My Next Million

I want to share some insight with you that might make you millions of dollars in the Korean market. No, this isn't a hacker. Yes, it's really me. Because fall is soon coming to a close I thought it would be important to put the bug in your ear now. Maybe you can start working on the patent now and introduce your product in fall 2012 - I'd like a small portion of the profits. I am the ideasman here...

So, it took me awhile to realize what Korea was missing, but I found it. It all started in a Kindergarten class where we learned about Autumn. As we were going through vocabulary words I introduced the word 'rake.' I thought this would be easy - one syllable, known phonetic sounds, and a common image in my fall memories. However, my kindies never quite grasped this small vocabulary word during our lesson. I was a bit perplexed as they would usually shout words like this at the top of their lungs and jump up and down - "Rake! Rake! Rake!" I opted to take it as a fluke and continue to work on the scarecrow crafts...

But then, a few days later I was waiting for my co-teacher at one of the school's window sills and noticed something a bit off in the fall scene of bright yellow ginko trees and deep red bushes. My school principal was tidying up his front yard next to the school and using a broom to get the leaves out of the street gutter. He constantly fought with wet leaves and it looked rather ineffective as leaves tossed this way and that. I wondered, 'Why isn't he just using a rake? Wouldn't it be easier?"

My final realization occured in Seoul when I saw city workers sweeping through the grass on a boulevard. They would brush the leaves onto a large bulky blanket that would then be folded up and dumped into a bin. The blanket was clumsy and the sweeping looked (again!) exceedingly difficult with the moisture on the ground.

I know what this country needs...Rakes! 



You could start with the metal headed rake in 2012 if you get your ducks in a row - patent, production, shipping, marketing, and maybe a Korean reality show spin off. Let that first model simmer a bit in the economy, then bust out the fancy plastic alternative in 2014. For a show stopper, you can hook the country on the ergonomic design and comfort models in 2017. You'll make a killing...just remember who told you about this exciting venture.

 

Your Welcome,
-Bets

PS - Happy belated Thanksgiving to all US family and friends!

Happy Pepero Day!

It's 11-11-11 and you know what that means...it's that Korean holiday we all know and love: Pepero Day! Thanks Lotte Confectionary Company!



Yes, indeed. If you thought Valentine's Day was just one big corporate sponsored holiday, this one actually is named after it's sponsor. Though the origin of the holiday is a bit fuzzy, I might point the finger at Lotte Company Execs. They considered November 11th and said, "Look! Four Pepero sticks look like the numbers 11-11. We should corner  that market!" So in the mid-1990s, Pepero Day was born and now serves as a Valentine's Day-esque holiday. Kids and lovers give Pepero sticks (you may know them as Pocky) to the masses. And with the year being 2011, today is "Millenium Pepero Day."

Not surprisingly, I saw many Pepero displays around Taean this week, including Pepero in the shape of hearts, flowers, umbrellas...you name it. They range in size from small, pencil-sized sticks to the ultimate, cookie breadstick as long as your arm. I asked my co-teacher if I should buy some boxes to give to students and staff and she said it wasn't a very big deal at our school. So, with that in mind, I figured I did my candy giving at Halloween and would save some money to just see what happens. Knowing that I had limited classes on Friday, I didn't expect much. But, as luck would have it, my Kindergarten class presented me with a box following our class. Super sweet!

Happy Pepero Day!
-Bets

Exams Strike with a Vengeance!

Do you remember taking the SAT or ACT when you were 18 years old? Do you recall how much you loathed it? It took three hours on a Saturday morning and had a plethora of questions from years of schooling. Plus, the results of this exam supposedly determined your aptitude for further schooling, scholarships, and were always included as part of your college applications.

Now compare this to the Korean College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT. Today, all Korean 18 year olds must take this test in order to enter into university. It takes eight hours to complete including writing, verbal, reading, and listening across all studied subjects (the end-all-be-all of comprehensive testing). The results of this exam are the defining factor in university admittance, and ultimately their future earnings and occupation. The results have even seeped into the social/cultural makeup of this generation as exam results will define young people for years.

Because of the extreme implications of this test, South Korea does everything in its power to make this day run smoothly. From grounding airport operations to cancelling many schools, the country must be silenced in order for students to focus. Check out the article below, to see how far they've gone this year.

Parents pray, jets grounded for Korea college exam
From Reuters.com, by Christine Kim and Ju-min Park
(Editing by David Chance and Elaine Lies)
Wed Nov 9, 2011 9:43am EST

Jets will be grounded across South Korea and anxious parents will pray while their children take annual exams that could lead them to one of the country's top universities and eventually a good job for life.

As well as prayers at churches and temples in this country of 50 million people, the 690,000 students who sit the exams on Thursday have been boosting their chances by eating toffee, to help the right answers stick, and staying away from bananas and seaweed, that might make them slip in the tests.

"I have been so stressed just looking at other mothers send their children off to good colleges," said Kwon Jeong-hee, whose son is taking the so-called CSAT tests for the second time.

Kwon was praying at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in downtown Seoul, which has held special prayer meetings for parents of CSAT exam takers. Many anxious parents have been praying for weeks, if not months.

"I haven't allowed guests into my home recently because of superstitions against strangers, and I don't let my son eat seaweed soup because it's unnerving," she said.

The exams are a major event here, and society scrambles to make things easier for stressed students.

During oral tests, aircraft will be banned from taking off and landing, and drivers are forbidden from sounding their horns. Police vehicles will even escort late-running students to the exam rooms.

Even the stock exchange will open an hour late to reduce the chance that students will be caught in traffic en route to the exams, an annual rite of passage that can literally make or break the lives of the 18-year olds sitting them.

"The mothers are more anxious than the children," said Yu Mi-ran, who has prayed daily at her church in central Seoul for over 20 days for her daughter.

Along with toffee, students are given presents of forks to help them "stab" the correct answers, while toilet paper is also good luck as in Korean it is called "pul-da," a homonym for "solve" or "unravel."

Porridge is also a banned food for test takers as "cooking porridge" in Korean is also slang for "messing up."

CHEATING AND SUICIDES

With the youngsters' whole future at stake, some go further than trusting in toffee and forks.

A national scandal erupted in 2004 when a group of students were caught cheating with cell phones and working as a network. So serious is the exam that the offending students were handed down suspended sentences in court a few months later.

One high school student jumped off the roof of the school where she had been taking the test in 2007 and others have committed suicide after getting their results.

Test supervisors get special training and during the exam, they are not allowed to cough, chew gum or put on strong perfume that might distract students.

With high levels of youth unemployment and a growing informal employment sector that doesn't bring the same benefits as working for huge South Korean conglomerates that offer a steady job and pension, anxious prayers from parents don't always stop when the exams are finished.

"My son took the CSAT more than a decade ago," said a mother at Jogyesa as she slipped a 5,000 won note inside a collecting box. "I'm here to get him a job."

See the full publication here.

Food for thought,
-Bets

Want to Teach Abroad?

I was recently asked to share some tips with university students who were considering teaching abroad. My list is highly subjective and certainly doesn't cover everything, but its a start. Here are some of the things I've figured out  along the way...

• Research, research, research! There are many different types of teaching experiences. Make sure you apply to organizations that are credible and have not been blacklisted. Also, check out forums and other review sites to learn more about recruiters and the organizations they work with. Use your network to gain insights from past teachers. Also, consider checking out some professional EFL groups and expat sites to start building your international network.


• Plan ahead. Many documents need to be gathered from state and federal agencies in order to make your trip a-go. It takes about 3-4 months for most teachers to begin their job abroad. However, in some cases it can take as many as 6-8 months if your paperwork is stalled.


• Save up some funds. Yes, you will be paid for your work. But, will you be able to buy a plane ticket, a visa; maybe even a passport? Also, you may need to consider your moving costs and the money it will take to set up your apartment in your first month prior to being paid. Make sure you discuss these things with your recruiter or new employer!


• Learn about your goal country. I think one of the best ways to lessen culture shock is to engage your mind ahead of time and learn about the culture. This is also a great way to keep yourself motivated as you jump through all the hoops necessary to work abroad (including the impending interview).


• If teaching English abroad, I highly suggest completing some kind of TEFL training course (100 hours) in order to prepare yourself for teaching. Many programs offer an increase in pay if you have a 100 hour training certificate. Some English teaching programs (such as EPIK) are making this the standard for hire in 2012.


• Above all, be flexible and keep a good attitude. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when living abroad and there are a lot of things that can go extremely well. Be willing to keep an open mind in the diverse situations you will encounter as a teacher in a foreign country.

For those thinking of teaching abroad, please let me know if you have any burning questions. As for fellow expats: What do you think should be added or removed from this list?

Cheers,
-Bets