That’s me standing and looking a little bit goofy in front of one of the entrances to my new school. The sign over the entryway reads “꿈을 가꾸는 홍농 어린이” (kkumeul gakkuneun hongnong eorini = “Hongnong children [are] cultivating [their] dreams”).
I think one of the things that impresses me about Korean society is that the children seem so happy. Children everywhere in the world can seem happy, but in many of the places I’ve spent time, the children seem, on average, a lot less happy than in Korea: e.g. parts of Mexico, south Minneapolis, L.A. Is my memory or perception distorted? I’m not sure. It’s not a scientific sample, it’s just my gut-level impression.
Anyway… a society with happy children can’t be doing too badly, I think.
