Spring has definitely come to South Korea, and I am enjoying every minute of cherry blossom viewing and the sun on my skin! I've been busy balancing my on-line class, work, Korean studies, and my social life, but after finishing up my observational project this morning, I am finished with my on-line class and am grateful I will have time freed up
to focus more on my Korean studies.
Despite the busyness, spring has been really fun. I went hiking with friends at a mountain nearby and one farther away as well. I started studying Chinese, just for fun, with a Taiwanese friend, because learning Chinese is one of my life-long goals. Hopefully since she is helping me I'll be able to learn the tones properly and won't be incomprehensible when I speak. I've also been meeting lots of new Korean language exchange partners- I found a website where you can search for people in your area, and the people I've met in so far have been great.
Everyone at our office went to an old co-worker's wedding last month, and it was really interesting to see a Korean wedding. Koreans often get married in wedding halls, and instead of receptions, people from all the different weddings going on eat at the wedding hall buffet. Wedding ceremonies here are also really short, around a half-hour! The people at our office sang a special congratulation song to the couple. After the wedding, our staff went to the coast and stayed in a cabin together for a staff retreat.
My church continues to be a really meaningful place for me, and I've been looking for ways to slowly become more involved. I help lead an English discussion group for high schoolers, and though it's been slow getting started, I look forward to that developing a little more. I'm thinking about joining the choir that sings during one of the Korean services, and/or attending the young adult worship service occasionally to meet more people my age at church. I attend the English service, which is about 50 people, the majority middle-aged Koreans, but thousands of people attend the Korean services. Going to such a big service sounds scary to me, but I do want to meet more new people and have opportunities to use Korean at church. Next week, for Easter, there isn't a separate English service, so I will go to the main Korean service with everyone.
On Saturday my church co-sponsored the showing of a documentary about a North Korean defector, and there was also a North Korean defector there to share his story and answer our questions. It's so hard to believe the way people in the north are living, many suffering from starvation and those in the work camps also enduring horrendous torture. There are many books I could recommend to you that I've read about North Korea, and the first would be "Escape from Camp 14" by Blaine Harden. If you're interested in reading about South Korean culture, "The Impossible Country" by Daniel Tudor is an excellent read.
I continue to be so grateful that I live in South Korea. I love the culture and the language so much. I am meeting many wonderful new people, and I look forward to my friendships here deepening over time. The Korean language challenges and fascinates me- I just love learning more! Teaching young children also challenges me to think about things differently and try many different approaches. The wonderful people I live and work with support me so well and help me continue to think positively.
to focus more on my Korean studies.
Despite the busyness, spring has been really fun. I went hiking with friends at a mountain nearby and one farther away as well. I started studying Chinese, just for fun, with a Taiwanese friend, because learning Chinese is one of my life-long goals. Hopefully since she is helping me I'll be able to learn the tones properly and won't be incomprehensible when I speak. I've also been meeting lots of new Korean language exchange partners- I found a website where you can search for people in your area, and the people I've met in so far have been great.
Everyone at our office went to an old co-worker's wedding last month, and it was really interesting to see a Korean wedding. Koreans often get married in wedding halls, and instead of receptions, people from all the different weddings going on eat at the wedding hall buffet. Wedding ceremonies here are also really short, around a half-hour! The people at our office sang a special congratulation song to the couple. After the wedding, our staff went to the coast and stayed in a cabin together for a staff retreat.
My church continues to be a really meaningful place for me, and I've been looking for ways to slowly become more involved. I help lead an English discussion group for high schoolers, and though it's been slow getting started, I look forward to that developing a little more. I'm thinking about joining the choir that sings during one of the Korean services, and/or attending the young adult worship service occasionally to meet more people my age at church. I attend the English service, which is about 50 people, the majority middle-aged Koreans, but thousands of people attend the Korean services. Going to such a big service sounds scary to me, but I do want to meet more new people and have opportunities to use Korean at church. Next week, for Easter, there isn't a separate English service, so I will go to the main Korean service with everyone.
On Saturday my church co-sponsored the showing of a documentary about a North Korean defector, and there was also a North Korean defector there to share his story and answer our questions. It's so hard to believe the way people in the north are living, many suffering from starvation and those in the work camps also enduring horrendous torture. There are many books I could recommend to you that I've read about North Korea, and the first would be "Escape from Camp 14" by Blaine Harden. If you're interested in reading about South Korean culture, "The Impossible Country" by Daniel Tudor is an excellent read.
I continue to be so grateful that I live in South Korea. I love the culture and the language so much. I am meeting many wonderful new people, and I look forward to my friendships here deepening over time. The Korean language challenges and fascinates me- I just love learning more! Teaching young children also challenges me to think about things differently and try many different approaches. The wonderful people I live and work with support me so well and help me continue to think positively.
No comments:
Post a Comment