Respectful Korea and Teachers' Day

One of the many things that I love about Korea is the enormous emphasis they place on respect for one's elders. Korean people are extremely respectful to their elders or people 'above them' which is noticeably adhered to by their honorific language system; a system used to address a person with respect.

Although I'm told that the Korean respect culture is flailing these days in comparison with how it used to be, (older Koreans are very worried that Korea is losing its identity with its younger people becoming more rapidly westernised and western influenced) the respect culture is still very much apparent for an outsider looking in.

Again, contrary to what some might believe in regards to how it was a few years back, teachers are greatly respected in Korea. Particularly the older teachers. Education is a vital part of a Korean person's life and great prominence, and pressure, unfortunately, is placed on Korean student's successes in school. With this comes a respect for their teachers. And thus brings me to my additional point about Teachers' Day.

In Korea, Teachers' Day is celebrated on 15th May during a month with other notable celebrations such as Children's Day (5th May) and Parents' Day (8th May). Students go all out for their teachers on this special day and shops, florists in particular, are filled with special gifts and flower baskets, respectively. But what I especially like about this time is that it isn't just a fickle celebration for your current teacher, it's a celebration for the teachers who have taught you in the past, too. A recognition of the people who have helped you to get where you are today. Which is just lovely, isn't it? One of the subject teachers in my office received a beautifully displayed purple orchid from some of her past students and in the afternoon I saw an abundance of last year's students gleefully bounding into school to visit their former teachers. It really was heart warming.

The lovely hand-decorated pen and heartfelt letters I received.
Worth far more to me than any gift money could buy. 

   It's such a shame the same respect and appreciation isn't held for teachers in the UK. If teachers were respected by pupils and parents (and shown the slightest appreciation from the government) the way they are here or the way they were when my mum was at school, education in my country would be a totally different story.