Maya Percich

C&T 598

Dr. Cho

June 25, 2017

Cross-cultural and Language Experience

Traveling to South Korea this summer was my first time being in a foreign country. Before

traveling, I wanted to discard any stereotype or any perceptions I had about Korean and the country as a

whole. I wanted to come in with an open mind to Koreas culture, ideals, and views. There were many

times where I experienced something that was completely new and different. Feelings of confusion,

happiness, and frustration were emitted throughout this trip, but all together, my cultural experience here

in Korea was something of an adventure and learning experience.

Settling into our temporary residence in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, it didnt take long for the city to

feel like home. The first thing I noticed upon arrive was how polite and caring the teachers and students at

Kyunghwa were. Many times during the day they would come up and ask us if we had eaten well, slept

well, if we were comfortable and if there was anything they could do for us. At first I thought this was just

a hospitality thing, but as the weeks went by and the same kindness and thoughtfulness circulated, I

realized this was just the considerate nature of Korean people. I treasure and respect how loving people

are here in Korea. It felt refreshing and endearing to know that I felt so welcomed here during my six

weeks. Something that I greatly admire about Korea is the amount of respect students have for their

teachers. At school, students bow to their teachers and greet them by saying Good morning teacher or

hello teacher. In Korea, teachers are seen as valuable and viewed with high esteem. During my time

here, I often compared my experience of high school in America to my experience teaching in a high

school in Korea. In America, the teacher-student relationships are practically non-existent, with few

exceptions to student athletes and their coaches. In America, I feel there is little respect towards teachers,
but this could relate to the fact that students in America have the opportunity to voice their own opinions,

question the system and hold debates over given topics. In Korea, I have seen that this is not possible due

to strict education policies and growing up being taught that one should never question authority. In

Korea, I recalled several instances where students at Kyunghwa would eat meals with their teachers,

converse in deep conversations, and ask them about their health, give them meals and snacks, and joke

around with them. It was a very new experience for me, but it was one I enjoyed a lot.

I noticed right away as we went out to explore the city that there were a lot of things that would

take some time getting used to. One of the challenges I faced while being in Gwangju was constantly

being stared at. This was something I was not used to back in America, as openly staring at people is seen

as rude, in Korea they really didnt seem to care and stared as much as they want. Coming from a city

with very diverse groups of people from all different cultures, seeing people from multiple countries

everyday was almost second nature to me. However, in Gwangju and in Sokcho too, where there are little

to no foreigners, I can understand why seeing small groups of us walking around would grab peoples

attention if they werent used to foreigners. This was very different from Seoul where there is a good mix

of foreigners living in the city, so people staring at us didnt happen often.

There were a lot of surprises that awaited me these six weeks. The first being the obvious

differences between American and Korean culture. For example, in America to acknowledge/greet

someone, we shake hands or wave while saying hello with a bright smile on our faces. In Korea, people

great each other by bowing. There are certain cases when bowing that if the person being greeted is older

or is a person is of high esteem, you should bow even deeper to show your respect. This is different than

if it were a colleague, then you do a small bow. Another thing, which took me a while to get used to, is

that when you go to the bathroom in Korea, you do not flush the toilet paper down the toilet. I know it

may seem silly to think about, but its a very real thing. Often times in the stalls, there is no toilet paper

dispenser. Instead, there is a large one right outside the stall where you get the amount you need and take

it in with you. I found while teaching at Kyunghwa they do this so that their pipe system doesnt get
clogged and they dont waste paper. Another difference I found was the beckoning motion. In America,

having your palm up indicates you are calling someone over to you. In Korean culture, that same motion

is used for animals and is considered very rude if you motion to a person in that way. Instead, Koreans

face their palms downward and motion their fingers inward to call someone over. Something that I

believed to be true of Korea was that they were very conservative with skin ship and relationships. I

found this to be inaccurate during my time here. I consistently saw couples on subways, in buses,

standing in lines at restaurants, hugging from behind, kissing, holding hands, or expressing some sort of

physical contact.

While I did want to have an open mind about coming to Korea, there were some perceived

stereotypes that I had fostered. These assumptions came from both myself, what I saw on social media,

others were comments from teachers about Korea and its culture/language, and some from friends who

had been to Korea before. Most of the things I had visualized were wrong, but there were individuals that

did fit in the assumptions I had presumed. During my time here I have learned that each person is their

own, everyone individual that I have encountered, spoke to, and hung out with each had their own story,

goals, and dreams. You cannot limit an entire group of people to only a small fragment of perceived

notions. You cannot simplify a country by a couple of assumptions you had. A lot of times, stereotypes

and projections we have on people can be extremely harmful, and I have witnessed these perceived

connotations taken place and the negative effects they have on some people. I assumed that Koreans

hated foreigners or found them to be a bother. This assumption came from my own perceptions of how

other countries viewed Americans, seeing them as loud, annoying, and offensive. However, this was

completely inaccurate. Many times I would be stopped while out walking in the city, locals asking me

where I was from, why I was here, and even wishing me to enjoy my time in Korea. I recall a scenario

where two women approached me, and after finding out I was a teacher, proceeded to express how happy

and excited they were that I was hear doing that. I felt accepted and welcomed during moments like these.
 Something that I do not believe nor agree with forcing people to conform to ones own beliefs.

Before I continue on with this part, while I agree with many of Koreas traditional values, there are some

aspects of these ideals that I disagree with. I respect Koreas very distinct and well established foundation

they have and how they resonate with society. When referring to Korean ethnocentrism, which is the idea

that your countrys approach to something is the best approach, I do my best to look at it in a positive

light. Education in Korea is regarded with a high priority as academic success in education fluctuates to

cultural and social status. While I am impressed with Koreas education system and agree with most of

the fundamental developments of the system, there are also many things I disagree with, the biggest being

a heavy emphasis on standardize testing. At Kyunghwa, I have witnessed students crying over preparing

for these tests that basically decide their future. I have heard stories of students who have developed

extreme cases of anxiety and depression because of the stress and pressure to do well on these exams.

Testing should not be the only method of measuring someones intelligence, especially when most

standardize testing is based off of memorization. While I understand the importance of tests, I believe that

the level to which Korea takes it is too far. I agree with the principles of measuring intelligence and

comprehension of course subject, but I do not necessarily agree with all the ways in which these ideals are

executed.

My overall cultural experience in Korea was extremely insightful and eye opening. While there

were times when I experienced culture shock and cultural differences and frustrations, these incidents

allowed me to think critically and evaluate myself in my present environment. I have found Korean

people to be extremely humbling and welcoming, erasing any previous misconceptions I had placed on

them. The students, teachers, and members of the community made me feel at home in Gwangju. I will

always remember my time here at Kyunghwa and all the precious memories that came with it. I am

incredibly grateful for being selected to take part on this TESOL Practicum and develop cultural

competence and cultural awareness. I am also thankful for the teaching skills I developed along the way

from respected and knowledgeable teachers.