Jane: What did you do yesterday?
Student: I played computer game.
Jane: What did you do on your last vacation?
Student: I played computer game.
Jane: What did you do after school?
Student: I played computer game.
Jane: What will you do tomorrow?
Student: Play computer game.
Jane: What do you like to do for fun?
Student: Play computer game.
(Etc.)
Now, I totally have an addiction to the Internet. However, I do go outside and do things, because otherwise, what would I have to blog about?? One of my favorite things about Korea is how available and cheap highspeed internet is (and was long before it was avilable here in the US). It was affordable to have in my apartment - much cheaper than the DSL I have here in Waycross. Additionally, there is at least one PC Bang on every corner. A PC Bang is a "computer room" where you can use the Internet, chat, play computer games, etc., all for like fifty cents an hour. (Or at least that was the price out in Banyawol where I lived.) Anyway, according to the NY Times, Internet addiction is a HUGE problem among Korean youth. Why am I not surprised? Anyhow, their solution is some sort of boot camp to wean kids from the net - analogous to youth rehab boot camps here in the US. The article's pretty internesting, and you can read it by clicking here.
Now, I totally have an addiction to the Internet. However, I do go outside and do things, because otherwise, what would I have to blog about?? One of my favorite things about Korea is how available and cheap highspeed internet is (and was long before it was avilable here in the US). It was affordable to have in my apartment - much cheaper than the DSL I have here in Waycross. Additionally, there is at least one PC Bang on every corner. A PC Bang is a "computer room" where you can use the Internet, chat, play computer games, etc., all for like fifty cents an hour. (Or at least that was the price out in Banyawol where I lived.) Anyway, according to the NY Times, Internet addiction is a HUGE problem among Korean youth. Why am I not surprised? Anyhow, their solution is some sort of boot camp to wean kids from the net - analogous to youth rehab boot camps here in the US. The article's pretty internesting, and you can read it by clicking here.
Photo: Seokyong Lee for The New York Times
I don't really think it would work for me; I'd spend the whole time I was there thinking about what a fantastic blog post I could write about it :-)
2 comments:
Great article! A lot of expat buzz about it. We've gotta keep ourselves entertained somehow, y'know?
Yeah, it sucks that the single sure-fire way to get my students' attention is to say "computer games."
"What do you want to do?"
Dead.
"Do you want to play baseball?"
Two or three kids.
Repeat with cook, read, sing, dance, study.
"Do you want to play computer games?"
Every damn hand goes up.
"What do you like to eat?" One student said "Cyworld acorns, you know, Amanda Teacher?"
God.
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