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2019 Textbook Seminar for Educators of Paraguay

Visit to Korea

Photo-Roger Beck
Roxana Yudith Duarte de Báez
Paraguayan Ministry of Education, Junior supervisor
A couple of months have passed since my return from South Korea and I am still dreaming, listening and living in Korea, I was so impressed with all aspects of Korean life that the following weeks after my return that most part of my conversation referred to the experiences I lived over there. So much that I can not overcome the beautiful picture of Gyeongju, the accelerated and bustling Seoul, as an example of the country’s dynamism, marching 24 hours, I miss kimchi as the great variety of dishes that I had the opportunity to try, the experience to know and enjoy the modern port city Busan with its imposing mountainous landscape, its beaches and the largest Buddhist temple in South Korea, of great historical richness.

I was nominated by the Ministry of Education and Sciences to be part of the Paraguayan team that participated in the AKS program “Textbook Seminar for Educators of Paraguay", I felt a lot of emotion especially because this trip was going to be the first time I would be making out of the American continent, from that moment I started th research and read a little more about South Korea.

I traveled with many expectations and I consider that being there means a lot more tan just konwing a new country, Korea is further more tan a developed country. Being there in it is an interaction between that past and present and this one wiht what is modern, with the technology, is to look at the future, is to live unique experiences.

The first days were an accumulation of interesting learnings about the history of Korea, with relevant teachers from AKS. Participating in the seminar on school texts, I could perceive that this side of the American continent we know very little of such an important and rich history. Particularly, I summarize my impression and knowledge about Korea before the trip was very scarce, now my position about this country not only as a historian but also as an educator has completely changed therefore it is necessary as a task to share with colleagues historians and students about everything I learned in Korea.

Numerous subjects captured my attention about this country in the different conferences and guided visits, for example: the dynasties development and the emergence of Korea after the war with Japan, which can serve as an example to many peoples with a similar history. Knowing that Korea is one of the mountainous regions on earth which ends up in a low avaibility of natural resources, in addition to the country aurface and that its population arises to more than 50 million inhabitants would the the factors of this society so competitive.

Another important point, is the highly successful Korean educational system thanks to the discipline, respect, obedience, honesty, sacrifice, values and permanent goals in the school culture for South Korean students.

The key link to achieve success in Korea lies in education. In short, I can say that Korea is more than a modern, developed country, it is an interesting country, it is a place that we should all be able to visit, interact with its people, participate in its traditional practices, have the opportunity to visit the heritage temples of the Humanity and be able to spread its culture that goes beyond the information that reaches us.

Korean society is a society of contrasts, is modern, but at the same time it keeps a traditional background as a result of the inheritance of Confucianism, a highly competitive society that knew how to stay united in the most critical moments and situations and that in such a short time has transformed into a developed, prosperous and democratic country. My purpose after this trip is that teachers and students Paraguayan may introduce themselves a little more into Korean culture and live Korea as it is through textbooks.
Photo-2019 Textbook Seminar for Educators of Paraguay


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