Playing in the Street

I went to the grocery store a couple of Sundays ago. I live in an area of one lane winding roads. Cars are always stopping, backing up; pedestrians waiting for 2 cars to pass each other. Not always, but it is common. Traffic is light in general though. It is perfect for what I saw on this Sunday... 3 children playing in the street. I was struck dumb and had to stop and look at these children... they were PLAYING on a Sunday afternoon. My first thought was "I like this" and my second thought was "and the fact this never happens is why I don't like Korea". It got me thinking of all the parks in the neighborhoods around here and how I walk by them all the time and take the occassional turn on the swings, down the slide or play at balance on the center of teeter-totters. I realized that the only time I have noticed children at all these numerous parks is once last winter after 10pm when Daegu had a rare snow that stuck enough for midnight snowmen. The park across the road was filled with children that night. Otherwise, couples smooching on the benches or older men sharing soju or beer from paper bags. That Monday I was teaching a level 2 class, 8-10 yr olds and I said, "Did any of you go outside and play over the weekend?" They looked blankly at me. I said, "What did you do this weekend?" The twins in the class, the talkative ones, said "teacher, we study on the weekends." Interesting. Regular school in the morning, English academy at my school at least 2 afternoons a week, sometimes 3 or 4; and I know most students take a music lesson some afternoons and many are in math, computer, science academies. So, that is just about every afternoon during the week and some classes last until 10pm. Of course there is homework for regular school, as well as for the academies... and music practice of course. So yeah, 8 year olds study on the weekends in this country. Mind you, this conversation happened during these kids' summer break from their regular school. Makes me feel SLIGHTLY less frustrated about some of the students I have with behavior problems. No kidding kids are hyper right?
Anyway, once it hit me I have found I can't get over it. Everyone is so FAST here. Parents spend their lives searching for bragging rights and those rights rest on their children. It just doesn't seem right. The sight of those kids that Sunday... the way it stopped me... the population of this city; the sheer number of academies and the fact they stay in business, and then the realization that I rarely see children outside of school. Of course visions that flashed in front of my eyes were of Egypt and Micronesia. Lol, especially Pollap. Remembering how I could not sit in the grass with a book anywhere on the island without a group of 4-10 kids coming to sit and just look at me if I ignored them; play or talk if I interacted with them.
My director told me today that the E6 class I teach likes me. He picks them up for class and he asked them for their favorite teacher. Of course, I enter the classroom every class with a big "HELLO FROM YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER!" so maybe I have brainwashed them just a little, lol. Anyway, he said they said I am fun. Then I had to confess to my director that last week I accidentally said "shit" in class (which has NEVER, surprisingly yes, happened before) which of course the students loved (this is an older and more advanced class). But seriously, ok, I do think this class does like me and it makes me happy that they think they are having fun in my class. I know I have fun teaching them and I can't say that about all that many classes. But I think my new goal needs to be to feel it more often, with more classes. These kids need some fun, don't you think? Maybe tomorrow we will all go out and have class in the streets... :)