Student Interview
by Janine Perri, ETA 2015-2016 Originally published by Reach the World, December 4, 2015 Bo Seung is one of my most motivated students and one of the best English speakers in my high school. He’s been involved with several Fulbright-related activities, including YDAC (debate conference) and the Fulbright English Program, during which I had my first teaching experiences during orientation. Here is a brief snapshot into his life. Introduction: Kang Bo Seung (English name, Bosely Kang) is one of the students I teach at Gimhae Jeil High School. He is in the second grade, or the equivalent of a junior in high school. Bo Seung loves learning about new places and cultures and hopes to travel to many places around the world. I’ll write these responses from his perspective. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?: I eat meals like kimchi. We eat many suppers with rice. What is your house like?: I live in an apartment, but I want to live in a house. There is no garden, but I want one. I have my own room. It is covered in all blue. What chores do you have at home?: I sweep the floors after my mom drains the dust (vacuums). What jobs do your parents have?: My mom works for an insurance company. She is a branch manager of her insurance company. My dad sells cars. What time does school start, and what time do you go home?: School starts at 7:50 AM. It finishes at 10:00 PM. How do you get to school? Are you allowed to go to school by yourself?: I take a private taxi to get to school. When I go home, I take a bus. I do it by myself. Where do you eat lunch? What is your favorite food?: It’s different each day. I eat in the school cafeteria. My favorite food is kimchijjigae (kimchi soup). What language do you speak at school? How do you say “Hello” in your language?: I speak Korean, Chinese and English at school. In Korean, hello is “Annyeonghaseyo.” What are some common kids’ names at your school?: Kim is a really common family name. Lee is really common, too. My family’s name (Kang) is not as common. What subjects do you study in school, and which one is your favorite?: My favorite subject is English and we learn many subjects. For example, I learn mathematics, geology, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, music, art and ethics. What is your homework like?: There is no homework! What do you like to do after school? Do you have a favorite sport or game?: There’s no time, so I do what I can do. I don’t like sports that much, but I like games. My favorite is The Sims. Who is your favorite famous person?: I like Adele! What kinds of music do you listen to?: I like pop, but I don’t like k-pop because the Korean singers don’t have meaningful lyrics. What would you like to be when you grow up?: I want to be a flight attendant for Emirates. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?: I’d like to go to Croatia.I heard that the sunset is really beautiful. What do you know or think about the United States?: They are the first country in the world! What questions do you have for kids in the United States?: How do you study? I know it is different with Korean students and American students.
Infusion Staff Interview: Monica Heilman
Infusion has been blessed with some pretty amazing staff members this year, all of whom are really worth getting to know. To celebrate these talented and dedicated ETA’s, here starts a series of web exclusive interviews, giving you a snapshot into our passions and daily lives in Korea. Last weekend I sat down with Monica Heilman, a second year ETA in Busan, and staff editor for Infusion this year. We met at a coffee shop in the D-Cube mall at the Sindorim stop in Seoul. The shop was so packed with Saturday afternoon shoppers that we could barely find a couple stool spots in the far back corner, near windows overlooking the taxi-stacked street and open square outside. It was the kind of crowded where it takes you over a minute to figure out where you can leave your puffy winter coat so it’s not in the way. We ordered coffee and tea and began to chat. Morgan: So first, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from in the US? What did you study in college? Monica: I’m from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and I went to university at the University of Denver. I was actually born in Germany, because my dad was in the military and stationed there. How long did you live there? Only one year, so I don’t remember anything. My students last year–they wrote me goodbye letters, and they wrote a little in German but I was like, “I don’t understand any of it–sorry!” Haha it was nice of them to try… Yeah. I came to Korea straight after college. The reason I wanted to come to Korea is that my mom’s extended family is here. Actually this is the first time meeting all my family. It’s pretty surreal. I was here when I was younger, like two or three, but not since then. How has meeting your family formed a part of your experience here? I know that’s a huge question… Yeah it’s been really huge. (Actually I should write an Infusion piece about it…). Last year in Gimhae, my aunt came to my homestay, and I cried right away. She was really calm so I felt really embarrassed, but later I noticed she was dabbing at her eyes a little bit… I went to my grandparents’ after that and stayed with them for chuseok. That day, family members kept trickling in. It was just surreal, and hard to believe. I have a cousin who is my same age, and in Korea that is a big deal. People think, “oh you’re the same age! You can be really good friends!” So on chuseok I walked in and we both had a reaction like “oh, oh! It must be you!” I had heard a lot about her from my mom, but didn’t know her. So do you get to see her often? She lives in another city, Suncheon. I have three aunts in Korea. One is in Busan, one is in Suncheon, and one is in Seoul. And I have an uncle who is actually doing missionary work in India, so I still haven’t met him. But last year during winter break I spent a week with this cousin’s family, and hung out with them a lot. It was really hard to speak in honorifics. That’s one thing about being here–my Korean has improved a lot! One of the first things my grandpa said when he met me was, “oh, you really can’t speak Korean…” I could understand that – my understanding was pretty good – but speaking was hard. However just this last chuseok my grandma told me that my Korean is really good, so I really did improve! Recently I moved in with my aunt in Busan, and it’s been great. So tell me about your school. You are at a different school from last year…What have been some your best lessons, or most memorable students? Changing schools has been good, but a challenge. Last year I was getting a handle on what these students think and what motivates them, and now it’s all different. This year I am at an all-girls high school which is a little lower-level, but the classes are leveled which is really amazing. At first I found myself doing a lot of basic comparisons, like “oh this school has good technology,” or “students are more shy…” this and that. Last year I know my second semester I changed a lot and felt like I got so much better, and so I am hoping I feel the same this year. I really loved doing YDAC last year. We had five students to a team, and sometimes I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it, but we had so much fun going out, and meeting other students, and talking with other teachers. I really emphasized when I was recruiting students–”don’t feel like your English level has to be really high.” So we had a balance of some advanced students and some not. But at the end of the year, these were the students who wrote me letters and the note in German. So I loved your art submission last year, The Faces of Fulbright. What has it been like for you to do art in Korea? How has that changed or added to your experience here? I was really excited to find out more about Korean art. Last year I kept telling myself I should do more art, but I got really busy. But this year I have loved being in Busan because I can go out, and stumble into some random gallery without trying. I didn’t ever find an art class, which I might still try and do. But to be honest, I don’t feel like I have made real or substantial art here. Just still life sketching, doodling, or small things here and there. Last year, when the Ferguson non-indictment came out I was upset about it, so I did a couple