Culture Exchange in the Classroom
One of the things I love about teaching adults beyond the beginning level is that they tell me the most interesting things. There are two special items I want to mention.
제사
"Chae-sa" is an annual ceremony commemorating an ancestor whom one venerates and to whom one offers food. This date is specific to each ancestor. All the family gather together for this celebration, which is in the home of the oldest son or brother. His wife must do all the cooking, and so it is a consideration for some people when they get married as to how many chae-sa ceremonies the young woman will be expected to prepare food for, if she is marrying an oldest son!
벌초
"Boll-cho" is a twice-yearly event in which one mows the grass and cuts the weeds around the tomb of the ancestors. My students informed me that often the grave is not just for one person, but for many (like in ancient Israel and Jordan, where to "die and join one's ancestors" meant literally that!). Often, the grave is made with a mound. Usually, the grave is located in the mountains, not in a municipal cemetary, as is the norm where I come from.
Some of my adult students, who are mostly teachers, are surprised when they learn there is no English word that easily translates each of these words. That's because, of course, the concepts are entirely foreign to our culture. Other students, the more worldly wise ones, say "of course they don't do that in English-speaking countries!" So these exchanges are always fun for me, as I get to learn a bit about Korean culture on the one hand, while my students get to learn a bit about the culture of English-speaking countries, on the other.
제사
"Chae-sa" is an annual ceremony commemorating an ancestor whom one venerates and to whom one offers food. This date is specific to each ancestor. All the family gather together for this celebration, which is in the home of the oldest son or brother. His wife must do all the cooking, and so it is a consideration for some people when they get married as to how many chae-sa ceremonies the young woman will be expected to prepare food for, if she is marrying an oldest son!
벌초
"Boll-cho" is a twice-yearly event in which one mows the grass and cuts the weeds around the tomb of the ancestors. My students informed me that often the grave is not just for one person, but for many (like in ancient Israel and Jordan, where to "die and join one's ancestors" meant literally that!). Often, the grave is made with a mound. Usually, the grave is located in the mountains, not in a municipal cemetary, as is the norm where I come from.
Some of my adult students, who are mostly teachers, are surprised when they learn there is no English word that easily translates each of these words. That's because, of course, the concepts are entirely foreign to our culture. Other students, the more worldly wise ones, say "of course they don't do that in English-speaking countries!" So these exchanges are always fun for me, as I get to learn a bit about Korean culture on the one hand, while my students get to learn a bit about the culture of English-speaking countries, on the other.
