What do you notice?
<Daniel Posting>
As I said before, Korea is so different. Even more so than America. For this reason, I would like to identify these reasons in a tempt to illustrate to you, two different societies and their views toward foreigners.
In America, it is hard to tell the difference between Americas and foreigners. People all over the world come to America. So it is very diverse. Koreans see foreigners and are in awe. Foreigners stand out in Korea. For some reason I don't set why they do this. I guess it's because Foreigners don't come to Korea that often as much as America.
One big thing I like about Korea is the price of goods. Things are so much cheaper here than in America. And whats more, they have no taxes. This is the best, and so much simpler. You don't need to worry about having the right amount, and enough for taxes. Just exact, solid numbers.
Korea's Censorship is way more strict than in America. There are cameras everywhere, to make sure you are not doing anything illegal. There is little controversy surrounding CCTV. Do you agree with it's existance? Anyways, it's strict censorship prevents people from going on seductive webpages....
So I've heard. But really, America does not have this therefore have more access to do frowned upon things. These are just a fes of the differences between Korea and America. I hope you get the picture and understand that people and societies are different everywhere you go.
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Daniel Posting
Expectations
<Daniel Posting>
Being in Korea is very new and different for me. I am used to going to different states and countries, but never like this. I have never been on my own for a year.
In the past I have either traveled with family or stayed short amounts of time by myself.
Despite the new environments, I am well adapting to Korea. Before I arrived here, I was so nervous. I wasn't sure if I would be able to manage and learn the difering subway routes. Now that I am here, I realize it is quite easy. I feel like all my expectations about Korea, when I was in America were all wrong or misleading.
One of my expectations was that Korea would be very high fashion. However, when I came here, I found that I dressed better than a lot of Koreans. I was actually surprised to see this.
Another one of my expectations was that Koreans would be very critical. This one was half true.
Although most of the natives are extremely nice and welcomming, there are few that you just now they are analyzing and fixing youy in their minds. Even if they don't say it, you know.
Especially the youth. They just stare me up and down thinking they wish they were me or what is this guy doing here.
Either way, the staring thing is starting to get on my nervous. Just take a picture, it will last longer.
<Daniel Posting>
Being in Korea is very new and different for me. I am used to going to different states and countries, but never like this. I have never been on my own for a year.
In the past I have either traveled with family or stayed short amounts of time by myself.
Despite the new environments, I am well adapting to Korea. Before I arrived here, I was so nervous. I wasn't sure if I would be able to manage and learn the difering subway routes. Now that I am here, I realize it is quite easy. I feel like all my expectations about Korea, when I was in America were all wrong or misleading.
One of my expectations was that Korea would be very high fashion. However, when I came here, I found that I dressed better than a lot of Koreans. I was actually surprised to see this.
Another one of my expectations was that Koreans would be very critical. This one was half true.
Although most of the natives are extremely nice and welcomming, there are few that you just now they are analyzing and fixing youy in their minds. Even if they don't say it, you know.
Especially the youth. They just stare me up and down thinking they wish they were me or what is this guy doing here.
Either way, the staring thing is starting to get on my nervous. Just take a picture, it will last longer.
2 Months of Korean Life
Hey everyone, this is Emma, one of the Incheon girls. I have a couple topics I want to talk about so here it goes.
First off is about my Korean language. I am speaking mostly in Korean though with my host sisters it's easier to slip into English because they're so good. However, most of my classmates can help me with vocab but their English isn't good enough to try to converse, so I'm forced to speak mostly Korean at school, which is really good for me. But I feel like the way I talk in school is like a baby, with really basic grammar and vocab because in a normal conversation you have to come up with stuff fast, especially when you're in a group with a bunch of Korean students and everyone is talking at once. I think the best Korean I speak is when I'm in Korean class with the other NSLI-Y kids where everyone will stop and wait for you to finish your thought, so I have time to think of more complex grammar and vocab. I'm learning so much in class and I love the way our classes are structured. I think if I had to sit in a classroom with 30 or so people in desks and learn Korean for 3 and a half hours 3 days a week it might get boring, but since I'm in a small class with really individualized attention, a great teacher, and a fast pace, the time flies by and class is fun! I'm not intimidated at all by speaking in front of the class, which was one of my problems when I took Spanish in high school. Some days I almost feel like my language skills are regressing, while other days I feel like they grow greatly, it just depends on the day. It also probably has something to do with how tired I am. (which is usually very tired! I could never take naps in America and now I put my head down on the desk and doze off for 10 minutes during break times just like the Koreans) My understanding is slowly but surely improving. For instance last night I was watching one of my favorite Korean rap groups, Epik High, perform a concert live through Naver (a Korean search engine). They did a lot of talking and I was sitting there thinking to myself "They sure are talking a lot" and then I realized I was understanding most of what they were saying!
Next, going to an all girl's school. Most of the time I complain about going to an all girl's school - I literally haven't met a single Korean boy my age since I got here! But tonight I was sitting in my classroom at dinner time and I watched one girl walk into the room in her baggy gym sweatshirt with the hood up, a fleece blanket tied around her legs, and a toothbrush in her mouth, and I thought that there probably wouldn't be such a comfortable environment in a co-ed school since boys and girls would be trying to impress each other more. (Is this true co-ed people?)
Also, the 3rd years are going into hard core study mode right now to prepare for the 수능, the national college entrance exam, which is in a few weeks. I don't know any 3rd years, and I wish I did because they're actually my age, but maybe I can meet some after the exam. Anyway, I can only imagine the stress they're going through right now. But what's really nice is that the whole school is supporting them, like my class each wrote a little letter to one "언니" (older sister) in the 3-9 class (We're 1-9). And also the amount of respect that's allotted to age in Korean high schools is way more than in American schools - this goes with Korean culture and the respect for age, of course, but I was expecting that if you were all in the same school and only a year or two apart in age, you would act more casual. But my classmates full on bow and say "안녕하세요 언니" when they see 2nd or 3rd years they know, and my sister brought snacks for the older girls when she joined a school club and it sounds like the older members of a club have considerable authority over the younger ones. I kind of wish seniors got that much respect in America!
My entire homeroom class on a field trip to the DMZ (read more about it in Andi's post) - I love my class!
First off is about my Korean language. I am speaking mostly in Korean though with my host sisters it's easier to slip into English because they're so good. However, most of my classmates can help me with vocab but their English isn't good enough to try to converse, so I'm forced to speak mostly Korean at school, which is really good for me. But I feel like the way I talk in school is like a baby, with really basic grammar and vocab because in a normal conversation you have to come up with stuff fast, especially when you're in a group with a bunch of Korean students and everyone is talking at once. I think the best Korean I speak is when I'm in Korean class with the other NSLI-Y kids where everyone will stop and wait for you to finish your thought, so I have time to think of more complex grammar and vocab. I'm learning so much in class and I love the way our classes are structured. I think if I had to sit in a classroom with 30 or so people in desks and learn Korean for 3 and a half hours 3 days a week it might get boring, but since I'm in a small class with really individualized attention, a great teacher, and a fast pace, the time flies by and class is fun! I'm not intimidated at all by speaking in front of the class, which was one of my problems when I took Spanish in high school. Some days I almost feel like my language skills are regressing, while other days I feel like they grow greatly, it just depends on the day. It also probably has something to do with how tired I am. (which is usually very tired! I could never take naps in America and now I put my head down on the desk and doze off for 10 minutes during break times just like the Koreans) My understanding is slowly but surely improving. For instance last night I was watching one of my favorite Korean rap groups, Epik High, perform a concert live through Naver (a Korean search engine). They did a lot of talking and I was sitting there thinking to myself "They sure are talking a lot" and then I realized I was understanding most of what they were saying!
Next, going to an all girl's school. Most of the time I complain about going to an all girl's school - I literally haven't met a single Korean boy my age since I got here! But tonight I was sitting in my classroom at dinner time and I watched one girl walk into the room in her baggy gym sweatshirt with the hood up, a fleece blanket tied around her legs, and a toothbrush in her mouth, and I thought that there probably wouldn't be such a comfortable environment in a co-ed school since boys and girls would be trying to impress each other more. (Is this true co-ed people?)
Also, the 3rd years are going into hard core study mode right now to prepare for the 수능, the national college entrance exam, which is in a few weeks. I don't know any 3rd years, and I wish I did because they're actually my age, but maybe I can meet some after the exam. Anyway, I can only imagine the stress they're going through right now. But what's really nice is that the whole school is supporting them, like my class each wrote a little letter to one "언니" (older sister) in the 3-9 class (We're 1-9). And also the amount of respect that's allotted to age in Korean high schools is way more than in American schools - this goes with Korean culture and the respect for age, of course, but I was expecting that if you were all in the same school and only a year or two apart in age, you would act more casual. But my classmates full on bow and say "안녕하세요 언니" when they see 2nd or 3rd years they know, and my sister brought snacks for the older girls when she joined a school club and it sounds like the older members of a club have considerable authority over the younger ones. I kind of wish seniors got that much respect in America!
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