Christina
I have been here for almost 6 weeks and the time is absolutely flying away! Last week I made an intense plan to study the Korean language. I keep thinking that my time here will be wasted if I can’t speak to and understand the people here. I wish I had studied more before I came, but now the only thing I can do is devote my free time to studying.
Learning new vocabulary is supremely difficult for me. I’m using an online flashcard website called ‘Memrise’, which helps me review words I learn after an appropriate amount of time. It is a great tool because if I make a mistake, it makes me review that word more. The problem is that I often have to make lots of mistakes before I will actually remember a word correctly. Some words just seem unremarkable to me, like 도시 (Do-shi = city). Memrise is nice because users can make ‘mems’, which are pictures or mneumonic devices to remember words. Like the word 문 (Moon = Door). I think about that outhouse in Shrek with the moon on the door, and that helps me remember that 문 means door! Then sometimes I don’t recognize words when they are spoken, even if I studied it. This is partly because the pronounciation of Korean words can change depending on what words they are next to in a sentence and verbs are conjugated in real sentences. Also, the Korean language utilizes particles added to the end of words that can change the pronounciation and meaning slightly. My listening comprehension is ridiculously slow right now. However, each day I am learning more words and connecting them to words I already know. For instance, the word 창문 (Chang-moon = Window). I think of a hole in the door, which is similar to a window. I also can connect word to Kpop songs that I know, which is super helpful and fun! Like the word 재미 (Jaemi = fun/interesting) is in the song “Run Devil Run” by Girl’s Generation!
Korean grammer is totally backwards from English, like instead of prepositions they use postpositions. And the verbs are always at the very end of the sentence. Seong always reminds me not to try translating directly from English, which results in incorrect sentences. Despite the differences, I have learned how to make basic sentences. I’m using three ‘courses’ for my self-study. I was homeschooled, so learning on my own is more desirable than taking a formal class because this way, I can learn what I want to learn at my own pace. I’m using one online podcasts curriculum (Talk To Me In Korean), one blog-style course (How To Study Korean), and a series of workbooks and CDs I get from the library (Active Korean). I think using more than one source of information is helpful because I don’t get bored! In college, I take breaks from studying by studying material from a different class, and this is similar to that. If I get bored reading my workbook, I can take a walk and listen to a podcast. I also get the chance to review a lot, and learn the same material in a different way, which I enjoy.
A few days ago I bought a notebook and started writing practice sentences in it. I should have been doing this from the beginning because writing my own sentences helps me really grasp words and concepts. Maybe it’s because I’m a kinetic learner, so I have to do it myself for me to learn. Again, I can write about whatever I want, and I use a dictionary to look up necessary words. I am so blessed to have a live-in 선생님 (Sunsaengnim = teacher)! When Seong comes home from work, he corrects my sentences! It is working so well because I feel free to try new kinds of sentences and sometimes guess at how to say what I want to say, and he can help me in a loving and non-judgmental way. He is also very good at praising me when I do well. I also bought a little dry erase board to practice my handwriting and for Seong to teach me new things with his own example sentences.
I was never gifted with languages, but this time I have real motivation: my husband, his family, and this place I’ve come to live. And I promise to keep you updated on my progress!
CHO
Korean=한국어 (speaking language) is a really difficult language, considering 한글 (written characters) takes only a couple days to master. Korean grammar structure is totally different than latin based language and none of the words are related except some ‘borrowed words' such as 텔레비젼= television and 오렌지=orange, or baby words like, 엄마 (umma) = mom The Korean particles have lots of meanings and are very confusing even for Koreans. For example ‘로’ has 13 meanings as particle and can be used as a noun which can be meaning as 30 different Chinese characters.
Korean is very interesting because unlike English, Koreans hesitate to make new words. In English more than 300 words are added to Oxford dictionary or Webster dictionary annually such as ‘selfie’ or ‘woot.’ However, new words in the Korean dictionary are mostly coming from outside Korea. Korean people can make new words by combining the Chinese characters. Also most newly developed technologies are named in western words; therefore rather than make new words, it is easier to just accept that western words.
I think learning a new language is very difficult. I have been learning English for my whole life, but still Christina is fixing this blog posting. I am proud of what she is doing and I will help her to learn new language.
Seoul Grand Park is a huge group of fun and/or educational sites, like a Botanical Garden, Museums, and even an amusement park! If you have ever been to STL or have heard of Forest Park, the Seoul Grand Park reminds me of that! There are a lot more days we could spend there, but this trip we only visited the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the Seoul Zoo. We stopped at a bakery on the way to get some snacks, like this red bean-filled donut! 
Not having a car has unexpected consequences. I thought that it would be fun to take public transportation and be a cool, city girl! I pictured myself wearing adorable but relaxed outfits, sipping coffee, swiping my subway card, and stomping away like a model. These are the types of shoes I thought I would wear. They are cute, moderately comfortable, and neutral enough to compliment many looks. Well, that's not how it has actually turned out. I don't know how Koreans do it, because I see some women wearing every uncomfortable footwear from high heels to flat sandals with no arch support. 
These are the shoes I actually wear 90% of the time. Since we don't have a car, we have to walk or bike everywhere! Even taking public transportation doesn't help because there is so much walking to and from the station. I don't want to complain, but I arrive everywhere with hurting feet, frizzy hair, and a blushed complexion. Don't get me wrong, I really love biking and I know that the exercise is really good for me! But is it wrong to want to look cute?
And now, introducing the worst shoes ever to be worn in Korea. I made the mistake of wearing these to church when we visited Seong's extended family. They look nice, right? These are the same ones we bought for our bridesmaids at the big wedding. The straps are interchangeable, so they are really versatile! The reason they were such a bad idea in Korea is that Koreans take off their shoes a lot! You can never wear your shoes in the house and some restaurants are "no shoes and sit on the floor" type places. The entryway is actually lower than rest of the apartment or restaurant and you leave your shoes on the lower part. We visited multiple apartments of family members and each time I had to pause on my way in to bend over and untie these lovely sandals. Then on the way out I had to hold up the entire procession of family to bend over and retie. It was such a hassle and embarrassment! 
These shoes are public slippers found in the bathroom of a "sit on the floor" restaurant. Apparently, the floor may be slippery, so you should wear these so you don't slip! Family bathrooms in Korean apartments may also have a pair of plastic slippers. Did you know that some Korean family bathrooms don't have shower curtains? When they take showers, the whole bathroom gets wet, which Seong explained to me makes it easier to clean. The problem is that the whole bathroom gets wet! Hence, the communal slippers.
