1.

A few minutes ago, my cousin KakaoTalked (if you don't know what this is, I'll assume that you are not Korean) whining about his busy, fully filled schedule. He's not a lawyer who works at multi-million law firm in NYC nor is he a hired worker. He just entered middle school, and is only 14 years old. Then what can he possibly be busy for? going to academia (private institution that teaches what he learns or will learn in the school) after the school is over till 10:30. As a person who had experience similar routine throughout my middle school, I understood his feelings and at the same time, felt sympathetic for him.

2.

The school system in Korea is a long living cancer. After experiencing both academic systems in Korea and U.S, I realized how irrational the entire system is, but too bad the administrative people aren't doing anything. It seems like the most retarded people are in charge of directing the education of thousands of kids. What an irony. 

How the education works in typical Korean middle school is like this. So you go to your school early in the morning and hang out, chitchat with your friends until the first period starts. Then the bell rings, now it's time for 40 minutes of imagination (or meditation, even 'hiatus' for some). Teachers don't seem to know what they are teaching in depth. Contents in textbooks are weak at best, and there isn't any detailed explanation nor plenty of problems that students can wrestle and learn from. Most textbooks are pretty short, about 200 pages maximum, and the contents are seemingly worse than the 'study guides' published from private companies. Being unable to learn much from textbooks, parents with great eager towards the education of their children send to academias (private institutions) paying at least one-fifth of their income. But does it solve the problem at all? I guess not. From my experience most students went to those private institutions regardless of their will, feeling that if they don't they will fall way behind and will be unable to catch others up. This passive attitude of students only make them better doodlers, daydreamers and socialists, instead of well educated learners. This vicious cycle continues. Parents squander away their valuable money, students become overwhelmed by their tight schedules, but the only winner here is the private institution, sucking up the money of the victims of the government's preposterous planning.

3.

So what's the answer? What can the government do to solve this unsolvable situation, so many problems intermingled together it seems like it's a twisted thread that takes forever to untie? I'm pretty sure there had been many attempts, but it only had been like mobius's strip; problems eventually come again, and this circles again and again.

Actually I'm going to continue writing this post. I need to go to bed right now because I'll be traveling Madison area with my bike since the spring has finally arrived!