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KOTESOL conference 2009



The 17th annual KOTESOL conference, held last weekend at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, was not precisely what you might call a tourist destination. For the serious English teachers or those in a more formal academic setting, conferences such as these are great chances to socialize and meet up with other serious teachers. It's the polar opposite of the chaotic drinking and partying of the Boryeong Mud Festival, and a great chance to meet a number of veteran expats.



The fall colors were nicely present on this campus - a nice respite between conference sessions.

At least a couple other bloggers were present - Brian from Jeollanam-do made the trip, and Stafford from the Chosun Bimbo carried a clipboard and walkie talkie working to keep things organized (thanks again for the free pass!). I'm sure there were others there, but this was easily the largest group of English teachers in one place - during the opening ceremony, one speaker mentioned over 1,000 pre-registered and another 800 or so registered on-site.



With standing room only, one of the more popular presentations was entitled "10 Minutes for Happiness (Positive Psychology in the Classroom)" by Marc Helgesen. Perhaps it helped that everyone got a cookie and a chance to win some teaching materials.



The crowd of teachers was generally foreign-born, but quite a few Koreans made it to the conference as well. Respect for the serious Korean English teachers who came out on a weekend.

After two sessions - which some people missed because of various registration snafus - it was time for an opening ceremony of sorts:



Another room with standing room only. A number of awards and presentations later, we finally got to hear one of the 'household names' in the ESL / ELT field:



David Nunan on supporting professional development - and showing off his Australian heritage before he got into his speech.

Oh yeah, about that speech... I'm sorry to say it, but it was boring. I left somewhere in the middle of the speech - along with quite a few others - and headed to lunch.

I'm not a member of KOTESOL, though I highly respect the ideals of taking teaching seriously and professionally. This conference seemed to take itself as seriously, however - as a result, it wasn't as interesting or helpful as I hoped it to be. Most of the commercial presentations seemed focused on selling one person's or one companies books, while the other presentations I attended on heard about didn't seem to add anything new I didn't already know. I ended up spending more time talking to other teachers about socializing / networking...

Although I was somewhat familiar with the details of the conference, I originally had no plans to go. Why? Too much 'academia' and not enough connection to the real world of teachers. Presentations like "On the Strength of L2 Lexical Knowledge" and "Finding the Middle Ground: Reconciling Constructivist and Traditional Approaches in a Content-based Class" do little to help someone keep a class of ten 7-year-olds attentive. Even working with adults means following the school's rules about how to work with your students.

For next year, I'd love to see a few less speakers, but speakers of a more interesting nature - in other words, choosing quality over quantity. Maps and directions were generally good, once you figured out the basement was common to most of the buildings. That it wasn't promoted by some schools - my girlfriend claims her public school never told her about the conference - isn't the fault of KOTESOL. Perhaps some promises of events or activities other than academic topics would encourage teachers to find more of a 'real-world' connection to their classrooms. I stand convinced that many English teachers want to do the best job they can, and organizations like KOTESOL aim to help in that endeavor.


Creative Commons License © Chris Backe - 2009

 

I have now

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brain drain


Brain Drain

 

In the past, this phenomenon referred to poor countries losing their most talented and brightest minds because of a poor economy. That’s still essentially the meaning of brain drain.

 

Allow me to be more specific. In the past, countries like China, Russia, and India have produced great minds in the fields of engineering, medicine and computer technology. These individuals would study in America or Europe, earning master’s degrees or PhD’s. However, due to economic factors, a professional, a doctor, a scientist, could except to earn little more 500 dollars a month is his home country, where the average wage compared to Western standards were and sometimes are still a mere pittance. As a result, these talented professionals would almost always stay in America or Europe. Hence, the term ‘brain drain’ – the brightest minds in the country leaving.

 

These days, this pattern is being reversed. Most recently in Sunnyvale, California, part of what is known as the Silicon Valley, or the center of computer innovation in the world, a think tank symposium was held where some of the brightest minds in the field of computer technology met to discuss matters regarding the future of technology – one of these issues was titled “Reverse Brain Drain.”

 

Not surprising, nearly 40% of the participants were of Asian descent, mainly India, China, and Taiwan. The consensus among these participants, many of whom have been living in the US for over a decade, many of whom possess green cards and are ‘permanent residents’ in the US, was that most of them planned on returning to their home country in the next few years, as many HAVE been doing over the last few years.

 

The average age for Indians to return to India was 31 and Chinese returning to China was 33. 

 

The question presented was – these Indians and Chinese (the largest Asian demographic of the group) received their higher education in America and all possessed high paying jobs in America, so why would they return to their native country? This was one issue that was discussed at the symposium.

 

The over all feeling among the Asian-Americans present was this – 20, 30, even 10 years ago, the average wage at a high tech job in America, compared to India or China was like 20 to 1. It made little sense to stay in a country where a decent salary could not be earned. The problem, in the past, with many 3rd world countries, and a problem which still exists today with most 3rd world counties is that ALL the wealth is concentrated in a few families/companies – a real middle class didn’t/doesn’t exist.


These days, things are very different. A Chinese man with a PhD from an American university, who is a real mover and shaker in the IT field, can do very well for himself in Beijing or Shanghai. The same holds true for Indians, who can return to Bangalore or Delhi or Mumbai and work for a company and sure, their salaries will never compare to that of the US, but making several thousand dollars a month in India, while in America, may not seem like much money; in India, they can live like a king on that salary.

 

Add to the equation that many of these Asians not only wish to marry women of their own ethnicity, but also, most have close ties to their families and hope to care for their aging parents, and that really puts the dagger in the hope of America retaining these individuals. I’m referring to current Immigration policies. In the past, an American, even a resident alien could marry a foreigner and the spouse was almost instantly given a green card. Those days are long gone. Also, trying to bring aging parents to America isn’t as easy as it once was. And finally, add to it the fact that China and India are two of the fastest growing economies in the world – the choice becomes almost a no-brainer for many foreign born resident aliens in America. They would rather earn their degrees, work for a top company in America for a few years and then return to their home counties, where, even if their salary is slightly less (20 to 1 becoming more like 3 to 2, was the consensus by the panel, when income tax and cost of living are factored in) the quality of life for their entire family would be much better if they return to their home counties. Earning 3000 dollars a month in Delhi would ensure a comfortable life. Earning 5000 dollars a month in Manhattan or San Francisco, after income tax, rent, insurance, etc. does not guarantee a comfortable life.

 

So, essentially, we are entering a new era; one known as – the reverse brain drain. The major difference is that the country that will suffer by losing its greatest minds is the US.

 

In conclusion, this is not MY independent thought. I never really thought of it, although I just spent 3 months in India. This is actually a ‘paraphrase’ of an article I read in computer magazine, whose name I can’t remember.

South Korea Trip- Changnyeong 창녕

Alright you can check out the video of my trip from Busan to Changnyeong in South Korea. The trip in total was 304 kms. I rode the #25 highway to Changnyeong and back. On the trip I checked out an 18th century Ice house, the Changnyeong Museum, Upo wetlands, the Bak Jin War Memorial and a mountain park. A super special thanks to Claudio Sepulveda for his advice and grading. The best colorist in Vancouver! By the end of the day I have compiled 2-4 hours of footage on two cameras. I then cut that footage into the five minute video you see here. The video features creative commons music by She swings, She sways- What I wouldn’t do featured on http://www.jamendo.com. My best impersonation of a Korean hiker! A frog I ran into during my mountain hike.

65% of Korean Couples Worry About Contraception?


The Sweet Sex and Love 2003( Source: realistic dreamer )

A quick survey on contraception use in Korea that was on the front page of Yahoo! Korea recently.

Unfortunately, not only is there no information about the methodology used, but the accompanying article is rather short, and states the obvious several times. One wonders what the point of it was.

I feel certain that it was not intended to be simply sensationalist though, as if it was then presumably it would have attracted more than 11 comments from Korea’s infamous netizens. And however dubious, its results are broadly similar to those of more reliable surveys, which is why I chose to highlight it here.

The notion that contraception is primarily men’s responsibility really does seem to be an ingrained part of Korean sexual culture then?

男·女 65% ‘피임 고민’ 08/10/09

미혼남녀들의 큰 고민 중 하나가 피임.

One big concern [Korean] men and women face is contraception.

20~39세의 미혼남녀 1,127명을 대상으로 ‘피임’에 대해 설문조사한 결과, 대부분의 미혼 남녀가 피임으로 고민해본 적이 있는 것으로 나타났다.

1, 127 single men and women aged between 20 and 39 were given a survey about contraception, and the vast majority replied that they have worried about it at some point. [Here are the questions and results].

피임으로 고민해본 경험?

Have you ever worried about contraception?

남자 59%, 여자 71%가 ‘고민해본 경험이 있다’고 답했다. 또한 남자보다 여자들이 피임으로 인한 고민이 많은 것으로 나타났다.

59% of men and 71% of women replied that that had. It emerged that more women than men had worried about it.

피임, 남자와 여자 중에 누가 더 신경 써야 하는가?

Who should be more concerned about contraception? Men, or women?

The Sweet Sex and Love

남자 79%, 여자 83%가 ‘당연히 남자가 더 신경 써줘야 한다’고 답했다.

79% of men and 83% of women replied that “Of course it is men that have to be more concerned.”

선호하는 피임 방법은?

What type of contraception do you prefer?

주로 쓰는 피임 방법으로 ‘콘돔’이 63%를 차지, 1위로 꼽혔다. 이어 ‘체외 사정’, ‘배란 주기법’, ‘먹는 피임약’ 사용 등이 뒤따랐다.

The most preferred choice was the condom, with 63% of respondents choosing that. That was followed by the withdrawal method, the rhythm method, and the oral contraceptive pill.

성관계시 피임이 중요한가?

Is contraception important in a sexual relationship?

남자 95.10% 여자 100%가 ‘중요하다’고 답해, 남녀 모두 피임의 중요성에 대해서 인식하고 있는 것으로 나타났다.

95.1% of men and 100% of women replied that it was important. Both men and women perceive it as being important.

이 번 설문조사 결과, 미혼남녀 모두 피임의 중요성에 대해 인식하면서도 정작 피임을 제대로 못해 고민하는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 감정이나 분위기에 휩쓸려 피임을 등한시하는 경우가 많기 때문. 피임도 사랑을 나누는 하나의 과정임을 인식하는 것이 무엇보다 중요할 것이다.

While this survey showed that both men and women perceived contraception as being important, in reality many had experienced difficulties with it. And many people neglected it because of the atmosphere or getting swept away in the heat of the moment also. But people need to acknowledge that using contraception is part of the process of making love (end).

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Posted in Korean Sexuality, Korean Translations Tagged: Contraception, 피임
  

 

A new camera = time to experiment

Having recently purchased my first DSLR camera, it's time to take it for a 'first date' - the sort of thing you do to get to know it a little bit. Its settings, buttons and dials all look intimidating to someone used to a point-and-shoot camera, but thankfully, the advice of 'just shoot' seems appropriate in this context. Off to Yeouido Park I go:




The leaves are changing color, yet they don't look past their peak quite yet.




A rather curious exercise of playing soccer in an area the size of a full-court basketball court, where the padded posts served as goals.


Bees and flowers still work well together.

Expect more of the same as I learn the ins and outs of DSLR photography - and trying to get out of the all-too-commonly-used 'AUTO' setting.

In case you're wondering, the body is a Nikon D70, and the lenses I currently own are a Nikon 28-70mm f2.8-4.5 and a Nikon 70-210 mm f3.5-4.5.

Creative Commons License © Chris Backe - 2009

This Was Friday.

My hair was straight.
Our outfits matched.
Try and keep up.



063


This is a sight you don't often see in Korea.


157





231





Refueling....

236

270




\

Warning: Visiting the noribang sometimes leads to unusual bruising due to amateur tambourine antics. Ask my palm, hip, and slightly broken bracelet.

Also - sighting garden gnomes mean you're about to have a great time.

446






yum yum



Take This. NOW.



510

He takes really great pictures ....

clickclick



We danced them all down

.... and then it was 8:30 am.

Good Morning Sunshine

Sicko

Thus far, my reintroduction to Korean society has been unexpectedly bumpy at best for various reasons, but there are some aspects of life in Korea which would have to go a long way downhill before they become negative parts of the equation. One of these is the Korean health system with its immediate treatment, availability of hospitals with their second and third opinions if you want them, all at a price which show up the National Health Service back home for what it is - a self-absorbed and expensive bureaucracy which two years ago Wikipedia alarmingly cited as the fourth biggest employer in the world. By comparison, the privately-based Korean system seems much more certain to actually treat illness effectively. However, there is a catch - which is the money.

The reality is that the Korean system works very well so long as you can afford to pay for it, but you're probably out of luck if you can't. This means you really need to have health insurance - at least for the more expensive treatments. Some may argue that's inferior to the British system, and perhaps it is in certain circumstances, but when I suffered the onset of mysterious back pain earlier this year that left me unable to walk for a month - the most the NHS could offer me was a three month waiting list for an MRI which I instead paid £650 (1,260,000 won/$1,064) to have done privately within a week - which is still something a Korean hospital might have been able to do within a day at a third of the cost in my experience.

Despite the relatively low-cost of procedures in Korean hospitals - and while I hope I will always have the resources to cover any ill health I experience - last week I decided to hedge my bets and arrange for an insurance quotation for myself. This involved bringing in a personal contact of Korean Mother, who works in this area. She visited us at home and while discussing the various options, bemoaned the fact that these days, "young people" tended to forego the 'social network' approach to obtaining a policy, but would instead shop around on the Internet or ask a lot of questions about the fine detail of the policy if they did come to see her. I got the distinct impression that in the good old days, the way this worked was for the personal contact to recommend a policy, which would then pretty much be blindly signed up for in the belief that if anything happened they would somehow magically be covered because their personal contact had arranged it, and they would never do anything that would disadvantage them. I became painfully aware I was asking a lot of questions through my translator.

The first thing I had to get my head around was the notion that while there seemed to be two types of insurance - "health" and "life", these are not the same concepts I am used to. The far cheaper "Health" insurance covers small diagnostic procedures and, oddly enough, a certain amount of legal protection should I ever be sued for causing damage to other people's property, or injury to third parties. I've read recently that Korea is quite a litigious society and while I was not aware of this allegation beforehand, I can well believe it from certain anecdotal evidence I am aware of within our social network, so this seems like a theoretically useful policy to have, especially as the whole package costs around £21 (40,500 won/$34) per month.

The much more expensive "Life" insurance covers larger diagnostic procedures as well as drug and operative treatments, although I was disappointed to discover the ceiling for cancer-related payments was only 20,000,000 won (£10,000/$17,000), which seemed very small. There was a lot more included though, so in principle the proposed policy had its attractions. I was aiming for a monthly cost of around £90 (174,000 won/$147) because this was the equivalent of what I would be paying in the UK, although it's very hard to compare like-with-like considering that Korean policies are so different. So I was taken aback to be quoted an annual cost approaching £1,500 - £1,750 (3,150,000 won/$2,661) if you include the "health" insurance on top of it. Friend or no friend, I was ready to show her the door, even when it was explained that I would only pay this amount for 20 years - after which I would be still covered for life with no additional premiums. This struck me as the health insurance equivalent of a Government-sponsored national pension pyramid scheme, where people paid relatively small premiums 20-30 years ago based on the seemingly ridiculous assumption that life expectancy and health costs would not rise considerably with future technological improvements. I couldn't see the insurance company keeping their system working if average life expectancy rose to 100 in the foreseeable future, which to my mind is entirely possible. I was dubious.

But the next big shock sealed the deal. It was too expensive to my mind, but I thought I could sign up and find a better deal in the next few months when I had the time to research the market properly, so I asked about penalty clauses for withdrawing from the scheme. This caused some nervousness on the part of the insurance agent - she explained that as we were a 'personal contact' she would be paying our first month's bill (probably from her bonus I thought), so it would 'look very bad' if we pulled out after only one or two months. If this happened, it seemed she would be sent for 're-education' within the company, something which had an unpleasantly North Korean feel to it. However, the real surprise was that if I withdrew, I'd get just under 69% of my premiums back - which stopped the scheme looking so expensive after all, although in some senses while they are dangling the carrot of a fixed 20-year payment plan, on the other hand it takes on aspects of a long-term - admittedly zero-interest - savings scheme. So I signed up, utterly unconvinced as I am that it is competitive or realistic. There is a lot happening right now, of which the health and life insurance is only a minor part, so there is an element of putting something in place and moving on.

The insurance agent went away and returned later in the day with the formal papers for signing, and there was a lot to be signed - so much in fact I wondered whether I was getting health insurance or promising my eternal soul to the company. I counted nine separate signatures, and because my wife is the named payer on the principle that only she can have read the considerable number of terms and conditions and understood them, she got to sign her name around fifteen times on the same documents. Unfortunately this also points out a rather sad reality about my future in Korea - it's one thing to understand social conversations, but it's going to take a long time before my understanding of the language is anywhere near good enough to understand legal contracts and the kind of small print which appears within them. There is a very, very, long way to go.

Later, the insurance company phoned me up to ensure that I'd signed up willingly to the policy because I'm a foreigner and I couldn't have understood what I was signing. But there was a problem - they couldn't speak English on the phone - so the laughable way this ended up working is with them asking a question in Korean to my wife, who passed over the phone to me with instructions on whether to say 'yes' or 'no' in Korean to the person on the other end of the line. Then I passed the phone back and we moved on to the next question. How this proves anything is anyone's guess. Corporate Korea hasn't quite worked out how to deal with foreigners as customers of their services, but I should be grateful that they even let me be a customer - it's not always guaranteed.

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Twitter:  @BusanMike
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