Humbled by Korean

Language 'refresher' implies there was something there to begin with.

Published on January 4, 2006 By singrdave In Misc

Oh... my... goodness...

I just started five grueling weeks in a Korean language refresher course here in suburban Baltimore. Yikes, double yikes, triple yikes. Work's not insisting that I do this; it's a "recommended course of study" since I am a "Korea-centric intel analyst".

First of all, let me say that I was no great Korean linguist to begin with. I was shocked and frightened when my Korea-centrism was put on the table at my new job. I know my limitations, and the Korean language is one of them.

I never finished at the Defense Language Institute. In fact, after being academically "rolled" (aka FLUNKED and moved back several units for review) an unprecedented TWO TIMES, I was unceremoniously shown the door from language school and sent on to my follow-on training at Goodfellow AFB as a non-language Intel Analyst (98C).

Second of all, I certainly haven't cracked open the pages of a Korean book in four-plus years. Do you think I would return to a subject that brought me so much heartache, frustration, despair, and irritation? I can make stumbling small talk. I can impress the lady cutting my hair or handing me my dry cleaning. But I certainly can't understand Korean news reports or curl up with a good Korean book. Just don't have the ability.

But my boss says it'd be good for my career. And so I went willingly, but nervously, to my first day of language class. These people have five weeks to cram 63 weeks of study into your brain. So we started right in with... weather. Good ol'... well, all I remember about weather is that the guy sitting next to me made up this funny statement about how whenever he goes to the bathroom, it rains a lot in the toilet. Well, it's funnier when you know that Koreans use metaphor all the time and have no actual sense of humor...

Needless to say, this is going to be a killer class. Considering the pace at which we are taking in (for me, new) information, I would dare say this is more intense than DLI ever was. It's because they expect these students have a level of ability that, frankly, I don't.

And it's embarrassing!

Comments (Page 2)

SSG Geezer

on Jan 06, 2006

Oh silly needy one!
You should know better!
Oh, that's right. you haven't spent 5+ years actually in Korea.

lifehappens

on Jan 10, 2006

the alphabet is the easy part of Korean.

KA NA DA RA MA PA SA AH JA CHA KA TA PA HA KO NO DO RO MO PO SO OH HO CHO KO TO PO SO.......but the alphabet song is IMPOSSIBLY LONG!

And yes. It's the devil language

AMEN TO THAT! I also Rocked after rolling more times than I thought was humanly possible. At first I was sad, but then I realized that I had been LIBERATED! WOO HOO!

CHO NUN POP TONG IM NEE DA
I remember that because all my teachers called me that! (thanks for the self esteem boost there....)

singrdave

on Jan 12, 2006

After five days now of being almost completely ignored by both the teaching team and the administration, suddenly over lunch I was approached by two teachers and the assistant to the admin NCO. Apparently they had to have a faculty meeting to remember that there was a red-headed stepchild out there, self-studying himself into oblivion.

His bleeding eyes and exploded skull were no dead giveaway; they had to be reminded that there is a student making up his own curriculum.

Not only was I was invited to the school's "culture day" festivities tomorrow, but I was also assured that after the long weekend I would be tutored for three hours a day for the rest of my time here (Feb 8th is my final day).

But for today, just keep doing what you're doing and we'll see you at Culture Day!

singrdave

on Jan 18, 2006

I am back in the office today, actually working and being productive. I have given up on Korean for the time being, mostly because of apathy from the teaching team. When someone finally came in to tutor me, all she did was play me some of the practice DLPT exam in a hope to scare me off. And it worked.

I can blame the school all I want, but what it really comes down to is that I just do not get the Korean language. I had the same problem back at DLI: my brain just can't process the words fast enough to keep up with what is being said.

No big deal, really. I was blindly optimistic to have even tried in the first place. I just thought it'd be a great idea to re-learn Korean. Too bad...

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!