Hanguel Language

Ode to the complexities of the Korean language!

There actually aren't many characters to memorize in the Korean language in comparison to the Chinese and Japanese characters, but the pronunciation can be quite difficult. The differences between English and Korean are like comparing the apples and, instead of oranges, persimmon fruit; the languages are very distinct. The difference between American food and Korean food is the same way. In my opinion, learning Spanish, which still takes a lot of work, is like a walk in the park for English speakers because of the similarities in comparison to learning a language with characters.

I started learning the Korean language with my friend, Kim Miyoung at Carroll College. She was a exchange student there living in Helena with her two boys. Miyoung cared for her children, worked, and took a full time load of classes. Wow, she was a busy woman! Regardless, this kindhearted woman still made time to meet me once a week to teach me how to read Korean. Her tutoring in reading and learning several expressions has helped me leaps and bounds here. (Now, she is back in Jeju Island and I hope to visit her this summer.)

Once I arrived in Korea, my neighbor, Mr. Hwang agreed to meet with me once a week for Korean lessons. In my opinion, it is nearly impossible to learn the Korean language without hearing the pronunciation from someone. Nothing has a "b" or a "g"sound, but sounds between our English letters, such as, "b/ p", "g/k", or "Ch/J". The vowels can also be difficult with the double lines (I have the hardest time with the vowels). Anyways... it is very rewarding to pick up the language and get comfortable reading the characters. Korean is quite beautiful sounding!

Goodness, I have had to be so much more patient with my progress in learning the language, but a few of the main positives include: gaining a better understanding of the culture through words and expressions, becoming a better teacher by seeing the differences between the languages, sympathizing more with my students and their frustrations with learning the English language, and the opportunities for building more intimate relationships with Korean people around me. It is nice to get feedback that my pronunciation sounds good, because I have worked really hard! There isn't a more gratifying feeling than making conversation in Korean with people here.

One of the biggest accomplishments I have had here has been learning all of my student's names. Memorizing a large number of names is difficult anyways, but when the pronunciation is also a challenge... that is when you feel like you have accomplished something! It is also really affective with teaching as well, when I can call on students using their names. It's only taken me a few months! :-) Some hogwans (English Academies) suggest foreign teachers give their students English names. Right away, I prefered their Korean names, because I think they sound so cool! Here are a few of my favorites:

변 영 선

김 현 진,

차 승 빈,

박 준 형,

홍 수 현

Gwangju Night Life

No words... just a few images to rememer great times!

"House"

Middle School Trip

At the end of our academy's term, our school took a two day trip with our first and third level middle school kids (who would be 6th-9th graders in the US). There were fifteen students, Sophia (co-teacher), Ms. Han (school director), our bus driver, and myself. We left the city Friday evening after school and spent the night in a beautiful country house. That night, we played many games, had a huge dinner party, and when the boys moved to their room next door, the girls and I stayed up late watching all their favorite male singers on TV. It was so funny hearing the quietest girls peep up about a boy they thought was cute. ha!

It was a blast getting competitive with the students and sharing laughter outside the classroom with all the games we played. Being a teacher is so much fun, but sometimes it comes with a stigma that makes students more cautious and intimidated. A lot of my students have told me that their worst fears are their teachers! Having this weekend to get to know them and for them to get to know more about me was awesome and well needed. Plus, my director and I were able to talk more, which has helped tremendously on our relationship.


Dinner Party!



We played games such as Jenga (thanks for sending that mom and dad!), innori (traditional Korean game), bottle cap races, and we even had an arm wrestling match! One of the boys challenged me at arm wrestling and beat me, but it was so fun! Jin Sol kicked butt and beat some of the boys. I was so impressed by her!

The next day we slept in, cleaned up the place, made gimbap (Korean style sushi, but without fish), and headed out towards the mountain for sledding! I have never made gimbap before so it was exciting to have that group activity. It all turned out great and was a yummy snack for on the hill. Sledding was unique and a lot of fun! I have never been at a sledding resort type of place before where you pay to get in and if you pay extra a machine will pull you and your tube up the hill. Wow! My legs were so sore at the end because we ended up hiking up the hill each time. There were no breaks, because every time I took a breather, I would hear, "Elizabeth teacher, Elizabeth teacher... come! Go together!" I LOVE sledding so it was no problem. Kids I didn't know, would come up and chat and motion towards going down the hill together! It was so cute the way we would all line up on the top of the hill and go down together holding hands. Sophia, my co-teacher, and I hung out a lot, which was so great. Normally, she can be very shy, but she was so excited on the hill! We shared so many laughs and ate green tea ice cream together (one of my new favorite flavors).


Beautiful Morning!

There were moments on the trip, when I felt lonely or a bit of culture shock. It still hits me sometimes, but I am glad I was able to work through it with my students and co-workers. Overall, the trip was needed, enjoyable, challenging, refreshing, wonderful, .... a grand time.


Cutting up the materials for Gimbap.



Gimbap. This is the very simple version of gimbap which includes: rice, sesame leaves, cucumbers, carrots, pickled radish, meat... rolled up in seaweed. Gimbap can be made with anything really. Sometimes tuna is used and of course there is kimchi Gimbap, as well.

First, you evenly spread the rice on the seaweed square.
Second, you pile on what you want inside.
Third, you roll it up and dab a little water on the edges of the seaweed to seal it up. If you have sesame seed oil, you can rub some of that on the outside of the gimbap as well.
It's easy!


Rolls of Gimbap

"What a beautiful Morning....Ahhh"

Innori game

Say "Kimchi!"

Serious Jenga competition!

Im Myun, be careful!

Team work!

Kim Min Chae crying from the onions

Third level Middle School girls. Aren't they gorgeous!? They all are really cool.

Sledding...

Lining up to go down the mountain together.

The machine actually gives you a push start! So weird, but a lot of fun.

"Hold my hand!"

Sophia and me!

More school pictures...

Mo Ju Won, one of my middle school students, showing off his card tricks. He is such a great guy. In the past couple of weeks, he has learned many magic tricks involving coins and other items, as well as, improved his card tricks.

"Teacher, Teacher, see card, see! ..."

It is so cool!

Jun Suk and Jung Ho playing connect four before class. They all love the games you sent, mom and dad! Thank you!

May the Sun energize you,
the rain refresh you,
the wind move you,
the light lift you,
the silence comfort you,
And the Search fill you.
~ Kyle Baker

Beautiful Gwangju...
Overlooking the city from the peak point of Mudungsan.

Jenni, Mike, and me

Hiking has been fantastic! It is so abundant, the scenery is beautiful, and it is a great way to get a feel for the Korean culture. I wish I would have taken pictures of the friends jenni, Mike, and I made on our five hour hike today, but the memories will have to do. There are several trails leading up to the peak of Mudungsan (mountain outside of Gwangju), which many people here like to hike. Hiking is Korea's favorite pass time. It is so social. Often times, hikers picnic on the mountain and everywhere you look friends are sharing mekju (Korean rice wine), soju (rice liquor), and beer. It is so funny and hikers have such a grand time! Just today, we were invited on several occasions to eat and drink with fellow hikers. We even invited others over to share our fruit tea from China after we heated it up with Mike's burner~ it feels good to give something back on this sharing society. People here will take your hand and put tangerines, cookies, crackers, and other edible gifts into it! It is hard to say no to drinks, because before you know it, someone proudly will hand you a paper cup of something strong and then say something like, "Hanguk wine- Very GOOOOD!" Like I've said over and over, Korean kindness and hospitality are so outstanding. Everyone wanted to know where we are from, what we are doing in Korea, and they wished us a good Korean life.

Lovely Jenni, Sarang Hae Yo. (Looks like a scene in "The Last of the Mohicans")

Gwangju~ "My Korean Home"

YEAH!!! We made it!

OUCH...

Volley ball has been beating me up... literally!!! It is my fault that I have been bumping the ball on the wrong part of the arm, hence the ugly bruise. Well, this injury is forcing me to do it the right way. Last week was such an awesome volley ball week! The games were competitive and I was able to set in the men's game! On Saturday, We practiced with a high school men's team; they were some of the best ball players I have seen and they were so tall! I couldn't believe it (six- seven feet range). I might have embarrassed these youngsters a bit by admiring them so much! Volley ball is going great and I love it more and more, but I think I should take a break this next week and heal!!

What do Angels look like?

"LIKE THE LITTLE OLD LADY WHO RETURNED YOUR WALLET YESTERDAY.

LIKE THE TAXI DRIVER WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOUR EYES LIGHT UP THE WORLD, WHEN YOU SMILE.

Bong Suk and me

LIKE THE SMALL CHILD WHO SHOWED YOU THE WONDER IN SIMPLE THINGS.

LIKE THE POOR MAN WHO OFFERED TO SHARE HIS LUNCH WITH YOU.

Jenni, Bong Suk, and me

LIKE THE RICH MAN WHO SHOWED YOU THAT IT REALLY IS ALL POSSIBLE, ONLY IF YOU BELIEVE.

LIKE THE STRANGER WHO JUST HAPPENED TO COME ALONG, WHEN YOU HAD LOST YOUR WAY.

Mr. and Mrs. Hwang

LIKE THE FRIEND WHO TOUCHED YOUR HEART, WHEN YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU HAD ONE TO TOUCH.

ANGELS COME IN ALL SIZES, SHAPES, ALL AGES AND SKIN TYPES.
Ms. Jenni 'cheetah' Moore

SOME WITH FRECKLES, SOME WITH DIMPLES, SOME WITH WRINKLES, SOME WITHOUT.

THEY COME DISGUISED AS FRIENDS, ENEMIES, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, LOVERS AND FOOLS.

Jenni, Amanda, Linsey, Laura at the Great Wall
THEY DON'T TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY, THEY TRAVEL LIGHT.

THEY LEAVE NO FORWARDING ADDRESSES, THEY ASK NOTHING IN RETURN.

Sadie and Samuel Jo

THEY WEAR SNEAKERS WITH GOSSAMER WINGS, THEY GET A DEAL ON DRY CLEANING.

THEY ARE HARD TO FIND WHEN YOUR EYES ARE CLOSED,

Laura and me
BUT THEY ARE EVERYWHERE YOU YOU LOOK, WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO SEE."

~ANONYMOUS

Aneta and Steve

This is how I feel about many of the people I have met here so far. They are so great. :-)

배구 Volleyball Update!

During the cold winter months, Volleyball has been a great way to keep active and it is so darn fun! There are always jokes and laughter involved, even when competing gets hard core! Volley ball is four days a week for about three hours every evening. Lately, I have been going three days a week. We start out with warming up by stretching, peppering, hitting, and doing some drills- yes, like I said, sometimes it is hard core! Then we normally play on both the men's and women's net for a few games.

Our club team, Chamdam Sang Am, just had a one year anniversary celebration. Many teams around the area have been together for several years, but this club is fairly new. The day of the anniversary, we played as usual and then had a huge traditional feast! There were so many delicious meats, flavorful vegetables, many types of kimchi (of course), and Korean rice and berry wine. Now the food was outstanding, but what really topped the party off, was the boiled pig head on the center table, surrounded by many other fruits and vegetable offerings. Having a pig head is the Korean custom and very common for these occasions.

Before eating, everyone lined up as we watched our new club president and several other older members in the club line up and bow several times to the table of offerings. I thought it quite strange, but it was explained to me that the bowing was for good fortune in the upcoming year. After awhile, everyone had a chance to bow and several stuck money in the pig's mouth. Chino, one of the funniest people I know, stuck a bill in it's right nostril! HA! I was told that the pig head is eaten, although, I didn't see anyone at volley ball eat it that night. It was quite an interesting and unforgetable experience! Little did I know we were going to play more after eating, especially after drinking a few cups of wine~ what a grand time!

This past weekend, I had my first tournament! I love our 'red' jerseys (fantastic color!), but I couldn't believe someone decorated it with sparkly rhinestones on the collar and in heart shapes up and down the front! Nooooo....WHY! Oh well, maybe this helps blind the other team from seeing the ball! he he

Jenni and I were the only wayguks, foreigners, at the tournament. Actually, this experience reminded me a lot of playing basketball on the Rez around Gallup in grade school and being the only white girl. So it didn't make me uncomfortable at all. If anything, I think these experiences are eye-opening and also, it was fun getting high fives by people I didn't know. This was Jenni's second tournament and several players from other teams remembered her. It was pretty funny when other team members mentioned how they would like to have foreigners on their team and joked how our team could at least spare one. Our team, faithfully said, "No way, we love these girls!"

Before we started played out of respect for others and the game, we bowed first to the refs, both coaches on our side and theirs, and then to the other team. Wow, there is so much bowing! Respect is so important in Korea. Basically, I just went with the flow and tried to take it all in.

Although, our games were tons of fun and we did great, we came up short and dropped out of the tournament early. It was so nostalgic playing the setter position and, for once, I also played a hitting position later on! The nets are a lot lower here and, just maybe, I'm taller than average height here, I can't always tell. :-) Overall, my body was beat and sore after the game (which felt pretty good), filled with kimchi jjigae and delicious warm tofu (truthfully, it was really tasty and great quality), and so pleased to have spent a whole Saturday getting closer to such awesome people.
Can't wait for future tournaments!

One of my favorites that was stuck in my head all day Saturday.

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changing as it flows
And the dreamer's just the vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores.

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide.

And there's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all.

Yes I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry.
~ The River, Garth Brooks