Beware: This jumps around a lot!
I just read an interesting article from a great blog called, "Ask a Korean!" I'm now listening to the beautiful voice of Lee Seon-Hee at http://askakorean.blogspot.com/2012/03/50-most-influential-k-pop-artists-21.html.
Whew! I made it through the second week of classes. I can't believe it was the second week- it feels like it was the first, maybe because there's still so much to learn, figure out, and because one of the classes I'm supposed to teach (ESL- grade 5) hasn't started yet (but will next week).
One thing is for sure. I need to carry *with* me a Korean-English dictionary. Yes, I can survive without it but two or three times this week an English-speaking Korean was not around to help me understand what the Korean-speaking person was trying to communicate to me. Thank goodness I can *see* and *move* my body! I was able to guess at what she wanted based on her body language, and communicate myself somewhat through my body language. Still, I felt somewhat ashamed for not knowing Korean. I am trying to learn one word a day, but still...
How many Americans have you heard complain about a Mexican, or other Spanish-speaking person, living in the U.S. but not being able to speak English? How am *I* any different? I came here for a better-paying job, and for better health care, and I came not knowing more than ten words of the national language. This sounds very similar to thousands of people who move to the U.S., for a better-paying job and other things, while not knowing more than ten words of the United States' national language.
Today's teaching excitements included a student seeing the word "imagine" in the word "imaginative," and "religion" in "religious." <<I love languages!>>
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