Getting To Know My International Contacts Part I

I would like to introduce to you my:

KOREAN KONNECTION!!

Kaylee Robinson
 

Kaylee, is a United States citizen who is currently working as an English Teacher in Seoul Korea.  She is a graduate of the College of William & Mary.  I have known Kaylee since she was in Middle School and have enjoyed watching her become the beautiful and adventurous person she is today.

Kaylee's Motivation for Teaching Abroad

One of the primary reasons for teaching in South Korea, is to familiarize myself with another culture and explore a nation besides my own. What better way to learn about a culture than by observing the unfiltered and unadulterated interactions of its children? Additionally, I love to travel and share knowledge with those that are willing to learn. As a teacher, I wish to also impart some of my own culture through teaching of the English language while creating long-lasting fond memories.

Korean Demographics

In 1945, Korea gained its independence from Japan and the city was renamed Seoul. In 1949, the city separated from Gyeonggi Province and it became a "special city." In 1950 however, North Korean troops occupied the city during the Korean War and the entire city was nearly destroyed. On March 14, 1951, United Nations forces took control of Seoul and since then, the city has rebuilt and grown considerably.

Today, Seoul is still considered a special city, or a direct controlled municipality, in that it as a city has a status equal to that of a province. This means that it has no provincial government controlling it; rather the federal government of South Korea controls it directly.

Seoul is located in the northwestern part of South Korea. The city of Seoul itself has an area of 233.7 square miles (605.2 sq km) and it is cut in half by the Han River which was previously used as a trade route to China and helped the city grow throughout its history. The Han River is no longer used for navigation however because its estuary is at the border between North and South Korea. Seoul is surrounded by several mountains but the city itself is relatively flat because it is on the Han River plain. The average elevation of Seoul is 282 feet (86 m).

In comparison to a city in the United States, Korea could be compared to New York City.
Seoul is divided into 25 administrative divisions called gu. Each gu has its own government and each is divided into several neighborhoods called a dong. Each gu in Seoul varies in both size and population and Songpa has the largest population. Seocho is the gu with the largest area in Seoul.

 Kaylee's responses to questions about Poverty in South Korea coming soon.....