I want to learn Korean! How? Why?

Haven't I always wanted to learn Korean? How do I go about learning Korean?

I made it a goal to learn and study Korean this year!  I started my journey to learn Korean several years ago on my first trip to Korea. I said I would learn. I did ... a little... I was able to get by, to read, to greet, and text or write basic emails. While in Korea for the one year between 2009-2010, I devoted a significant time to study Korean grammar and the basics. I had no choice but to learn if I wanted to travel in Korea. And suddenly out of nowhere I had this Korean family and relatives I never knew existed. Learning was necessary. I read books, watched Korean dramas, and talked to friends. I went from very little comprehension to being able to understand my fellow Korean teachers speaking at and to me.  Then...I came back to America.


After returning, I found myself lost in a land of no Asians or Koreans.  My focus remained on job searching and exploring other professional opportunities. A part of me was resistant to studying or learning because I knew it was my duty to learn to communicate with relatives and friends in Korea, but I hadn't fully processed my experience. Nor had I understood on a heart level the urgency to bridge the cultural and physical gap by learning the language like I understand today. I slowly phased myself out of watching dramas, as well.  Soooo..... as the saying goes, "if you don't use it, you lose it". It's true! Some lost. BUT NOT gone forever is the Korean I learned.  Once I got back into the Korean community in San Diego, I beat myself up over not remembering everything.I was ashamed to read and hear conversations that I recognize all the words and grammatical structures to and do not remember the meaning of!  I know it's there.  That is a journey of overcoming and forgiving in itself still in process. This next phase of study and review is going to need some careful extraction and nurturing back to life!

After some time meeting those interested in learning, feeding off their passion, and finally beginning to process some past experiences I had suppressed, I knew it was time... time to study. Time to learn.

I am ready!

I originally attempted to enroll in a Korean Language course at a university in San Diego, but the cost was too high and conflicted with my current work schedule. Instead, I registered for an evening class taught through an independent program. I promise to study several times per week outside of the two class sessions each week. Even if I learn nothing big or new in the class, it will be a great refresher and hopefully a confidence booster in the department of speaking. Unfortunately my speaking and writing skills are down the drain. We shall see where the class takes us.

Now that I have met many other friends or students trying to learn the language, I have stumbled upon many different resources and sites to learn Korean or to communicate with others that want to teach their language in exchange for another language.  My favorite way to learn and share culture is face to face where I can see expression and observe body language, but I realize that wasn't always easy for me and it's not going to be easy for people in other countries wanting to make friends in the target language and culture.  As part of my study, I will explore these sites and expand my understanding of human interaction through online relationships and educational websites.   Recently, I became interested in the online dating phenomenon. Many of my friends have found themselves in a whole new world of online dating as they seek life-long friends and partners. Though I haven't registered to online date or plan to do so, I believe that nourishing my hunger to learn Korean language through internet resources will give me a better understanding of what it means to build relationships with strangers through a common interest of learning and sharing online. I really desire to learn as much as I can about human interaction and thought processes.

Some weekly challenges I want to hold myself accountable to doing:

I WILL:

• Challenge myself to meet others, to learn from them and share with them. 
• Be willing to be vulnerable, make mistakes, and ask questions for my own learning.   This entails being confident in the shoes of a learner and not being afraid to ask questions. Curiosity is a precursor to knowledge and understanding. The more we ask, the more we learn. This is a mountain for me to climb because I am always shy to ask for help or even to ask too many questions.  I am always willing to offer others help in their times of need, I will do the same myself. 
• Be curious! Mentioned above, but it needs its own bullet!
• Study at least 10 hanja per week.  Hanja is the name for the Chinese Korean characters that you see on old Korean texts and on Korean newspapers. Learning hanja is helpful because it builds vocabulary. Many Korean words have roots from the Chinese characters. See future posts on hanja. 
• Learn a set number of vocabulary words.  Looking for resources to find and learn vocabulary words at the moment.
• Try to watch at least one or more episodes of a Korean drama during the week.  Okay, so this isn't a tough one for most people that probably devote hours to drama, but I haven't had as much time or interest in recent dramas due to the length of time I spend outside of home. Dramas will sharpen listening skills and observation of social interactions.  
• Find an article to read and dissect. 
• Practice speaking by talking to at least one friend in the target language. We can practice English conversation and pronunciation afterwards. : ) 
• Write at least one or two diary entries per week. I agree, this should be more, but I'm trying to make a habit of learning to do this in English first!  I will increase the numbers as I go. Don't forget folks, let's not overwhelm with too many goals. 
• Listen to kpop or kballad. Oh no!  Can't get sucked into that world again...but it's just another avenue into the language and culture.  
• NOT give up!

So why the sudden change? You can probably infer from the gibber jabber above that I did some thinking and reconciling with my own thoughts.

Motivations to learn:

1. Graduate school. I am interested in international-ly related fields.
• second or third languages are a requirement for graduation and for jobs. 
2. Communicating with friends.  They already say I comprehend a significant amount and pronounce words well. It's that word extraction part that I have trouble doing in English and my second or third language.
3. Building a relationship with relatives or family and other friends in Korea.
4. Make sure my brother doesn't surpass my Korean ability if he ends up staying in Korea for much longer! ; )
5. Learn my mother tongue! 

Let's keep growing and going!  I hope that by posting these goals and motivating factors I will be held accountable and you will too!

Pepero in the nude.

Yep, it is pepero nude. The chocolate is on the inside and not the outside. It's a nice treat. I like that Koreans post the manufacture date, but sometimes it is best not knowing.  I've eaten snacks with a manufacture date of more than year prior to the day I am eating it. Eww...

 

Simplest tuna kimchi soup ever 참치 김치 찌개 in pictures

When you only have kimchi and tuna what can you do? Put it in a pot and expect something tasty? Try this tuna kimchi jjigae.

Grab a cup of kimchi, a can of tuna, two or more cups of water, some gochu garu (red pepper powder) and a bit of sesame oil for other flavor and there you have it!

I would suggest adding other meat, tofu, and veggies if you have it within arm's reach! This was definitely a last attempt to nourish the stomach with nothing fresh in the fridge.

Enjoy!

The Expat Life Video

This morning I found a video called "The Expat Life" in Seoul, South Korea on the internet. It's a professional video with future episodes to come following the lives of some expatriates in Seoul.  It highlights the lives of the characters, their reasons for visiting Korea and staying, and some of their thoughts about the future as they determine whether or not to make Seoul home for awhile longer.
I expected only a brief five minute video, but soon discovered that it was a full 20 minute plus video about expat life.  It gave me all of the warm fuzzy feelings of the memories of living in Korea.  [ I did not live in Seoul.]

After living in Korea, I find myself able to identify with the people in the video. As soon as I returned to America, I had a desire and longing to return to the motherland.  Many people I know changed the course of their lives after visiting Korea.  In fact, a three week trip led me back to Korea the very next year to teach English and learn about my Korean heritage as a Korean American adoptee. Some friends have been in Korea for several years. Some only a few months with plans to say several more.  Others returned to their states to major in Korean studies or language and fulfill newfound dreams abroad.  Whatever your purpose and goal for going abroad, it will change you.

Check it!

http://vimeo.com/53194281

Kimchi!!

My American friend loves kimchi. Her favorite place to eat kimchi in San Diego is at a place called Convoy Tofu House.

It has the most delicious sweet savory and spicy flavor. It is a darker red than the average kimchi and is always fresh. A plate of kimchi and a bowl of rice is a fantastic meal in itself.  Do you know the secret to kimchi recipe at Tofu House? It beats me! Let us know if you find out where she can buy containers of this goodness!

Tofu House is best known for its tofu stews. 순두부 찌개 Why else would it have tofu in its name? You can eat tuna tofu stew or seafood tofu stew or meat tofu stew and so much more. You can also choose from combos that give you the option to choose one stew and then an add on like kalbi or sushi.  If the regular menu items don't suit your fancy, then you can always fall back on bibimbap or dolsot (hot pot) bibimbap! Those shouldnt fail you.   
Eat the kimchi!

Food - 떡뽁이 ddukbokki

Last week I got to do some quick cooking.  I probably won't be able to cook ethnic food at my own residence for a while longer, but that week I was lucky...  My friends and I stayed in a hotel to have fun and relax before starting work and school again.  The hotel was more like a resort or suite with a full kitchen. We had a lot of fun staying up late chatting and eating ramyon and ddokbokki. We made ddokbokki two nights in a row. The first night we made it together. The second night, I had the honor of making the batch while my friends were out. It was tasty and satiating to our ravenous bellies.
The ddukbokki is made of the long rice cakes, red sauce or gochujang, and any other items we wish to add. We didn't have everything. Instead we added some onion, cabbage, fish cake or odeng, and sausage.

Preparation is easy. After adding enough water to the pan, mix in the sauce, and then add the ddukk or rice cake when the water begins to boil. As the rice cake softens (it will be hard in the sealed  cold package), chop up and add cabbage, odeng, sausage, carrots etc. As an extra add on, you can put in some ramyon. Make sure there is enough liquid mixture for the noodles to cook and soften. Once the rice cake is soft and chewable and your extras are cooked, it's all set. If you wish, you can add sesame oil for flavor and sesame seed for texture and presentation.  Total prep and cook time is under 25 min. With friends working together it can be ready in as few as 10 or 15 minutes. Team work is always best.

I hope you like this quick meal, too!

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I also observed my eating out patterns and realized I frequent Korean restaurants when my friends are in the mood for it.  It is about time to share some good eats. The next time I see something yummy I will share a picture.

Gangnam Style Dance Tutorials

I was sitting in a restaurant with my friend this afternoon when the Gangnam Style song came on. My friend began bouncing in her seat and performing the horse riding motion. She moved until the song ended. The song is addictive. The dance becomes contagious. 

Have you heard? Gangnam Style is the hottest thing on the block!  In fact, it's one of the hottest hits around the world. Still haven't jumped on the Korean Hallyu wave and heard the song? Don't be shy! The wave keeps growing and growing. Check it out. It will blow your mind. Then, tune up the radio and listen in. That song with some bounce and groove to get your move on is probably that strange song you keep hearing on the radio - the one full of mumbo jumbo words you don't understand. [This statement is geared towards my readers that do not understand Korean or are not currently residing in Korea. The song is that good and that popular. People hear it on radio stations around the globe.]

Need the official video memory refresher?

While watching the video and listening to the song, you might find yourself bouncing in your chair or dancing in your seat. It's difficult not to get up and want to move with it.

So? I guess it's dance time. We all want to learn the dance. Did I say "we"? I'm the last person you will find dancing to Kpop or dancing in general, but even I want to learn how to move to this one! After watching others dance and seeing my friends want to learn, I thought I would set out to find some tutorials and learn just how to do this dance.  I'm no dancer, but I compiled a few videos that serve different audiences depending on your goals or interests.

It's time to:

Find an open space.
Perhaps a mirror.
Comfy breathable clothes.
Bouncy shoes.
AND your dance moves!

~ ~ ~

This first video is an in depth two-part video. The video intros with the dancer dancing to the song. She then begins the tutorial and takes you through each of the dance moves from the very beginning step-by-step. It is detailed and slow enough to follow.

Note: In this video you will be looking at the dancer's back and following her moves.

                  Part 1

                   
                  Part 2

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The next video features an individual that wasn't a big fan of the dance or tutorial at first. As you can see she eventually gets into it. It's too catchy not to join in on the Gangnam Style dance. This is a great video for auditory learners that need an auditory explanation in order to learn. The tutorial teaches the main horse riding dance moves seen throughout the video. The dancer explains the footing and motions in more detail than other videos. For this reason alone, I give it a two thumbs up.

Note: In this video you will mirror and follow the moves of the dance teacher. Therefore, you're looking directly at her face-to-face and following the moves.

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Here is a PSY Gangnam Style mirror dance practice. A bit fuzzy, but as you can see by the number of views, that doesn't hold anyone back!

Moving onto celebrities. Does anyone out there watch the Ellen Show?  Ellen loves to dance.  There's no need to second guess her interest in Gangnam Style.  Pop star Britney Spears appearing on the show wanted to learn how to dance Gangnam Style, so guess who Ellen brought on the show to teach Gangnam Style?  None other than PSY himself.

The best quote of the video: "dress classy, dance cheesy".

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Here is a longer tutorial session by PSY for Michelle Park!  He's a good teacher!

I hope you enjoy these videos and find someone to learn from.  Please post your favorite tutorials or dance moves in the comment section below.

Happy dancing! ~ ~


HK