It Is Impossible to Explain to Koreans What the Concept of a "Nerd" Is

This endeavor is wildly difficult to do, b/c well, in Korea everyone is a nerd. The socially awkward nerd doesn't really exist in Korea's schools b/c the majority of the students fit the American definition.

Korean students study more than most college students do in the United States. My host sister in second grade middle school (the equivalent of 9th grade) has 11 midterms next week (math, science, english, korean, chinese, art, home ec, social studies, ethics, music, and physical education - yes there is even a written test on phys ed). Many middle school students go to school during normal hours (anywhere between 8/9am and 3/4pm) and then go to private institutes to study more (until maybe 10 or 11pm). There is a big emphasis on math and english. My 8-year-old host sister can do multiplication of mixed fractions and reduce them in her sleep. And even in middle school they dream about going to a great college.

Most children when they're young learn how to play at least one instrument. Many of them like animation/anime, playing Starcraft, reading comic books, and wear plastic framed glasses. Many of them can draw really well and adorn everything from their desks to their worksheets and sometimes even their closes with amazing drawings. And now that they are wearing their fall school uniforms, they have sleeve protectors to prevent their long-sleeved white shirts from getting pen on them. Yes, they wear brightly colored sleeve protectors.

And all of the kids are socially well adjusted, probably b/c being a nerd doesn't mean belonging to a minority group. Hence the concept of being a nerd is nonexistant.

I love it!!!