Thus, a lot of my students are enrolled in after-school academic programs called hagwons where they get extra practice in English, Korean, math and other subjects. That said, a lot of my students have other hobbies and passions, too, ranging from dancing to gymnastics to sports and drawing (like my host brother).
Throughout the year in every school, there are a few big events that most students and teachers look forward to. In my school in America, I remember looking forward to a field day and a school talent show in the spring. For my students in Hwacheon, the biggest events they look forward to during the school year are the School Festival and Sports Day. In my school, the 6th-graders also look forward to a yearly three-day field trip, which is their graduation present for the year. This year, I got to travel with the 6th-graders on their trip. They went to Seoul, visiting a traditional folk village, a palace and an amusement park. I had a lot of fun spending time with them.
Throughout the year my students and I have been working together to bridge our divide: I've been studying Korean, and they've been studying English. I am truly thankful that I get to work at a school with so many kind teachers and students. It has been my favorite part of living in Korea!
