for dropping a line.

Hector

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Funny. Small world doesn’t quite capture it.

It turned out that Heather lives near Namdaemun Market and had seen me with Helena. We made plans to see each other later in the week and catch up on life.

3.8.2010

7:30 Wake

8;00 Breakfast

9:00 Prep

10-5:30 Teach

7:00 To Insadon for bibimbap

We liked bibimbap so much, we went back another time. I thought I would be daring and get the traditional one with raw beef--but all the ingredients were cooked.

4. 8.2010

7:00 Wake

7:30 Prep

8:00 Breakfast w/ Summer

10-5:30 Teach

7:00 Dinner

5.8. 2010

6:30 Wake

7:00 Prep

7:30 Hike

8:30 Breakfast

9:30-5:30 Teach

6:00 Meet with Heather

11:00 Write Report Cards

More BBQ thinly sliced beef.

Education

Helena tells me that there is great stress on education in Korea because of the great competition to get into universities. Students are told, “no play, no sleep, no time to go out with friends.” There is a Korean saying she tells me, “Four hours of sleep, a successful student. Five hours of sleep, a poor student.” It points to the great emphasis Korean culture puts on education. Korea has limited natural resources so it pools its assets into its best resource: human capital. This has brought the country a high standard of living. But it comes with a cost: a place for those who are not so academically or scholastically inclined. It must be a difficult challenge for those with other intelligences—and to find a way to prosper with them. Like all cultural aspects of a culture, this emphasis on education has a light and dark side.

© Hector Lee, 2010