One might expect that, having moved to China, I would spend a lot of time with Chinese people. Not so. However, I spend a lot of time with Koreans. Several major Korean corporations have operations in Suzhou, and they tend to go much deeper into the rank and file when then send employees here (as opposed to the Western companies, who typically only send high-level engineers, managers, and accountants). That is apparently a sore spot with the Chinese government, which I have heard pressures the Koreans to give more of those jobs to Chinese workers.
I digress, as usual. As I said, I spend a lot of time with Koreans. I never really knew any Koreans before I came here, and I like them. The kids are, for the most part, friendly and hard-working. Too hard working, in some cases. A lot of these poor kids finish school only to go to Korean schools all over again for the evening. Many of the kids (in particular, the girls) are incredible musicians as well. I was at the elementary school talent show last year. It was pretty impressive.
And of course, let's not forget the Korean food, which I have really developed a taste for.
The Korean kids are very, very partial to all things Korean. When we take them on school trips, they always bring bundles of mom-packed food, in little nested boxes and neat packages (all to save them from having to eat anything Chinese). Sometimes, their enthusiasm is better described as nationalism. Case in point, have you ever heard of Dokdu Island? Talk to a Korean for a few minutes and you will. It is a rocky speck of an island halfway between South Korean and Japan. It is officially accepted as Korean territory (and they have two caretakers stationed on it to make sure the claim is firm).
However, occasionally, Japan makes noises that it rightfully belongs to them. There have literally been street protests in South Korea over this, including bizarro stuff like when a college student sliced his fingertips and wrote his loyalty to Dokdu in his own blood. At school, I have had to reprimand kids for starting up arguments over it. In the library, atlases and even wall maps have been hand marked to show Dokdu, and remind everyone who it belongs to. This is in addition to the fact that the same maps have often been defaced so that the "Sea of Japan" has been renamed the "Sea of Korea".
I digress again. Below are some pictures of some art from some of the Korean 4th graders from last year. They have nothing to do whatsoever with anything I said above. They just made me laugh. For this assignment, the kids were supposed to draw a picture illustrating "empathy". They had some interesting interpretations. Names have been blocked out.
This one if from a very sweet girl who was one of my favorites. If your friend will cry over your dead dog with you, she is a true friend.
I'm not sure what this kid was thinking. Perhaps he has heard the expression "walk a mile in his shoes".
This is the best one. This kid really didn't get the concept.
