My Korean Life #35: Everyday Devices

Daily life in Korea keeps me busy and I often use technology to help me through the day. 
Below I've listed my main devices and some ways I use them. 

I've also made a wish list in the case I have more resources to spend. 
(or very generous friends ^^)

Apple iPhone 6 64GB Gold
-Telephoning
-Messaging
-Mobile Gaming
-Social Networking
-Schedule/Calendar/To-do List
-Client/Lesson management (English Tutoring/Language Exchange)
-Travel/Reference (Planning future travel and researching/referencing)
-Photography
 
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2010)
-Video editing
-Social Networking
-Blogging
-Online learning
-Communication (Skype/Email/Document Sharing and Collaboration)

Sony NEX-3N
-Photography
-Videography

SanDisk 16GB Flash drive
-Document storage
-Documents for print

Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1TB
-Time Machine (Mac OS X)
-Data backup

~Wish List~

• Apple iPhone 6s Plus 128GB Gold
• Microsoft Surface Pro 4
• Samsung Galaxy Note 5 64GB Gold
• Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch with Retina display)
• Sony Alpha A7II
• Fujifilm X100T

What do you use throughout the day? How does technology help you?
~

My Korean Life #34: 바쁘네...

I'm still not fully employed right now but keep quite busy. I try my best to keep myself busy through a mix of tasks (learning, working, social, etc). Below is the current mix I have going for myself. Some weeks are busier than others but I tend to get booked up quite quickly as one weekend approaches and a new week begins. I am very meticulous about keeping a schedule and calendar to give me structure in daily life and to better plan the future. I know some things are better left more fluid and unplanned but my nature is to plan and keep a calendar going.

What am I up to lately? (In no particular order)

• Online TESOL Course
• Self-Study for TOPIK and general Korean language skills
• Blogging/Vlogging/Video editing
• Social media
• Reading
• Meeting friends and expanding my network
• Job searching, applying for jobs
• Adoptee community activities
• Helping friends with their English resume and language skills (Korean friends)
• Future planning (Fun things, life things, etc)

What keeps you busy?

~

My Korean Life #33: Everyday Carry (EDC)

Around Seoul, you normally see everyone carrying some sort of bag, backpack, or tote. You may think, why does everyone carry a bag around here? Do you people really carry that much that it warrants a backpack? Before moving to Korea, I hated carrying more than I would need during the day. During chilly weather, I would not even bring a jacket with me unless I absolutely had to. If I did happen to need more than I could fit in my pockets, I would often try to jam it in the pockets of said jacket I didn't want to carry in the first place.

This all changed when I moved to Korea. For one, I'm not home that often nor am able to simply drive home to grab something. This was especially true when I first started language school. It was a good 40-45minutes on public transport to and from school and I would often leave my house at around 8AM and sometimes not return until after dinner. I also no longer have a car to stash things in.

So without further delay, I bring you the "Everyday Carry":

1. Notebook (Or some form of paper to write on)
2. Gum (Orbit is preferred)
3. Apple EarPods
4. USB Flash drive
5. Lightning Cable
6. iPhone 6 64GB Gold
7. Portable Battery Charger (Gorilla Gadgets CHR-150-BLK 16800mAh)
8. Contact rewetting drops
9. Hand Sanitizer
10. Bifold Wallet
11. Wet wipes or Tissues or both (Some Korean public bathrooms don't provide toilet paper)
12. Fan (Summer: Non-A/C'd or badly A/C'd places | Winter: Overly heated places)
13. Pencil case (pens, pencils, etc)

Backpack brand: Lipault Paris
*The model I have is no longer made. Closest model is the 15" or 13" Computer backpack.

The above may seem like a lot but the backpack makes it all easy to carry. I have my wallet, EarPods, and phone in my pockets usually.

What do you carry daily? What's your "Everyday Carry"?
~

Common English Mistakes #3: Singular v. Plural

Another post regarding English mistakes I hear around Korea - singular versus plural. This is another aspect of English that is seemingly tricky. I see how it can be tricky for Koreans since making things plural is not always necessary in Korean. Unfortunately in the English, this is not the case. Granted, I can figure out what my Korean friends are saying if they happen to mix up the singular/plural forms.

Example Dialogue:
A: Autumn is finally here! Let's go to the market and pick up some apples.
B: Sounds good, my friend taught me how to make apple cider. How about we try to make some this weekend?
A: Great! I've never made apple cider before.
B: It's delicious and not too hard to make.
A: How many apple do you we need?
B: You mean, "How many apples do we need?"...
A: Ah, right. Apples.

Example Dialogue:
A: I see you have a new Korean pop CD.
B: Right! It just came out today!
A: I see; it looks like the group has a lot of members.
B: That's right, there are 7 member in the group.
A: 7 members. Who is your favorite member?
B: I love them all! They are all handsome boy!
A: All of them are handsome boys...plural!
B: Ah...right...English is so hard ㅠㅠ

For most of my friends I'd say this mistake is rare but still comes up every now and then. Practice makes perfect as they say.

What mistakes do you hear often?
~

Common English Mistakes #2: Articles

The most common mistakes with articles I hear are simply omitting them or using 'the' instead of 'a' and vice versa. I feel this is one of the hardest things to master for people learning English. While there are guidelines/rules regarding usage, most people I talk to still struggle. I tell them, it just takes time and practice (as with anything).

Example dialogue:
A: Wow, look at all the hats in this store!
B: Wow, there are so many!
A: How about this style? (Puts on hat) Do you like the red or the black one?
B: I like black one! It look good for you.
A: You mean, you like the black one. It looks good on me?
B: Ah, right. The black one.

A simple mistake, yes, but one that is obvious to any native speaker I would imagine. Another example of what I've heard:

Example dialogue:
A: How about we order a drink?
B: Yes, let's drink!
A: Let's see, they have many types of beer. Is beer ok?
B: Yes, the beer sounds good.
A: A beer sounds good? Great, I'll choose a few for us.

B Could have also responded with just "Beer sounds good". "The beer sounds good" isn't grammatically incorrect but it sounds weird since beer was the only option and no other beverage was mentioned as a choice. (English majors can correct me if I'm wrong).

What mistakes do you frequently hear?
~~

My Korean Life #32: Seoul Global Cultural Center

I recently attended two events at the Seoul Global Cultural Center in Myeongdong. The center offers free activities as well as paid activities many times throughout the year. The two events I attended were a cooking class and a journal/diary making class.

The center is actually open daily for people to drop in from 10:30am - 7:30pm. They have English, Japanese, and Chinese speaking staff. All the staff I've interacted with have been very friendly and the activities are run well.

If you would like to meet some other foreigners (and sometimes Koreans) and also enjoy some cultural activities, I would 'like' their Facebook page to stay informed about what programs are coming up. I went by myself but many people come with a friend or as a family. The age range is quite diverse usually so don't be afraid and give the activities a try! Normally the language of instruction is English, sometimes staff is available to translate to Japanese/Chinese/Korean.

You can find the center's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Seoulcenter3789?
Their official website is here: http://www.seoulculturalcenter.com/
Location link: http://www.seoulculturalcenter.com/2013/eng/center/center3.asp

Here are some pictures from the events I attended:

~

My Korean Life #31: Done with Language School!

*UPDATE 2*
I no longer have any language books for sale (Level 1 books have been claimed). Thanks!
*UPDATE*
I recently sold my Level 2 books so I have the Level 1 Compact Series Student Book as well as the Level 1 Workbooks (1A and 1B) left.

I am proud to say I have graduated from Level 6 of Sogang University's Korean Language Program!

It has been a long and challenging year and 3 months and it's hard to believe my life as a language student has finally come to an end. While I won't be formally enrolled in any program anymore, I will continue to study and practice my Korean. I hope to take the TOPIK test in November of this year. Until I start studying for that, I plan on taking the rest of August and perhaps part of September just to rest and relax and catch up with friends.

While my time at language school seemed to crawl by during the terms, as I look back, the time flew by a lot quicker than expected. Just one year and 3 months ago I could barely speak and understand Korean...and now I'm slightly above that...just kidding ^.^ I'd say if I compare myself to a year ago I have improved a lot but there is still so much to learn. I will continue to meet with my Korean friends for our weekly study group and I may start going to the bigger language exchange meetings again.

I plan on continuing to search for a job while here in Korea. One of my friends recently recommended I go through some headhunters/recruiting companies. I might try that if the Internet/my network of people I know here aren't able to yield any results.

My Korean Life #30: Next steps

I am currently on my week long summer break from language school. When we start back up we'll have approximately two weeks remaining in the term and only about 2 chapters plus review to cover in class. Whenever I think of language school ending, I honestly get a little scared. The cycle of language school has been my life for over a year now and frankly I will miss it. Maybe not because of the difficulties I have faced but definitely for the friends I've made and the opportunities I've had because of it.

I am currently looking for more work and a more steady source of income to sustain me for at least the next year. If you have read my recent posts, I have moved and signed a year long lease on an apartment. Therefore, I see myself being in Korea for at least another year if not more depending on my work situation.

You may ask, if I don't end up finding more work will I go back to the USA earlier than planned. I honestly don't think I will. If I end up with a lot more time on my hands than expected, I'll probably devote a lot more time to working on blogging, posting YouTube videos, and doing independent study of Korean for the TOPIK or otherwise. I also want to get back into going to more language exchange meetings (for practice and for the networking opportunities).

I will also have a few friends moving to Korea later this summer so, if possible, I'd like to help them settle in. I know for me moving overseas had its share of stresses and were it not for the help of my friends in-country it would have been even more stressful.

I am excited and nervous what this coming year will bring. One thing I hope to do is travel more within and outside Korea.

Not much more to update you all on at this point, but if things come up I'll update the post later!

~

My Korean Life #29: Part 5 - Immigration

Part 5: Immigration

For foreigners in Korea, you are supposed to report address changes to the government within 14 days of moving. If you don't, you can be subject to heavy fines. I have moved twice within Korea and both times I visited the southern Seoul immigration office to change my address. For this move, it could not have gone any smoother. If you are a foreigner and non-Chinese then you go to the 3rd floor for most of the Gu's in Seoul. There is signage and information online to determine where you should go.

I visited immigration in the early afternoon with a signed copy of my lease, my passport, and my alien registration card. I filled out the change of address form at immigration and took a number. It just so happened there was no one waiting in front of me so I went straight to the window.

The lady looked at my passport for a quick second, then handed it back to me. Then she took a glance at my lease and then at my alien registration card and form. After a few key strokes on her computer she made a photocopy of my lease and alien registration card and then told me to wait a few moments.

After only like five minutes, the lady came back with my card. I actually had filled the two printable areas on my card previously so they literally wrote my new address in permanent marker along the long edge of my card. They applied some clear tape over the writing to make sure it doesn't rub off.

I was in and out in like...30 minutes...if that.

I'm now all moved in and have officially changed my address! I'm thoroughly enjoying my new home and the owner is really nice!

~

My Korean Life #28: House Hunting Part 4 - Moving In

Part 4: Moving In

The day I moved in wasn't all that eventful actually. After arriving a little earlier than expected I found the building owner outside cleaning up and said in Korean I was his new 402 resident. He smiled and ushered me to the keypad to show me the password to unlock the door. He demonstrated once and then had me do it twice to firmly etch it into memory.

Thankfully there is an elevator so we both rode the elevator up to my new abode. He then unlocked the door and instructed me to input a new door password (Note: many Korean apartments no longer have keys and only have an electronic lock). After punching in a few new digits he said "OK" and welcomed me into my new place. He first remarked the bed and mattress were brand new and asked if it was to my liking. It's your standard XL twin bed with some drawers underneath. The actual bed frame is kind of light to it's easy to move about in case I happened to drop something behind the bed.

Next was the air conditioner (essential during the hot and humid Korean summer). There is a little remote that sits right next to my desk so I can adjust the fan speed, temperature, timer, etc. One thing I didn't expect was there is a panel that controls the hot water for the shower. It is not always on as is usually the case in American households. If I want hot water, I press a button and then can adjust the temperature using the same panel. This panel also controls the underfloor heating during the winter.

The bathroom and kitchen were pretty self-explanatory except for the range fan hood. The fan hood is more like a drawer that pulls out to extend over the whole counter. This much be fully extended for the fan to work and for the overhead light to turn on.

I'm going to have to play with the washer/dryer a little as it has a billion buttons and functions it seems. The real estate agent who speaks English gave me a quick run down of the main functions. He also showed me where to put the garbage and where to get mail.

I mentioned that I might want to buy a TV later and my real estate agent said any setup associated with that would be included. In fact I have a cable TV box already but no TV yet.

As the previous places I lived had a lot of kitchen things in them, I currently don't have any kitchen things (pots/pans/dishes/etc). I'm slowly working to acquire items, I bought a knife but I really need pots and pans so I can start cooking again. The problem is that I have an induction range so only certain pans work well with it, if at all.

I will finish moving everything from my old place(s) this week.

Part 5 will cover changing my address at immigration.

Common English Mistakes #1: Watch those pronouns

Even though I live, work, and study in Korea, I still use English to communicate with a fair amount of people. A lot of those people use English as their second or third language so you're bound to hear a few mistakes here and there (just like me when I speak in Korean). The majority of my friends are great at English, many having learned it since grade school.

However, there is one mistake that I hear frequently with my friends that kind of surprised me. Maybe it's common? I'm not exactly sure as I haven't been involved in the English teaching realm for very long. And also, I don't believe this is just a slip of the tongue as with native speakers accidentally mispronouncing words or substituting incorrect words.

This mistake is: the use of the wrong pronoun (namely he versus she, and him versus her).

Some conversations I have had with my friends become very confusing as they will interchangeably use he/she/him/her//they.

Example: "A" is the non-native speaker and "B" is me.

A: Yesterday I went to the movies with my friend.
B: Right, you said the movie was great. What did your friend say about the movie?
A: He thought it was great too.
B: How about after the movie? Did you do anything else?
A: I wanted to eat something, but my friend wasn't hungry so she just went home.
B: ...wait is your friend a boy or a girl?
A: Why? She's a boy!
B: ...Right...Anyway, have I met this friend before?
A: I don't think you've met her before...
B: You mean, "I don't think you've met him", right?
A: Him? I said I don't think you've met.
B: Your phone is ringing...
A: Ah! Look she's calling me right now!
B: ...He's calling you?
A: No...different friend...
B: (o.O)

I've had multiple experiences like this where following the dialogue becomes confusing due to the sex of people changing multiple times in the conversation. But then again using "they" too much and in instances where it is actually a singular person may be considered incorrect grammar as well (^.^).

Do you hear the same from your friends that are learning English or use English as a second language? Let me know :)

~

My Korean Life #27: House Hunting Part 3 - The Decision and Signing a Lease

Part 3: The Decision and Signing a Lease

So you are probably wondering which property I chose and the process of signing a lease and actually contracting an apartment!

I ended up choosing one I saw with the 3rd agent. The one that was my favorite out of all the ones I saw.

It's on the top floor of the building (just 4 stories tall but still on the top). The building has an elevator and looked very well maintained. The unit was not your standard box with a window as is with most one-rooms here. The kitchen area is somewhat separate from the living space and the bathroom is bigger than average. There is a small enclosed balcony area that I'll probably use for storage and hanging laundry. Overall, I'm very pleased with what the agent found to show me and can't wait to move and make place my own so to speak. Due to privacy concerns I won't divulge the area I am living in nor pictures of my apartment but you may see some of it coming up on my YouTube channel depending on my filming schedule with my fellow classmate.

**If your Korean language ability is still being developed (Or you are unable to obtain a copy of the terms and conditions in your mother tongue) I suggest bringing a Korean friend with you to go through the final negotiations and contract signing**

The day I signed the contract the following happened:

• Invited back to the agent's office for a final chat
• Agent called the owner to make final negotiations and to settle the move in date
• Agent provided an English copy of the terms and conditions of the lease
• Agent described all the money that was to be due and when.
• Final negotiated rent, security deposit, management fee, and brokerage fee was detailed
• The day I signed the contract, 3 copies were made (one for me, the agent, and the building owner). Once the building owner signs the paperwork, a fully signed copy will be given to me. In the interim, I was given a copy without the building owner's signature.
• I also paid part of the security deposit to basically hold the property. I also decided to pay the brokerage fee that day but the agent said I could have waited if I wanted.

More details about the brokerage fee:

Real estate agents will take a brokerage fee once you sign a contract. This fee is 0.4% of the (Monthly rent x 100) + Security Deposit Amount. Upon signing the contract, you will be asked to pay a holding deposit (a portion of the security deposit) and the brokerage fee. Upon moving in, the balance of the security deposit, management fee, and first month's rent is due. Utilities are billed as you use them per month and bills arrive in your mailbox. The management fee can include a number of things but typically it only includes Internet and TV (and water sometimes). Some buildings have everything included but the management fee may be quite high (~$100 per month).

The brokerage fee can also be where the agent could give you a further discount. Be aware there is tax added to this fee (the tax on mine was about 10%).

I paid the holding deposit and brokerage fee by bank transfer but the agent said he would have also taken cash.

Immigration information:

If you are a foreigner you only have 14 days to change your address at immigration from the day you move to your new address. If you do not do this and immigration finds out, you can be fined a lot. You should bring a copy of your lease and a form you can get at the immigration office. Let's say instead move to a Korean friend's house, goshitel, or hasukjib; immigration told me you need another form you can get at immigration that basically says you are living at their place with their permission. The address change is free, however, if you run out of spaces for addresses on the back of your ARC Card, then I think you have to pay for another card (will verify after I go to immigration in a week or two).

Part 4 will cover moving in and taking possession of my new home :)

My Korean Life #26: House Hunting Part 2 - Visiting Real Estate Agencies

Part 2: Visiting Agencies and Properties

So you know what kind of property you want to see...now it's time to visit real estate agencies! Below is the list I visited and some details about each. The real estate agents can't read your mind so don't be afraid to tell them right off the bat if you don't like something. They probably have a variety of other places to show you.

Real Estate Agency #1, 2nd floor office (Visited on a Saturday):

• Before leaving the office to view properties we previewed a couple on his computer.
• Saw about 6 properties (Twice we saw two different rooms in the same property).
• Agent was a male, 30s.
• The first thing he asked me was what I was willing to pay for the deposit and monthly rent.
• First we walked to some properties and then were driven in his car to others.
• Was very friendly, not pushy, and told me my Korean was good :)
• After seeing the properties he dropped us back off near his office and said just to call if any tickled my fancy.
• Of the viewed properties, 2 were pretty nice.
• Of the viewed properties, the rest were either too small, too old, or just not what I was quite looking for.

Real Estate Agency #2, 2nd floor office above a coffee shop (Visited on a Saturday):

• Saw 2 properties (was going to see a third but he said the room was smaller than the other two so we skipped out)
• Agent was a male but had a female co-worker also in the office when we visited, bigger office than the first agency
• Again, the first thing I was asked was what I was willing to pay
• We were driven to all the properties
• He was also friendly, not pushy, but seemed in more of a rush than the other guy, he also said my Korean was good.
• After seeing properties he asked us where we'd like to be dropped off, and we were dropped off at the subway station. 
• He also said to just call if any were to my liking.
• Of the viewed properties, 1 I really liked.

Real Estate Agency #3, 2nd basement office (Visited on a Wednesday):

• Before leaving the office to view properties we previewed many on his computer.
• Saw 4 properties (Planned on seeing more but one was much older than the others so we skipped it)
• Agent was male and had a few employees (one male, one female that I saw), spoke very good English and caters to the foreign student market in the area
• Again, it's all based upon how much money you can afford for the deposit and rent
• Was driven to all the properties.
• Of the viewed properties, 1 was my favorite out of all viewed properties thus far.
• He said the one I liked the most is very popular and empty so it will be hard to get unless I make a move fast.
• Besides the one that was my favorite, there wasn't any pressure to make a quick decision.

Overall I saw close to 15 properties spread out over 3 visits to real estate agent offices. Sometimes the building owner was there to show us around the property, other times we just let ourselves in. Many of the rooms still had residents inside so sometimes we were greeted by the person who still lives there. All of the residents we saw were civil and friendly and didn't make a big deal about us barging in. From what I hear this is kind of normal procedure, even some of my ex-pat friends have gotten calls from their building owner asking for their door code or if they are actually there or not so that the apartment can be shown.

Part 3 will cover making a decision and signing the contract.

My Korean Life #25: House Hunting Part 1 - Before You Go

This mini-series within "My Korean Life" will document me finding a one-room (studio apartment) here in Korea. <NOTE: There is something called the jeonse (전세) system in Korea but normally that requires $80,000 - $125,000+ upfront, I will not be addressing this system>

Part 1: Research and Preparation

Research where you want to live first of all. Then you can start to look online or visit the windows of real estate agents and browse possible rooms. In Korea there is a very popular app called "직방" which I used to find some open rooms. They may not show you the exact apartment you saw online or the app due to the heavy turn over but they will show you similar properties or whatever is in your price range. Most every room has a negotiable price. Prices published online are normally what the building owner prefers but that is not set in stone.

If your Korean is...still in development...then feel free to bring along a Korean friend with you. I did on my first two visits to agencies but honestly (and my Korean friend said this to me) she didn't need to be there. My Korean was good enough. The 3rd agent I visited speaks English well so we talked mostly in English.

First thing you should KNOW (not a maybe and not an "I don't know") is the MAX you are willing to pay for both the security deposit (보증금) and monthly rent (월세). They will also ask you when you want to move in (an estimate is fine). I gave about one or two weeks out. You also don't want to go to the real estate agency too soon (maybe within 2-4 weeks of you wanting to move unless you need more time to plan or want to look at multiple areas of town).

They may also ask what is important to you or what size of room you want. They may reference an old area measurement called pyeong (평). If looking at one-rooms I suggest at least 6 pyeong (~213.5 sq.ft. or ~19.8 sqm).

They may also ask you about the options you want, this means what is included when you rent the apartment. Most will come some furniture like a desk or wardrobe. MANY DO NOT COME WITH A BED but sometimes this can be negotiated into the contract options. Just check with the real estate agent on what the options are PER PROPERTY.

If you visit multiple properties in the same neighborhood, remember where you have been as real estate agents may share regions, neighborhoods, or property building listings.

Checklist (pre-visit)

• Preferred location
• Max Deposit and Max Rent Amount. Most properties are negotiable.
• Preferred size (in pyeong or square meters)
• Preferred options (bed, desk, refrigerator, wardrobe, etc)
• Move-in Date
• Term of lease (Normally 1 year but some can negotiate less than a year or more than a year depending on the building owner)

Part 2 will cover visiting properties.

~

My Korean Life #24: Summer Weather

I recently completed some more vlogging sessions with the same Korean language learner which you can view below.  

In other news, the weather has gotten quite hot in Korea as is customary for the summer. The humidity has not hit yet but don't worry, it is just around the corner. Normally in July and August the humidity skyrockets and wallpaper begins peeling off the walls because of all the moisture in the air. The other thing Korean summers are known for are mosquitos. 

Last summer I didn't have that much of a problem with mosquitos but where I live now there are a lot of them. There is also a family of cats that live on the premises as well. I've seen the mother cat (I assume it's the mother, but you never know, they may have a stay-at-home Dad) and the kittens frolicking about at night. The parent cat loves to hiss at me when I walk up the steps in front of where I live. 

Also, the neighbor's dog, who used to bark at me every time I passed by, has finally chilled out. Today he just stared at me with no barks at all.

In regards to language school, I have almost no written homework which is good in one way but makes it hard in another. Now I have to really force myself to study a lot and preview the next day's material...with no worksheets or exercises to really guide me through the process. Considering I've become quite busy with a few other endeavors lately, I don't mind having anything to hand in every class.

Class in general is still structured but also more driven simply by student participation. There is a lot of chatting both by the students in class and by the teacher especially during the main block of time (reading+speaking). Writing class is quite casual as it was in level 5. Actually I rarely use that complex of grammar when writing. A lot of times the prompts just don't call for it either. There is quite a lot of vocabulary though so, I've been trying to at least integrate that.

Anyway, enjoy the videos below!

~

My Korean Life #23: Last term at language school is on the horizon

Starting on Thursday, it will be the first day of my last term in language school. It all flew by very fast. Just a year ago I was beginning my new life as a full time language student in Level 2 and now I am about to start Level 6. I still have a few days of break left and I've kept quite busy even though going into the break I had very few plans.

One thing that I experienced for the first time was a wedding in Korea. My good friend from Level 3 tied the knot this past weekend and I attended the wedding ceremony. I had just read about what a Korean wedding was like so experiencing it was interesting. Before the ceremony you can visit the bride in a special room and take pictures with her. At the entrance to the wedding hall, both sets of parents and the groom stand out front to greet everyone. You also have the desk where you can give your congratulatory money (no physical gifts) and in return you receive a meal ticket.

The actual ceremony was different from what I'm used to in the USA. During the ceremony there were still people chit chatting while things were being read and people were also taking a bunch of pictures or on their cell phones. Friends of the groom (I think) sang a song and the groom joined in at the end. The couple bowed to both sets of parents and a few hugs and tears were also exchanged.

After the ceremony, they had picture time. First was the couple, then the family, and then all the friends. Also, the throwing of the bouquet is prearranged and staged. Only one girl (usually set to get married soon) stands behind the bride to catch the bouquet. If the picture isn't satisfactory the first time around, they reset and do it again, haha.

Finally comes the meal, they had food set out on the table before hand and as we sat down they brought out hot soup and rice. Other things available were fruit, meat, seafood, japchae, kimchi, beer, soju, and soft drinks. The couple also came around to each table to greet guests and thank them for coming.

After eating, you're done! No big reception with dancing and drinking and cake :/ Oh well.

Also, I recently met a fellow language student and did a little interview/chat with her, check it out below. We've planned to make more vlogs together so stay tuned to my YouTube channel for those:

www.youtube.com/user/brightness86

My Korean Life #22: Again, hard to believe!

I am quickly approaching what will be my last term in language school. It's hard to believe about a year ago I had just stepped foot in Korea to start my life as an ex-pat. Also hard to believe I have completed 4 terms of language school with no break (besides the short vacations we get between semesters). Although I do know classmates that have done level 1-5 with no breaks.

I must say, the burned out feeling can come up and it has come up for me at times. No matter how hard I studied or reviewed vocabulary there were things that just didn't sink in. I think that is ok now. In my view, doing a language course like this does not mean you will become anywhere close to a native speaker over 18 months. Rather, it is an intense exposure to many facets of the language and culture...hopefully stimulating you to pursue further study or simply interaction with native speakers. 

Honestly, I still have trouble understanding some of my Korean friends. I still have trouble watching news broadcasts and Korean TV shows...but I'm ok with that. I know a lot of my friends are obsessed with watching Korean TV. I, myself, really like Korean music but it doesn't mean I'll become a highly proficient speaker just by listening to a lot of music. Nor should you have the expectation that watching Korean TV directly relates to becoming great Korean speaker.

I'll be entering what is considered "level 6" at Sogang during the summer. After completing this tier you are considered 'done' and you receive a certificate with the number of class hours completed. It's considered a big achievement and some people even wear hanboks to the graduation ceremony. I've struggled since level 3 and was on the brink of having to redo levels at least 2 times. The hardest part for me has been the vocabulary. And in the higher levels, a lot of the words are based on Chinese characters (Hanja) which leaves the Chinese speakers in class with a huge advantage...and the Japanese...anyway

My advice - how you do on the tests in class shouldn't determine how you feel about your skill level. Don't let a number or letter grade define how you feel about the language. In addition to class material, study things you are interested in. I actually really liked watching the food network in the USA so I've taken to watching Korean food shows. I've also watched a few movies that were only in Korean with no subtitles of any type. Study hard, but have some fun.

Feel free to ask me anything about the program.

~

Spring Vacation Trip Osaka, Japan: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館)

Osaka is home to quite a large aquarium called Kaiyukan. It is easily accessible from the subway via Osakako station. The layout of the aquarium has you start from the top and work your way down the levels. The permanent exhibit is quite large and hosts a variety of sea creatures. There are themed areas as you work your way through the exhibit and at the end there is a hands-on area where you can touch some fish. Below are some photos from my visit. I won't spoil the whole thing for you :)

The exterior of the aquarium

This is how thick the glass is in the main aquarium

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館)

Website: http://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/

Hours: 10:00AM-8:00PM *Last admission one hour before closing, admission hours can vary depending on seasons/holidays
Admission: Adults are 2300 Yen each (Discounts can be found for tourists usually)
Getting there: Subway Osakako Station
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures.
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/p2z7A

Spring Vacation Trip Osaka, Japan: Shitennoji (四天王寺) and the Osaka Museum of History (大阪歴史博物館)

Below are a few snapshots from my visit to Shitennoji (oldest officially administered temple in Japan). The interior of most of the buildings did not allow photography (that or I didn't deem it respectful to be taking pictures inside) so these are of the grounds and exterior. The weather was still amazing so as you can see the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the sky was blue with just a few clouds. There was also this pond with a ton of turtles in it.

Shitennoji (四天王寺)

Website: http://www.shitennoji.or.jp/

Hours: 8:30AM - 4:30PM

Admission: Small fee for entering the center grounds (300 Yen)

Getting thereAccessible via the subway system (Shitennojimae Yuhigaoka Station or tennoji station are the closest I think)

What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures.

Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/m6V5k

I also went to the Osaka Museum of History on the same day. I must say I was quite impressed with this museum. The detail in the models of the city and exhibits was done very well. There were also plenty of volunteers and staff around to man the hands-on exhibits. My friend and I played a traditional game and also put together some puzzles. A lot of the exhibits had text translated to English and Korean though not every exhibit has translations.

Osaka Museum of History (大阪歴史博物館)

Website: http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/index.html

Hours: 9:30AM-5:00PM *Please Enter 30 Minutes Prior To Closing
Admission: Adults are 600 Yen each
Getting there: Subway Tanimachi Line and Chuo Line, “Tanimachi 4-Chome” Station, Close To Exit “9” or “2”
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures.
Layout of Exhibitions: http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/eng/exhibitions/permanent.html

Spring Vacation Trip Osaka, Japan: Osaka Castle (大坂城) and Dotonbori (道頓堀)

The below photos are from Osaka Castle (大坂城) during one of the peak times for the blooming cherry blossoms. I got lucky with the time I chose to go to Osaka as most if not all the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The weather was (as you can see) pretty much perfect. Barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature was neither hot or cold. A ton of Japanese and tourists alike were out that day. The actual building you see has been converted into a museum with an observation level and small gift shop at the top. There is a small charge to go up into the actual 'castle'. 

Osaka Castle (大坂城)

Website: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/
Hours: Entrance to the Museum is from 9AM - 5PM (extended seasonally) with the last admission at 4:30PM.
Admission: 600 Yen to enter the Museum (Grounds are free)
Getting there: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/access/index.html
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures. There are some food options/vending machines available onsite.
Maps: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/park/index.html

After spending the day at Osaka Castle, I visited Dotonbori, a large tourist area that straddles a canal that runs through Osaka. Here you can find a ton of restaurants and shopping as well as a sea of people when night time hits. The iconic Glico Running Man is also located here (picture below). My dinner here consisted of a visit to Kamukura Ramen. To order food, you use the vending machine outside of the restaurant for a meal ticket and then just go in a find an open seat. I chose a set meal that include gyoza and rice formed into a triangle. Everything was delicious!

Dotonbori (道頓堀)

Website (Japan National Tourism Organization): http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/osaka/dotonbori.html

Hours: Restaurant and shop hours vary. Place comes alive at night.
Admission: None
Getting there: Accessible via the subway system (Namba and Nipponbashi Stations) and various other methods
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures. An appetite.
Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/FPaJf