The Punishment

The punishment – The first scene I remember about the punishment was the middle school. There was a teacher who taught us the art. On that day, one of my friends didn’t want to draw what the teacher said. After playing one hour, the teacher called her. “Hey, have you finished your work? I think you didn’t do anything, right?” Naturally, she doesn’t have her piece. But she lied. “I have mine.” The teacher with the bigger eyes than he originally had talked to her. “ Show me!“ She just smiled bitterly…and threw words. “I ripped out that paper, I didn’t like that …” His face turned red after her saying…It was like a movie we saw in the cinema. I can’t forget that scene. I could hear screams from lot of friends and we - sobbed.  The scene lasted for an hour. He really got crazy because of anger – from lying, and the feeling of ignoring. It was a really big accident in the school.

Was that scene educational? The reason I refer that scene is that the punishment happened, for his anger. There was no meaning without his personal anger. Of course, I know she was wrong. Actually, everyone – including me – was making noises especially in the ages. We – like me - didn’t have concepts. The role of school is making us to walk the right road. We have to remember. Is there love? I can’t be the problem of punishment. It is but the problem of love. For whom ? The people who has to be educated.

The terrorism

Boom! 142 died because of terror in U.S.A
BOOM! 43 hurt by terror in Israel
We can hear the news everyday in the TV. It is not special to see them in Korea, too. Last year, many people died, for terror. We can not ignore terrorism can be a good tool used in diplomacy. Terror always comes with death and horror.

Already, it is settled as a good method to use people as they plan. Take a story. A boy, he doesn’t have any money. He asked to a person who looks better than him. He was the richest in the country. The boy asked. ‘Hey, can you give me some money?’ The rich said, ‘No. I can’t give you anything. My family doesn’t like you because we have many business to support. If you need something, you have to support us. We can cost you. How about this?’ The poor boy was angry. ‘WHAT? If I can support you, I wouldn’t ask you to help me.’ The rich ignored him. After a day, the boy went to the rich. He was with a knife. ‘You, you didn’t help me when I asked you. If you helped me already, I wouldn’t do like this. I know there are a bunch of dollars in your home. How did you do like that?’ And a cat, of the rich, killed by his knife. The rich notified to the police instead of giving money for the poor boy.

Do you think it is too exaggerated? It is a story just I made now. When I met the news of terrorism, I felt it is like the story. Of course, every accident is not the same as that. But, I think minor – small amount of accidents – can be. Consider the poor boy. The poor boy doesn’t have anything in inspite of killing the cat, because he has nothing except for a knife.

AOD

Unfortunately, we live in the world that is called 20 : 80 society. Though you don’t feel Korea is not rich, Korea is one of the richest country in the world. It is the fact that there are a lot of people – who are really worse than us. In the TV, we can see many people who are really sick or poor.

How much money do you spend a day? How much food do you have a day? I have a book, named “If the world is consist of 100 people.”  It says “20 are undernourished, 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.” We all know that we are the people of 15. But we all forget to help some other people because of our hardship.

Actually, it is not easy thing to help others. Some says like this. “Why we have to help others? There are many people who are in hardship. Isn’t it enough to live my life and help just our country? It is too heavy I’m so busy and not rich that I can’t help someone!” But, you should remember. Born in Korea is just blessing that someone can’t be given.

Most of you – reading my journal have more food and money than they have now. If you try to help them a little, it can change the world.

When I went to India, I saw children not having any shoes. They were running on the grounds with bare foot. They have pretty beautiful smile, and mind. I realized a candy could be a really precious dessert for the first time.

I did see there, 1960’s Korea. I was an American who has a lot of candies and something curious. If anyone like USA didn’t help Korea, we can’t live like this… It could be the same with India, now.

Remember you can’t live alone. The society has to help each other…

NEAT

2016, ’NEAT is substituted instead of Korean SAT!’ I heard it from this class. I was very shocked because it is not first time to change the university examination system. Korea has changed the system about for 10 times 20 years. It makes students very confused all the time. About 10 years ago, I was same. Actually, I don’t want Korea to change the system though it is really good system.

I know that NEAT can intergrate 4 skill of English. It was sad reality that Korea English exam only checks reading and grammar. For that reason, many people insists that Korea English education system should be upgraded to teach two more skills- speaking, and writing. These days elementary school students take speaking and writing courses. Perhaps, it is an inevitable choice.

However, I wonder why the government should make one test more. In Korea, there are more than 4 English tests already. Especially, TEPS is a test that checks 4 skills made in Korea. Though we have that test, why we should make one more? As soon as the government announced that they made NEAT for new test, every academy made new program for preparing for NEAT as if they promised. SEARCH FOR “NEAT” in portals. We can find ads that are posted in the academies.

Unfortunately, we have to prepare for the new test. It is not a choice, but a duty. As TOEIC and TOEFL did, it will substute for all other tests. Sadly, Korea mad at English! When can we escape from the tests! Please, do not change our education system, ever, ever. One said education is plan for 100 years. It is not the matter of how good it is. We should take too many difficulties and confusion when it is changed.

Working Holiday

Have you worked abroad? Actually, I haven’t. In my case, working holiday was one of my alternative choice when I was 22 years old. Many of my friends planned to go working holiday. Furthermore, for the reason I major in English, experience like that was considered as not a choice, but a duty. I was on the way to choose one in two alternatives. First one was to go abroad, and second one was to make a play as a director. I thought. What is the best choice for me? How about first choice? It is normal one that many people like me choose. If I go some other country, I can speak English more fluently. I have to study English. Moreover, there will be opportunities working as a foreigner. It is really difficult to experience in Korea never, and it can make me stronger. Otherwise, I needed time over 1 year. I heard the time under 1 year is not enough, I thought I should stay over one year for me. What if I didn’t get a good job? Can I come back Korea? …I wasn’t sure. For me at that time, second choice was more attractive. I thought I can study English alone. It is just the problem of trying hard. Government officer doesn’t need the experience like that ( My dream was officer when I considered it. ) Making plays, and directing was unbelievably challenged, and interesting. Now, 25 years old myself, I am thinking again. My friends who went abroad came back to Korea, and I finished all of my work. Most of them are better than themselves in the past especially in the skill using English. Me, I made different experience they didn’t for 3 years. What is better? I don’t know., though Sometimes I envy them because of English. What I wanted to say in this essay is that everyone has his own best choice. It is not the matter of always the best. However, you should know this before decision. Anyone regrets the road not taken. For me, it can be working holiday. But, wait. Ironically, I know those who had that experience regrets the road not taken – just life in Korea.

Replies for 11.1

1.Kwak Eunyoung - I agree with u. I felt that the KAIST thing is too sad but we have to remember it is unusual situation owing to limited scholarship and burden for their studying
2.Han Jaejin - I like your ideas, especially first and second one. I believe Korea will be better if accepting what you said all.
3.Hwang yoonkyoung - The Olympic will give us some effects other than what you said. I think we can be more interested in the winter games than before the Olympic. How do you think?

The university tuition

When I was high school student, my father said. ‘If you feel you don’t need to enter the university, it’s okay not to go there. There is not only one answer in someone’s life. Though many people believe entering university enough, you should know what is important for your life most.’ I thought why I should go to the university. There are many options except for entering the university, but I took it. In the result, I’m here.

People insist that our tuition cost is too high to pay for common people. That’s partly right. But we should think about what is real problem. Why all of us have to graduate from the university? In Korea, about 90% of students who are graduated from high school enter the university. Most of them, they don’t have any special reason. Actually, Korea is a weird country that there is a common sense that people should enter the university.

For sure, university doesn’t guarantee the quality of their life. Because most people go to the university, the life after the university get harder. They don’t have any future plan, or speciality compared to the others. It is different from the past that graduateds are proved to achieve special success like the scenes till 1980’s. Furthermore, the fee is too high. As one gag program refered, It takes 10 years for most of us to pay back their university, with just breathing.

So, I want to say again. Don’t take university course if you don’t have any special reason to study more, PLEASE! Because of people who does want only diploma, not just quality of university education and people’s life become worse. I know my journal can make some very uncomfortable, but it’s true.