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Hangul is the name of the Korean language. In the previous three terms, I have successfully completed Korean 101, 102, and most recently 201. Although I now know the Korean alphabet (14 consonants and 10 vowels), common phrases, quite a bit of grammar and sentence structure format (verbs comes after nouns, which always confuses me!), I still consider myself a beginner. Its definitely not the same learning a language on paper and acing written exams versus actually speaking and listening in person. It really takes a lot of time and practice to learn a language, and as I have plenty of the former next month, I really hope to have more of the latter during the month of January before I leave.
When I went to Taiwan, one of the biggest challenges was the language barrier. I never learned Mandarin before, so the only way I got by was with the help of others who were fluent and who would teach me useful phrases or act as my translator. I had a lot of fun nonetheless, but I really feel I would have gained more out of the experience if I had fully understood the language. It made me acknowledge the importance of a culture's language and the significance it has when you often feel illiterate and somewhat mute.
Still, I approach this study abroad with more confidence than I did with Taiwan, knowing that I do know more Korean than I did with Mandarin. I know I just have to come out of my shell and not be afraid of speaking the Korean phrases that I do know and ask questions when necessary. What keeps me from this is that I hate pronouncing words wrong or getting my verb-noun-subject order all mess up (which makes me sound stupid), but I will never improve if I don't make mistakes right?
Another thing is, since learning a new language, I have come to appreciate and understand being in the shoes of a foreign student on campus. I use to be displeased with those fobs who constantly just speak their own language with their friends when they came here to study and learn English. I mean, how are you suppose to learn if you stick to what your comfortable with? Now I know why, it's because your first language is and always will be what you know best, what you feel confident speaking, and most of all, you know what you are able to wire your message from your mind to your mouth 9 out of 10 times compared with the new lingo. Having said that, I really hope I put an effort into conversing in Korean when I'm in Korea despite feeling psychological discomfort at times or even sounding like a fool.
Many people have been advising me to watch dramas to help with my listening and speaking skills, so I will definitely take their advice and find a good series to watch leading up to my departure. I will also get a Korean friend to help converse with me when she is available throughout the next month to help improve on my fluency and dialect. Hopefully I can practice as much as I can before I leave next year. I can't believe next year will be tomorrow already!
새 해 벅 많이 받으세요!
(HAPPY NEW YEAR!)
literal translation: "May you receive lots of blessings in the new year"
pronunciation: "sae hae bok man-ee ba-du-seh-yoh"
When I went to Taiwan, one of the biggest challenges was the language barrier. I never learned Mandarin before, so the only way I got by was with the help of others who were fluent and who would teach me useful phrases or act as my translator. I had a lot of fun nonetheless, but I really feel I would have gained more out of the experience if I had fully understood the language. It made me acknowledge the importance of a culture's language and the significance it has when you often feel illiterate and somewhat mute.
Still, I approach this study abroad with more confidence than I did with Taiwan, knowing that I do know more Korean than I did with Mandarin. I know I just have to come out of my shell and not be afraid of speaking the Korean phrases that I do know and ask questions when necessary. What keeps me from this is that I hate pronouncing words wrong or getting my verb-noun-subject order all mess up (which makes me sound stupid), but I will never improve if I don't make mistakes right?
Another thing is, since learning a new language, I have come to appreciate and understand being in the shoes of a foreign student on campus. I use to be displeased with those fobs who constantly just speak their own language with their friends when they came here to study and learn English. I mean, how are you suppose to learn if you stick to what your comfortable with? Now I know why, it's because your first language is and always will be what you know best, what you feel confident speaking, and most of all, you know what you are able to wire your message from your mind to your mouth 9 out of 10 times compared with the new lingo. Having said that, I really hope I put an effort into conversing in Korean when I'm in Korea despite feeling psychological discomfort at times or even sounding like a fool.
Many people have been advising me to watch dramas to help with my listening and speaking skills, so I will definitely take their advice and find a good series to watch leading up to my departure. I will also get a Korean friend to help converse with me when she is available throughout the next month to help improve on my fluency and dialect. Hopefully I can practice as much as I can before I leave next year. I can't believe next year will be tomorrow already!
새 해 벅 많이 받으세요!
(HAPPY NEW YEAR!)
literal translation: "May you receive lots of blessings in the new year"
pronunciation: "sae hae bok man-ee ba-du-seh-yoh"
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