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FOCUS-SEPTEMBER201239manydifferentlevels.Seeingthechildrenimproveispriceless.TheoverwhelmingpresenceofCatholicismcouldbeseenfromthedayIarrivedinSeoul.Onmyrsteveningmyapartmentwindowwaslitupbybigorescentredcrossesdottingthecityscape.Thex18chintzyx19lightsremindedmeoftheVegasstripwhichwasquitedisconcertingtosaytheleast.OnmyrstdayofworkasanEnglishteacherratherthanbeinginvitedtoabarafterworkfordrinksIwasimmediatelyinvitedbyaco-workertoherEnglishspeak-ingchurchwhichIsoondis-coveredwasthelocalhotspotfortwenty-somethingstondasuitablematchGettinglostinTorontoisonethinggettinglostindown-townSeoulisanentirelydifferentballgame.Everystreetlooksthesame.AswellonceyounallyndsomeonewhospeaksalittleEnglishtheydonotknowhowtodescribedirectionsverywell.Examplex1cWhereisthesubwaystationx1dx1cWelljustwalk100or150kilometerstheeswayandturnright.x1dWalkingthestreetsofSeoulIamconsideredagiant.At5foot9inchesIx19mwellabovetheaverageAsianmalewhichmakeswalkinginpublicquitehumourous.ItcanbehandywhenaskingforhelphoweverbecausetheKoreansgivesuchavaliantefforttohelptheblondegiant.SouthKoreanx19sknowledgeofEnglishorlackthereofwasquiteastonishingonmyrstdayofwork.Iwasplacedinfrontofaclassroomandtoldtox1cteach.x1dHavingnevertaughtbeforeIrealizedwehadtoestablishthebasicswiththesechildren.TheKoreanEnglishteach-ersatmyschoolspeaktheequivalantofaveyearoldinCanadaplusanadditionalthickaccentthrownin.FurthermorethesearetrainedpeoplewithauniversitydegreeinEnglish.Thesearethepeoplethatareexpectedtoshapethemindsandteachthenextgenerationofpeople.Itisaperpetualcycleonethatseemsincurable.Forexamplethereisabigsignineachclassroomthatsaysx1cBeQuite.x1dItismistakeslikethisthatIcomeacrossonadailybasis.EachchildisgivenanEnglishnamewhentheygotoschoolwhichhasproventobequiteentertaining.Manyhaveverywesternizednameslikex1cSallyx1dx1cJimmyx1dandx1cChloe.x1dSomeparentshowevermusthavenotgottenthememobecauseitseemstheypickedawordatrandomfromthedictionary.ThefunniestEnglishnamesIx19vecomeacrosssofarx13HamsterDragonandHawke.IwouldliketomeettheirparentsandaskhowtheydecidedonthoseIwaspleasantlysurprisedattheapparentimportancethatSouthKoreansputonfamilylife.WhilewanderingthroughthelocalparknearmyapartmentonaSaturdayIwasoverwhelmedbytheamountofpeoplepackedintosuchasmallarea.TentsweresetuponeverysquareinchoflandKoreansareobsessedwithavoidingthesunatallcosts.Therewerehappyfamiliesposingforpicturesplayingsportsandsimplyenjoyingeachotherx19scompany.Thisimportanceoffamilytricklesintodramaticsoci-etalimprovementscomparedtothewest.Forinstanceintheaforemen-tionedparkInoticedthecityprovidesworkoutequip-mentforeveryonetoenjoy.Athomethisequip-mentwouldmostlikelybestolenvandalizedordestroyedwithinoneweek.Aswelltheyhavebrain-enhancingclassicalmusicplayingsoftlythroughoutthepark.FinallytheteenagersinSouthKoreaseemmuchmorewholesomethaninthewest.Itisnotuncommontoseetwostraightmalesholdinghandsorsittingoneachothersx19lapsinpublic.ThismostlikelyseemsimpossibletomanyCana-diansbutinSouthKoreaitisasignoffriendship.ByYennyVanAndelFocusonScugogWalkingthestreetsofSeoulYennyat5x199x1disconsideredablondegiant.AfterthexenishofherxerstdayteachingYennywasinvitednottoabarbuttothelocalhotspotanEnglishchurch.EachchildisgivenanEnglishnamewhentheygotoschoollikeSallyorJimmy.Continuedfrompage30YennywithMatthewasixyearoldEnglishstudentsheteachesinSeoulSouthKorea.