Impressions

Here are some pictures and impressions from our visit to Korea.

Gadgets: I like gadgets, However look what it takes to run our hotel room in Seoul: top is the house phone with a video telephone, the bottom row from left to right is the TV remote, the air conditioner remote, and the water heater control. The lights are controlled via the entrance key. The side light turns on by touching the base.
	During July it rains in Korea. It is usually hot and very muggy. Today we were lucky. It was not too hot and the rain waited until the evening. This is a picture on the street this evening.
It seems that every inch of level land is under cultivation. These are rice paddies that were planted a week or so ago. Again notice how very neat, clean and orderly they are.
	These are green houses. The farmer erects a structure from poles over his field and covers it with plastic. The green house cover allows more food to be grown and it also keeps the plants warmer to lengthen the growing season.
For my part I was particularly interested in the importance of age in Korean society. My initial interest was confirmed when I received the list of participants for the course. We were identified by our birthdates! This would never happen in Western society where rank, status and credibility are not determined by age. Two examples: 1. When parents arrive in Hong Kong at the end of February (the end of the Korean school year) they want their child placed in a class according to age. Previous academic performance or the ability to function in English doesn't count as much as saving face. For example, parents demand that a student who has completed 4 months of Grade 3 in Korea but is of Grade 5 age in Hong Kong be placed in Grade 5. (Koreans are born 1 year old, the rest of us are born 0 years old). 2. A student who arrives during the school year from Korea can become "the king or queen of the castle" based on age, even if he or she is only one month older than other Korean students in the same class. In some Western societies where unions have a stranglehold transfers and promotion can be influenced by seniority. Not with the appointment of school principals, however. It was obvious to me that principals in Korea must be of a certain age. Their last two contracts, each of 4 years, can be seen as a reward for faithful service in a system that is isolated from outside influence. What kind of schools would Korea have if they appointed some "hotshots" in their late 30s and early 40s as principals? If you believe that the principal is the pivotal person in the life and success of a school (and the research confirms this), then you can only wonder, as I do, at what might be if Korea ever rids itself of incestuous personnel practices based on age. Bill
This is a side street in Seoul. The buildings are several stories high. On the first floor there are shops. People live in the upper floors.
	This was our first lunch in Korea. Here I am with my wife Ginger. We're enjoying a typical Korean meal which consists of a number of complimentary side dishes, one main dish of either fish or beef and rice. During this particular meal we were seated on the floor in the traditional Korean style, however, most establishments also offer regular western style chairs. For those with difficulty sitting on the floor you can request special legless chairs which support the back.