Oxford Min

It's strange how I meet people here and learn. I've often remarked how this experience is special because it not only allows me to learn about Korea but also about many other countries. I was in my office Monday, getting ready to teach when a Korean guy walked into the office and asked if there was any connection between PNU and Oxford University. We all told them we had no clue and he said he was interested in seeing a class and possibly speaking to the students. It seemed a very general request but I was interested. I'm always looking for some suprise I can offer the students so I invited him to attend my class and speak if he'd like.
We were doing midterm presentations so the class was a bit boring but I thought it was good for him to see exactly how well or badly the students speak English. Min spoke flawless English and told me he went to England during high school and he's been there since. He studies some sort of mathmatics at Oxford. Right there I knew this guy was bright. He watched the students and spoke to them about how exactly he mastered English. His advice was to try thinking in English. At first, he explained, the words won't come, but eventually they will. They cheered and called him Oxford. He's 23, only a couple years older than my freshman students so they bonded quickly.
After class he was treated like a celebrity. They lined up around him asking his cell-phone number and if he'd like to go out with them later. I asked him how long he planned on being in Busan and he said he wasn't sure but a few days at least. I made plans to meet up with him later that night.
Min called me and told me he was at a bar with my students and they were really excited about me meeting them there. We don't have any definite policy about meeting students outside of class. I think it's just up to the teacher's discretion. I was nervous and excited about seeing them in this environment. I told them I'd stop in for a drink and then I had to meet another friend. I walked into a dark, basement bar and found Min surrounded by about 15 students at a large, circular table. They gave me respectful bows after entering and were obviously more nervous than I. I was reluctant to drink, but had a couple beers and just tried to listen to anything they had to tell me. As we drank and spoke I realized I could teach them much more effectively in a situation like this. The bar is informal and I think the students forget their learning and just speak much more freely. Also, it was nice because Min was able to translate their thoughts for me. I stayed about an hour and left with plans to meet Min later.
I took him to one of the more popular foreign bars in the area and started chatting about my students. It's so hard to get any sort of feedback about your teaching here but he was a great resource. After spending the last few hours with my students, he had a lot to say about how they felt towards English and me. Everything was positive and I was top of the world for the rest of the night. At this freshman level, I know I won't be able to rid them of all their grammatical mistakes and we don't meet often enough to make major improvements. Still, my hope is to inspire them a bit and leave them with a refreshing outlook towards English. After years of studying it in public schools, they view it as another tiresome subject they just learned to do well on the College Entrance Exam. Now that they're hear, I want them to think more about the practicality of what they've spent so much time studying. According to Min, I'm acheiving that.
He stayed the night with me and we went to the Beach the next day, my day off. It was a little chilly but sunny enough to bring some people onto the sand. We had a couple beers and talked about our very different but connected lives. He said he was travelling the country for a month before he had to go back to Oxford and finish his degree. He wanted to think alot about what to do after graduation. Korean males are required to do a 2-year military service but, given the excellance of his scholastic acheivements, he could be exempt from that. His family was urging him to avoid the military, but he wasn't so sure. He could graduate and immediately land a good job in some major Korean company. He could make good money and be on the fast track, he explained. But he was worrying about how boring crunching numbers year after year would be and he wanted to look for any other alternatives. (I suggested teaching English and he said he had thought about it.)
The crazy and admirable thing is, he really wants to do the military service. You see, Korean men hate it while they're doing it and they look at as a waste of 2 years. But, as they get older, they look back at it as a passage of rights in this country. It's a bond with your fellow countrymen that I think is necessary in ways. Min explained that he didn't want to distance himself from other Koreans more than he already had. He was leaning towards joining the military after graduation and I hope he does it.
He stayed that night as well and left this morning. I really enjoyed my time with him because he was the gap between me and Koreans. He understood the West's view towards things and the absurdity of some of Korea's thinking. He could laugh at many of his countries shortcomings but also agree with me and why this country is so special. I liked the fact that he'd lived abroad so long but still thought of Korea as his home and wanted to spend the majority of his life here. And I think he liked hearing a white-boy's views of his country. He liked hearing me speak Korean and teach him about some of the cultural phenomenons he'd missed in his many years away.
I don't know if I'll meet him again but I sure hope so. Either way, this is a good example of how I learn and grow over here.