Informational Odds and Ends

Here are some interesting odds and ends we've learned or observed.
Knowing that English is taught here from KNDG on, we've wondered why our CNU students seem so ill prepared. Easter Sunday, a young woman from the states sat behind us. A math teacher in the US, she arrived  in Korea and was given two weeks of ESL training. Now she has 19 classes a week - 35 students in each 40 minute class - and each of those classes meets only once a week. She was told she could expect to make good progress with 50 of her, by my calculation,  665 students! This may not be how it's done in every school, but it does offer possible insight..
We've already mentioned how neat and "clean" everything looks. The explanation - workers! We see people everywhere, picking up litter, sweeping the walkways, trimming trees, reparing loose pavers.... Saturday morning I came out of our dorm, and there she was - a worker - cleaning our granite entryway and sidewalk with a broom and a water bucket. I headed for the steps going down the side of the "hill we're on" - another worker, bucket and broom in hand, cleaning the steps and the pavers below. "Workers" and that's what they're called, are numerous and are what we would call "unskilled labor".

A Korean Swifter

Cardboard collector (You see them all over town!)

That being said, we already mentioned how impressed we've been with how conscientious CNU students are about recycling, picking up their trash, etc. Well,with the onset of warmer weather, groups of students have been gathering on the lawn to talk, study, and, at night, party. Friday was our warmest day so far. Below is a snapshot of what we saw as we walked around campus Sat. morning.

Friday night remains. At least some put their garbage in a pile.