TEACHING

Me giving a lecture at Abiko elementary school

When I first went to Japan, I was surprised to find out how little Japanese people knew about Korea, even though the two countries are so close to each other. 

This is why I was interested in the International Student Teachers program set up by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.  In this program, international students are invited to give presentations about their own country and culture at Japanese elementary, middle and high school.  From November 2008 to March 2010, I gave a series of presentations to Japanese kids about Korea and the differences between our countries.  I was very happy to see their enthusiasm during the classes and was glad to answer the many questions that they had. 

The program also benefited me by allowing me to regularly interact with the other International Student Teachers.  I gained firsthand knowledge about their different cultures and value systems, and we were able to explain our different points of view on certain issues. 

I was proud to be able to share knowledge about Korea with others, and also learned about other counties, so this was a priceless experience for me.