I came to Korea in May, 2003 as an invited researcher at ETRI. I used to commute between its dormitory and ETRI. There are several big azalea trees along the way, and the azalea flowers were in full bloom then.
I left ETRI for about 4 years ago, but the azalea flowers shall be in full bloom again for this year.
In Korea, Public sectors and big companies introduced “2 days off a week” system in July 2004. Then hiking boom occurred and it is still booming now.
AhToSan (means, “Let’s go hiking on Saturday) was established in September 2004, and I joined them in November in the same year.
AhToSan has planned 257 hikes until last week and among them, I joined them 192 times.
When my contract with ETRI was over about 4 years ago, the biggest reason why I wanted to stay in Korea was to keep joining AhToSan hiking.
I began teaching Japanese at a college near ETRI, and I still keep hiking every Saturday with AhToSan.
(my hiking blog: http://georgesuzuki.blogspot.com/ If you click the pictures in the blog, they become full-size.)
I have other reasons to stay in Korea now. I strongly wish to master Korean language. Since I have come to Korea, I have also been learning Chinese. So I want to communicate with Chinese people in Chinese as well.
I began listening to educational programs for learning Japanese and Chinese through EBS FM radio programs. The equivalences of “NHK Educational program” in Korea are EBS (Education Broadcast Station) programs.
In Korea, the academic year starts in March and ends in February. So, they re-arrange the program in Feb. – March period.
When I heard the change of the broadcasting hours, I could not believe my ears! They shift the time from 21:00 to 24:40! But the time for a day is 24 hours anywhere in the world, but in Korea! They start the program at 24:40 and ends at 25:20!
[The new program of EBS, EBSの新しい番組表、새로운 EBS 프로그램표]
In Korea, they really eager to learn English, but not other languages. I checked the EBS schedule and found out that they were broadcasting for total 15 hours for language programs. Besides Japanese and Chinese programs, for 20 minutes each, the rest of all hours are for English learners!
I feel much comfortable with NHK in Japan rather than with EBS in Korea.
DR#177「韓国で迎える7回目の春とEBSの改編」
私が韓国へ来たのは2003年の5月。ETRIの招聘研究院として寄宿舎に入った。寄宿舎からETRIへ向かう通勤の脇のつつじの花がとても鮮やかだった。今年も同じようにみごとな花が咲くだろうが、私はETRIを離れて4年になる。
[Flowers of azalea were in full bloom at ETRI in May, 2003、2003年5月にETRIへ来た時の満開のツツジの花、2003년5월에 ETRI에 왔을 때의 만개한 철쭉 꽃]
韓国は2004年の下半期から本格的な週休二日制が始まった。そして全国的な登山ブームが始まり、いまも続いている。
土曜登山会「アトサン」が結成されたのは2004年9月。私は結成2カ月後に加入した。以来、アトサンが企画した「正規登山」は先週で257回。私はそのうち192回参加した。
4年前、ETRIの契約が終わった時、韓国に残りたかった最大の理由がこの「アトサン」だった。現在、技術系の大学で日本語を教えているが、これは今も変わらない。
ただ、登山だけでなく、韓国で生活する以上、韓国語をあるていどマスターしたいと思う。また、韓国の生活とともに始めた中国語もあるていど使えるようにしたい。
そのようなわけで、こちらで暮らすようになってから、すぐこちらの教育放送であるEBSのラジオ放送を聞くようになった。EBSFMラジオ「日本語講座」と「中国語講座」である。
韓国の学校は3月に始まり2月に終わる。それでEBSも毎年この時期に改編がある。
2月末の2009年度最後の放送を聞いて耳を疑った。これまで夜の9時から放送されていたこの2つの番組が、3月からなんと夜の24:40開始、25:20終了になると言うのだ。そしてこれまで放送されていた時間帯は英語の放送の再放送になるという。
韓国は英語教育熱が盛んで、朝から大型のスクールバスが子どもたちを英語塾に送迎する。
EBSの放送は朝から晩まで英語ばかり。教材に記載されている15時間の放送のうち14時間20分が英語で、残りの40分間が日本語と中国語である。
はじめは驚き、腹立ちもしたが、いまは24時40分に目覚まし時計をかけ、放送は聞きながら録音し、翌日また聞く生活に慣れてきた。
ジョージの登山ブログ(DRも含みます。)
http://georgesuzuki.blogspot.com/
(ブログの各写真は、クリックすると拡大します。)
(Here is a comment on the change of EBS programs from one of my Russian friends from Russia.)
返信削除Hello, George.
This is really funny how do they count time in Korea: 24:40 and 25:20 !!
I have never known about this. The reasons why Koreans are so crazy about
English are clear: it is international language for business and communications.
If you know English, you can talk with educated Japanese, English, American,
French, German, Russian, Estonian, Chinese, Korean .. etc. .. etc ...
But if you know Japanese, you can talk only with Japanese people (both educated
and not educated) and this is it. If you know Russian, you can talk only to
Russian and former Soviet Union people (like Estonians, Ukrainians ..
) and this is it. So,
instead of learning some 10 languages, it is enough to learn one, English,
and you are able to talk with all educated people in the World. Sorry,
but English
took that space of a unique international language for everybody. I don't think
this will change any year soon, maybe 50 years ... until the end of my life.
There is a chance that Chinese can take over English some time in the distant
future. This depends on which turn the Chinese economy takes, if they will
be able to lead the World in innovations and new developments or will remain
at the level of mass production and copying of things invented in USA and
Europe. Also, if Chinese can be open to people from different cultures or
will remain limited within their own culture.
My thought is that this was due to that the English (american, canadian, etc. )
culture has been most open to people of any nationality, mother tongue, and race
for a while by now. It is based on merit, abilities and hard work of
people, so this
is why English has won over the World.
All the best,
Vladimir