Hello Again,
Week 2 in Seoul is complete. I’m so surprised at how fast time is moving here.
The first week felt like it went on forever, but the second week went by so quickly. I can attribute the tiredness of my first week to the fact that my new-found friends and I went out exploring every day. Our bank accounts and our sanity realized that could not go on forever, hence, my second week has been more chill compared to the first one, which allows me to more time to properly study.
At the beginning of my program, I was afraid that the pace of the class was going too slow, but all my worries have been put to rest. The pace of the class is now moving very quickly. I still find myself getting confused by a few words here and there, but for the most part, my comprehension has gotten better in class. I’m no longer completely confused by my teacher’s instructions and I find myself being able to answer questions easier than before. I also have seen my language skills improve in my day-to-day interactions with people. Now, conversations with bus drivers, baristas, and waiters seem easier.
One thing that I really enjoy about the Summer Special Program at Yonsei University is the emphasis they place on speaking. We still have assignments to complete in our workbooks, but during class, we mainly practice speaking in Korean. I find the emphasis on improving pronunciation helpful because I am not that confident in my speaking abilities and usually rely on my reading skills. I have also been able to practice my speaking skills with the friends that I made during the first week. I honestly think that getting lost on that shuttle bus was fate because the friends I’ve made from it have really made my first two weeks very memorable.
Since the Summer Special Program focuses on non-native Korean speakers, the friends I’ve made are from all around the world. They come from places such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Cypress, Czech Republic, the UK, and Columbia. These guys are all very eager and willing to help me practice my Korean. One of my favorite things in the past two weeks has been getting to know these people and understanding a little bit more about where they come from. It’s been so rewarding to learn about other countries and customs and just the differences between the US and other places. Things that I found ordinary and commonplace in my life is completely foreign to someone else. Thankfully, my worldview has been expanded since coming here.
Hopefully this weekend I’ll get to explore some more of Korea with my friends and learn more about the historical and cultural side of Korea, rather than just the nightlife. I will be visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace and hopefully will be able to get in for free if I manage to find a Hanbok shop nearby. I’m really looking forward to the trip and hopefully, I’ll be able to post photos in my next blog. Until next time, 안녕!!