Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Teacher's Day
On 5th May there is a national holiday here in Korea - Children's Day. A celebration of pre-pubescent hyperactivity where the whole nation goes off with their sprogs to the nearest theme park/playground/swimming pool and ply their offspring with sugar until they vomit.
Then there's Teacher's Day, which isn't a national holiday. Doesn't make sense as we're the ones who could do with a break. Anyhow, this is the day where parents and children alike show their appreciation for all the work we've put in over the previous year (yes, teaching is actually a respected profession here). A few gifts here and there are bestowed upon us by way of thanks.
And so I received four pairs of socks, a mug, some vitamin C sachets, a pair of shorts, some fruit-smelling shower gel, some lavender scented deodorant (in light of the last two, I think I ought to grow a beard just to help confirm my gender to the students), and a large blue box of some red, gimchi-ish looking food. So I asked the Korean teacher about it.
"What's this exactly?"
"It's cod."
"Oh, great. I like cod."
"Yes, cod...um..."
"Cod what?"
"Um, I need a dictionary."
"What's wrong with the cod?"
"...wait a minute...um..."
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE COD???"
"...intestines!"
"Ah. Er, you can have my share of that."
"No, that's all yours. I have a box of my own."
"And two kilos at that. Really, they shouldn't have."
Yep, two kilos of fish guts. What better way to say thank you than with cod's innards? Boy, do my students love me.
Happy Teacher's Day.
Then there's Teacher's Day, which isn't a national holiday. Doesn't make sense as we're the ones who could do with a break. Anyhow, this is the day where parents and children alike show their appreciation for all the work we've put in over the previous year (yes, teaching is actually a respected profession here). A few gifts here and there are bestowed upon us by way of thanks.
And so I received four pairs of socks, a mug, some vitamin C sachets, a pair of shorts, some fruit-smelling shower gel, some lavender scented deodorant (in light of the last two, I think I ought to grow a beard just to help confirm my gender to the students), and a large blue box of some red, gimchi-ish looking food. So I asked the Korean teacher about it.
"What's this exactly?"
"It's cod."
"Oh, great. I like cod."
"Yes, cod...um..."
"Cod what?"
"Um, I need a dictionary."
"What's wrong with the cod?"
"...wait a minute...um..."
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE COD???"
"...intestines!"
"Ah. Er, you can have my share of that."
"No, that's all yours. I have a box of my own."
"And two kilos at that. Really, they shouldn't have."
Yep, two kilos of fish guts. What better way to say thank you than with cod's innards? Boy, do my students love me.
Happy Teacher's Day.
