Last night I completed my first level in my ongoing effort to develop at least some ability to speak Korean. I know my “alphabet” and I can read Hangul now. Not that I know what the hell I’m reading means, but it is good to not be totally illiterate.
My level 2 text looks pretty interesting. I will be learning grammar and sentence structure. And the instruction will be more of a one-on-one format which should make it a little easier. I think my biggest problem is going to be understanding the spoken word. Well, practice, practice, practice is my plan.
John,
Sincere congrats on making the effort to learn the language! I don’t talk about it much on my blog, but I kinda have a problem with long-term expats who suck off the teat of the host country’s economy and don’t have the common decency to make some effort at learning the local lingo. I’m not saying all expats should become fluent (Lord knows I’m not fluent in Korean), but a little effort goes a long, long way in terms of diplomacy: Koreans, as you know, are often delighted when you show interest in their culture.
That said, I would humbly recommend that you practice your Hangeul reading skills by learning to navigate the following three things:
1. a subway map of Seoul that is only in Korean
2. restaurant menus at local dives
3. a world map done up only in Korean
There’s a reason for each one:
1. The subway map is a practical guide, and therefore relevant for travel. Learning to pronounce Korean location names the Korean way, and not the anglophone way, can be helpful if/when you take a taxi, use a bus, or even drive through Seoul. All-Korean maps are often handed out by ajummas at subway station exits. They’re free. The only disadvantage is that they’re also written in a teeny-tiny font because they’re meant to fit into wallets. You can solve this problem by going to a photocopier and blowing the image up.
2. Local restos outside of foreigner zones often don’t print their menus in English. If you plan to travel outside of Seoul with any degree of independence, learning to read menus is a very good idea. Picking up a menu from a local kimbap restaurant is also free, and a great way to learn a lot of food vocabulary FAST. These places usually serve a wide variety of typical Korean dishes, and the menus are often printed out as flyers meant to be distributed on the street. Again– free!
3. Seeing the names of familiar countries in Korean can be helpful for understanding how Koreans look at the world. Also, because Koreans often transcribe country names in a manner that foreigners can recognize (example: Canada = “Kae-nah-dah”; Mexico = “Maek-shi-k’o”), you can use the map to give you hints as to how a given country’s name is pronounced. Here, of course, the all-Korean map won’t be free, but it won’t be expensive, either, if you buy it at a local bookstore.
Again, hats off to you for making this effort. I think it’s great and I wish you the best of luck as you continue to study.
Kevin
Thanks, Kevin. I appreciate your support and advice. This is something I intended to do from day 1, but I got lost in the fog of Itaewon. I remember once two women were speaking German in my Itaewon bar and I said, “damn it, you are in Korea, speak English!” So, it was time to get with the program.