The A(H1N1) virus is dealing a harsh blow to schools.
The number of schools temporarily shutting down due to the outbreak of the new strain of influenza is increasing by a daily average of 100, the Education Ministry said yesterday.
As of last Saturday, schools out of operation for a limited period numbered 528, up 101 on the day before.
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: JoongAng Daily)
Education authorities in Seoul have set guidelines on temporarily closing schools amid growing public concern about the rapid spread of influenza A (H1N1) among young students.
Under the guidelines, which were made with the help of medical experts, principals at elementary and secondary schools in Seoul can decide to close a class when 10 percent of its students are confirmed to have contracted the new flu virus or 25 percent are suspected of having been infected.
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: The Korean Times)
Here’s an event that you may be interested in. The New Zealand Wine Experience is being hosted next Monday (9th November), giving people the chance to taste over 125 quality New Zealand wines, from the famous sauvignon blanc to acclaimed pinot noir and merlot.
This event is being run by the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (The Kiwi Chamber) and New Zealand Winegrowers at the Seoul Plaza Hotel.
Date: Monday, November 9, 2009
Time: From 7pm to 10pm
Location: Seoul Plaza Hotel
Price: 50,000 won per person (includes wine and light finger food – Premium NZ beef, green mussels and cheese)
To register and for more information, visit www.kiwichamber.com
Some more great advice from the popular blog, Ask the Expat
Here’s the question:
Do you have any idea about what are our rights when it comes to swine flu? Like for example, my friend got sick, and her school made her go to the hospital, where they injected her with multiple things–she has no idea what–and then gave her several unknown drugs to take. A week or so later, she still had a cough, so they made her go back to the hospital, where they gave her Tamiflu, and her school ordered her to take it. I’m not sure how much you know about influenza or Tamiflu…..but that was the most illogical move imaginable. She even got tested for swine flu, and the test says she doesn’t have it!
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: Ask The Expat)
No society is happy with its education system. The discontent can grow as the society becomes wealthier and more advanced. Reform is always atop the election agenda.
Yet it is also one of the trickiest of time bombs. An education system takes its form on varied strands of historic, social-cultural and class components as well as educators’ interests.
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: JoongAng Daily)
The Association for Teachers of English in Korea (ATEK) has nominated Jinny Jang as its Inter-Cultural Communications Consultant. Jang’s position is a new one and represents ATEK’s intent to strengthen relations between ATEK and the Korean community.
Dann Gaymer
Communications Director, The Association for Teachers of English in Korea (ATEK)
010-2335-4999, media@atek.or.kr
As soon as the clock struck 10 p.m. last Thursday in Daechi-dong, southern Seoul, the nation’s most popular private education district, students poured onto the streets. Wearing school uniforms, most were greeted by their parents waiting in their cars to escape the chilly weather.
“It’s been more than two years since I’ve been driving my daughter to and from hagwons here,” said Choi Yoo-mi, a devoted mother who looked to be in her 40s, as she waited on her high school freshman. She had temporarily parked her car in the bus lane.
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: JoongAng Daily)
Another great write up from the popular blogger, Brian in Jeollanam-Do
I don’t have the book in front of me now, but in Michael Breen’s The Koreans he has a line about how newspapers will routinely print intentions and goals as facts. Such is the case with “Korea to Replace TOEFL With State Tests” atop the Korea Times page today.
Korea is pushing for a state-developed, standardized English test that will replace English proficiency tests in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and TOEFL and TOEIC by 2012.
“The new exam surpasses other similar exams in its credibility because of the fact that it is supported and approved by the state,” said Minister of Education, Science and Technology Ahn Byong-man during an exclusive interview with The Korea Times last Tuesday.
“Once it is made available, I am sure that it is just a matter of time before all schools start to use it,” Ahn said.
I first commented on this news in December, 2008, saying that if your country spends more than any other on standardized English tests but ranks among the worst in the world, clearly the thing to do is make a new test.
Click Here for the Full Story (Source: Brian in Jeollanam-Do)
What Not to Say
They always ask at the doctor’s reception why you are there and you have to answer in front of others what’s wrong. Sometimes it is embarrassing. There’s nothing worse than a receptionist who insists you tell her what is wrong with you in a room full of other patients.
Most of us have experienced this and will love the way this old guy handled it. An 86-year-old man walked into a crowded waiting room and approached the desk….
The receptionist said, ‘Yes sir, what are you seeing the doctor for today?’
There’s something wrong with my dick,’ he replied.
The receptionist became irritated and said, ‘You shouldn’t come into a crowded waiting room and say things like that.’
‘Why not? You asked me what was wrong and I told you,’ he said.
The receptionist replied, ‘You’ve caused some embarrassment in this room full of people. You should have said there is something wrong with your ear or something and discussed the problem further with the doctor in private.’
The man replied, ‘You shouldn’t ask people questions in a room full of strangers if the answer could embarrass anyone.
The man walked out, waited several minutes, and then re-entered.
The receptionist smiled smugly and asked, ‘Yes……..?’
There’s something wrong with my ear,’ he stated.
The receptionist nodded approvingly and smiled, knowing he had taken her advice. ‘And what is wrong with your ear, sir..?’
‘I can’t piss out of it,’ he replied.
The waiting room erupted in laughter.
N1H1 (ROKetship)
By Luke Martin (www.ROKetship.com)
Welcome to Expacked (Issue #45)
The cold certainly hit home early this year. The short wintery blast earlier this week sent temperatures plunging well below freezing and was a good reminder that winter is on its way.
I hoped you liked the new look and added features in Expacked last week. I have now also added a new page to the site, where you can now view an archive of all the stories ever included in Expacked issues. You can find this at the top of this page.
We are also trialling an option for readers to rate each of the articles within Expacked. This is a great way for readers to find out which news stories are popular.
Swine Flu
Swine Flu is a major story this week. I see that the Government has, this week, just upgraded their flu warning status to its highest level. You can read more about the story here.
We have included a poll this week to see how many of our readers have recently been affected by this outbreak. Click on the poll below:
Here’s the stories making the news this week:
Feel free to comment on any of the stories and make use of the easy sharing options available – in just a few quick clicks you can share any of these stories to all your teaching mates in Korea.
I hope you enjoy the read and, of course, have a good laugh at this week’s jokes at the end.
Thanks,
Ken
from → Issue #45