It’s been 5 days since I decided to learn all (almost) the names of the teachers and staff at the elementary school where I work. Normally, remembering names of 45 peeps can just take a few hours, but that’s with English names. 45 Korean first and last names is a bit hard to remember. Names like Kim Hye-jeong and Pak Ju-cheol don’t exactly roll of the my English tongue. And I can’t associate those names to anything or anybody I know so that they sit in my brain.

Five days ago I stuck these names into  my SRS program. The program then gave me around five new names a day to remember. Right now, the names are dangling by a thread in my memory but they’re all there at least. It took little effort really, and  maybe an average of 15 to 20 minutes a day. I just let the program decide what to show me and after a while I just learned them. If I see the written name I can recall the face and the room number of the staff member ( with a little  muscle strain in the face). I can’t say the names of the teachers if the room number or face is given, but I expect that will come to me in a week or two more and by then, instead of dangling, the names will be sitting comfortably.

Some questions might come to mind. Why would I do something like this? Why learn all the names of the school staff?” I have a couple reasons. It’s been more than a year since I began working at this school. It’s a bit depressing, embarrassing, and disrespectful that I don’t know all of them by name. I see almost all of them everyday and they greet me by my name but I just say “hello” in English or Korean. The second, and more selfish reason is, it’s Korean practice. I want to become familiar with Korean names so that in the future I can remember names with less struggle. And, I figure, if I start calling people by name they would be hit with shock and perhaps a  short Korean conversation would follow.

This morning I was struck. The thought that I’ve created my own little micro English land everywhere I go in Korea was a little disturbing to me.  “All friends are English speaking. My cellphone is(was) in English.  Stuff in my home is in English:  most books on my shelf, the computer I type on, and much of the music that I listen to.”  Something must change. I want to function efficiently in Korea and operating like it’s not, is not helping.

I’ve tried in the past, to switch electronic stuff over to Korean language. It freaked me out though.  Immediately I couldn’t function. Spending time to decipher required too much effort. Hitting buttons hoping that I would hit the right one, sucked too.  I just gave up and switched back to English and my world became manageable again.

Its clear to me this approach was more extreme than I was willing to handle.  My recent discovery of  SRS flashcards has given me hope though.  At the moment I believe that I can slowly make the switch to Korean, slowly release the English that I hold onto in Korea. I started with my cell phone last week. I made the new flashcard deck specifically for words on my LG cell phone.  At the moment I have around 60 cards.  Everyday the program gives me the words I need to review, gives me 5 new words, and then I input about 10 new cards to the deck.  Its been a week and I’ve figured out most of the functions that I use with some effort. I think in about a month I should be able to figure out most of the phone. If this method works well enough I will start inputting words I find on my washer,  microwave, and even my electronic toilet seat.

I like studying languages. Thinking and talking about the topic actually gets me excited. What doesn’t get me excited though is the frustration that goes with trying to use the language…to be understood and to understand… and failing, all after spending crazy amounts of hours of studying.

The question I ask myself often is, “What is the best way to study a language in order to reach fluency?” (taking into consideration that its not a natural gift, but simply something that I am passionate about) There’s not doubt that I’ve made  progress in my Korean studies since I began a year ago, but  I know there is a better way. When I see foreigners who have been in Korea as long as I have and speak naturally or comfortably, I have to ask that question.

Last week, I found a good answer or at least a better answer than the method I currently use. I found the website, Korean {as it is}. James Devereux, the blogger referenced this man, Khatzumoto as an inspiration to his study methods.  I visited Khatzumoto’s site  and immediately became more inspired. Buried in the blog postings is a method, one that certainly makes sense and one that I decided I would adopt as of last week (10/8/09). It’s not Rosetta Stone, or Pimsleur, and it’s not a textbook, it’s this.

Khatzumoto is an inspiring and funny writer and it’s clear that he strongly believes in himself and others, and he makes a good case to persuade those who have the motivation to learn. The main argument is that he, an native English speaking guy from Utah,  reached near Japanese fluency, in 18 months. Amazing? He doesn’t really think so. He put insane amounts of effort into learning, but what how he did it was the same way others had done it.

The aftermath

13 apples to go… or, time for another party.

K-snacks from Seoul (Insadong)

I had this idea a year ago that I would have many people over to my house for all kinds of meals. I bought extra plates and cups and silverware for this. It never happened. Occasionally, Linda, my neighbor friend came over for some takeout pizza, but i never had to bust out the pots, pans, plates, and prepare a meal.  I almost held a English teacher party in the spring but i rainchecked it at the last minute.

One year later…the first party. Yes, a small party of three, but a successful dinner at the Girod residence. I invited Korean teacher friends Debbie aka Kyeong-soon and Myeong-yun. I prepared a pulgogi meal. Debbie brought over a box apples and Myeong-yun some traditional Korean snacks of sesame seeds, peanuts and pumpkin seeds. The pulgogi was OK, apples were awesome, and the K-snacks were not sweet. As usual, are conversation was slurry mixture of Korean and English, repeated phrases, I’m sorries, [molagos],  and some, ah…OK i understand nows [arahseo]! It was fun and probably more so for my guests.  They seemed quite curious to see the inside an American  home.

Next week: party number 2!