There are many lovely things about Korea, but being a student is NOT one of them. Yesterday, November 10th, was the most important day for Korean high school students: SAT exam day.
The Korean SAT exam is so important that even airports are shut down for a period of time as to not interfere with the nationwide broadcast of the listening portion of the exam. Middle schools usually cancel classes for the day because teachers are needed to proctor the exams from 8am-6pm.
This day is the moment of truth for third-year high school students: it basically determines their future. Their scores will determine which universities will accept them, and, in Korea, THIS... IS... EVERYTHING.
Watch this video for a little insight into the day, thanks to Al Jazeera: VIDEO
I don't know why I'm continuously surprised by such things. I've been here long enough to have at least a basic understanding of the Korean education system and have observed just how hard my students work and are pressured by parents and society to perform well. I know that the notion of "childhood" has a VERY different meaning in this country than it does where I grew up. But, I still find myself feeling a mix of shock and pity...
Luckily for me, however, I had a day off in the middle of the week!
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