Korean

I had just turned 12 years-old when I was first sent to Korea for study abroad. 
I studied in an international school (General Orientation Program) for a year and a half, and then transferred to a normal Korean middle school in Seuol when I was 13 (thirteen!!!). I had only been studying for 1.5 years before I had to become a real Korean… Yes, it was hard, and sometimes I rode by bike home crying because I was beaten for misunderstanding a homework assignment… BUT, getting punished for not understanding a language is a pretty good way to learn a language... FAST. I made a few good friends there (basically anyone who was not scared to death of a large white boy. Seriously, I made girls cry just by looking at them). One girl thought I was so cute, that she stocked me an entire lunch period while I slept at my desk. When she came over to poke me, I stood up in an instant and SMACKED her in the face (with a soft pencil case)... I was young and short-tempered, as we all were. But, I didn't have any "coodies" issues after that :) 

I graduated Gwan Yang Middle School as the second best male student in my class (not bad for a “Wae Guk In” 외국인 (means foreigner, but to me it meant “MONSTER!”).

Korean is my second language, so I speak it on a regular basis with close family and friends.

My GOALs in Korea:

GOAL: Don’t cry in front of the class when the teacher smacks me with a drumstick. (just kidding…but not really).

PROCESS: I was a good freaking student, as if my life depended on it (quite literally).

GOAL: Speak Korean with fluent pronunciation and grammar in 4 months.

PROCESS: I met and talked with native Korean classmates everyday on a regular basis. I tried to meet a variety of different new people. The benefits of meeting many new people are INVALUABLE. When we meet someone new, we naturally try to give them our BEST first impression. This human nature applies in language as well. In terms of language, we always try to make ourselves look and sound as fluent as possible in the language. When we get used to speaking to just a few people, we develop a very limited and comfortable vocabulary that we only use with that small group. Thus, the more people we meet in our target language, the more fluent we become. It’s the single fastest way to sound native in any language. I experienced this first hand in Korea and Japan.

Realizations: 
1. Pronunciation - Speaking Korean is like singing opera. The throat is open wide and most air is coming through the mouth (not the nose). I believe this is why Koreans are INCREDIBLE singers. Not just some of them... ALL OF THEM ARE. Have you ever heard a Korean speaking and it sounds like he/she is whining or angry? That's because they use intonation and accents to emphasise what they are saying (like singing). Actually, Koreans are some of the most peaceful, family-oriented people I know. 
2. Korean culture is my favorite, because people speak and act respectfully to each other, especially to elders. It's the only country I've been to where people actually give up their seat for elders. Mad props, Korea. Korean people are very honest about their feelings, so nothing seems hidden or secretive. 

Benjy Uyama
September 2, 2013 (Home, NC)

Typing In Korean