By Dr. Dan Margolies
Batten Associate Professor of History
The Fulbright program is a federal grant program that brings academics from the United States to countries all over the world. I jumped at the opportunity to be a teaching Fulbright Senior Scholar in South Korea because I was eager to live in Asia and witness firsthand the remarkable economic vitality and cultural richness of the region.
I have been fortunate to get a position at Sogang University in Seoul, which is considered one of the top six universities in Korea. Though the school is reasonably large (more than 4000 students) my classes only have 8-10 students. I am teaching courses in my major research and teaching fields. In the fall, I taught a United States history post-1877 survey and a course that looks at American regionalism through intensive study of the South. In the spring, I taught a course on the history of United States foreign relations and one on globalization to graduate students in the international studies department.
The teaching experience here has definitely been different than at Virginia Wesleyan, but there is one thing that is the same around the world – students still complain that I assign too much reading! My students at Sogang are quite engaged in the classes and are fluent in English. Korean students have to pass an English test even to be admitted to college, and my students are a self-selected group with advanced skills eager to take classes and do reading and writing in English. The biggest challenge is not a language barrier but a contextual one. Although knowledgeable about American popular culture, the students have little background in what might be considered American cultural literacy. Thus, they have no preconceptions or myths that need dispelling (which can be a focus of some higher education in the U.S.) but they also lack some context in which to frame historical questions. I have found that framing the issues is an utterly different task in Korea, one that is both challenging and very interesting.
Living in Seoul has been incredible. I am here with my wife Skye and daughter Lark June, who came to Korea only two months old. We have had an excellent time exploring this sprawling, crowded, cosmopolitan and very exciting city. Seoul is one of the biggest cities in the world, and at times the streets, sidewalks and subways are so crowded you do not doubt it. But it is remarkably easy to get around the city as there are many signs in English and public transportation is excellent. There are fascinating historical sites throughout the city, including many ancient palaces, museums, and Buddhist shrines. The city has mountains in and around it, and hiking is one of the most popular diversions. In this short piece I cannot at all relay the experiences we have enjoyed. But, halfway through my time in Korea, I can say that living and teaching over here has exceeded my very high expectations, and I am grateful for the opportunity.