My Korean Life #21: Can't Believe It!

For the past couple of weeks, I had been quite stressed with school. But the end result of all the studying and stress turned out to be a good one. I did much better on my speaking interview test than I thought and I scraped by my reading test somehow. The amount of vocabulary this term was huge and a lot of the vocabulary from reading I just didn't absorb near then end.

I also shifted my studying style/focus near the end of 4B. This was due to me wanting to improve my comfort level with speaking and also my listening ability. I've started going to language exchange meetings and study groups to practice speaking and hopefully use vocabulary I learned in class.

In terms of how level 4 went, it really helps if you are able to tell a good story and be creative...in a foreign language. Levels 1-3 were heavily focused around dialogues and the related vocabulary and grammar but now the focus has shifted to two long listening comprehension passages per chapter. Granted the two hour block of class is now called listening and speaking. It's really up to you how much you want to participate and converse with classmates. You do practice some dialogue but usually at the start of class it was a large discussion with the teacher and other classmates so you do have to work to get in your practice during that time.

The reading comprehension is often quickly-hunt-for-the-answer but the challenge comes with knowing the proper vocabulary and grammar in order to pick out the right answers. Or sometimes we had to choose the correct conjunctions or correct words...etc.

Another thing that became really pervasive in level 3 was being able to explain Korean vocabulary words in Korean. I'm personally horrible at this. Considering some of the words don't translate all that well to English I sometimes barely understand where to use the word in the first place, let alone explain to someone else that is learning the language.

Right now is the Lunar New Year holiday and I don't have too much planned but I do want to relax and catch up on sleep and...clean up my apartment for a visitor coming this weekend.

We actually have a decent holiday after winter term so besides my friend coming to visit I'll be traveling during the first week of March. I'll have some pictures (food/sightseeing) and video (hotel room tour of course) to post then so, look for that soon!


Until next time.
~