Unexpected Korean

These past few weeks have been horrible in terms of my Korean studies. I haven’t had the time or energy to even think about opening my textbooks. Then the semester started on the 28th, so trying to juggle the semester and work has been very anxiety inducing. I haven’t had a full week of it, yet I’m still trying to put it all together in my head. When will I dedicate time to do homework? When will I have time to have a break? Will my performance as a student and an employee suffer?

It’s all very confusing and just thinking about it is upsetting. But I’m trying to take one thing at a time and not get ahead of myself, as I often do. I tend to create problems before they actually arise. Anyway, this post is not going in the direction I thought it would….

Yesterday, I went to the movies with a coworker. I’m glad we are becoming friends because for a while I wasn’t up to making any friends. I found out that she’s into Kpop and Jpop. So we were totally fangirling over 소녀시대 and F(x), which was very exciting. We both don’t know anyone else who likes Korean music, so we have that connection

When we went to watch the movie, “Lucy”, we fangirled over Scarlett Johansson! ㅋㅋㅋ The movie was about a woman named Lucy who unlocks the full potential of her brain because she was exposed to a synthetic drug. She was so badass. Anyway, the bad guys who were after her and the drugs were Korean. They spoke Korean in the movie and most of it was translated through a translator or subtitles. I did not know that there was going to be a Korean element in this movie. But I was really freaking out because I could understand around 40-50% of it! I was picking out certain words and then inferred the rest based on the context. Alot of the words were commands and threats so it wasn’t incredibly difficult. I don’t think I learned any new words because it was very fast and obviously I couldn’t pause the movie. But I’m still proud of myself for being able to pick out words that I have encountered before.

Even slow progress is progress, right?

8월 2일 – 8월 11일

2일 (토)

-KGIU: Unit 3 Particles

• 08 N 에서
• 09 N 에서 N 까지, N 부터 N 까지
• 10 N 에게/한테

-사랑비

• 제 1 회
• 제 2 회

4일 (월)

-사랑비

• 제 3 회
• 제 4 회

6일 (수)

-KGIU: Unit 3 Particles

• 11 N 도
• 12 N 만
• 13 N 밖에

7일 (목)

-사랑비

• 제 5 회

11일 (월)

-KGIU: Unit 3 Particles

• 14 N (으)로
• 15 N (이) 나 Part 1
• 16 N (이) 나 Part 2
• 17 N 쯤

-사랑비

• 제 6 회
• 제 7 회

 

As far as making sample sentences, I’ve been doing poorly ㅎㅎㅎㅎ I always forget about it…

I’m working 3 days this week with 2 closing shifts so I’ll probably get nothing else done ㅠ.ㅠ I’m really scared about closing shifts because I feel like I haven’t been trained enough. 잘할게~~! 화이팅~!!!!! ^^

Lots of Changes

For the last 2 weeks or so a lot has changed.

After my first interview on the 18th, I had my second interview on the 25th. I got the job which I was really happy about. It’s my first job ever. It’s at a clothing store so I don’t feel like I can really mess up ㅎㅎㅎ Then I had orientation and training on the 29th and 30th, which went fairly well. I made some big mistakes and totally cried on my first day but I won’t really be in trouble or anything. Training on the cash register was just a bit overwhelming and I cried in front of the woman who trained me. Still kinda embarrassed about that but eh, what can you do? For the next few days I wasn’t feeling so well because of exhaustion and being so overwhelmed. But I plan on taking relaxation pills so I’m not so anxious and overwhelmed on the next day I work. But I’m still in training pretty much.

Besides getting a job and trying not to have a panic attack, I also had to help my girlfriend move in with me. I’m totally excited she’s moving in but it’s a lot of physical work in order to rearrange the house better. This was happening at the same time I was feeling exhausted from work. So I still don’t have much energy, even though this was only 3 days ago.

Basically we have until Monday to rearrange the house because everyone starts the work week again and we’ll be too tired. I work on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. I’ll be training on the sales floor so I think I’ll be able to handle everything better. 

This is a really long and unnecessary post just to say that I haven’t done much in the area of Korean! ㅎㅎㅎ In the last few days, I’ve only been finishing up 총리와 나 and watching reality shows with 소녀시대 because I’m a new fan. (Side Note: I really liked 총리와 나 even though everyone was saying the ending was pointless. I really liked the ending because I feel like it was realistic. She needed her space to grieve, which he gave her and then she came back. I feel like the handshake was a symbol that they are both new people now and they need to get reacquainted. I honestly feel like that’s how I would react if it was me.) Everything has been with subtitles because I’m trying not to overestimate my level, which will just make me really frustrated.

Anyway, hopefully I can get back into doing a little each day after I get more settled at work and at home. The semester is starting soon which is kinda sucky! So I want to get things done before I get REALLY busy. 

할 수 있어요!~~ 

7/10 – 7/21

10 일 (목) – 12 일 (토)

– I didn’t do any work due to being obsessed with watching kpop collection videos and making lists of what I want to buy when I get a job. I’m kinda prone to obsessive habits like that. I usually get stuck on things for a few days or until I think I’ve found everything thing I can find out. I did that for like 2 weeks before I started learning Korean. Anyway…next

 

13 일 (일)

-TTMIK Level 2 lesson 9 (counters) and half of 10 (Present Progressive)

 

14 일 (월)

-TTMIK Level 2 Lesson 10 continued and 11 (self-introduction)

 

15 일 (화)

-TTMIK Level 2 Lesson 12 (What date is it?)

-KGIU: Unit 3 (particles) Section 1 (N이/가), 2 (N은/는), 3 (N을/를)

 

16 일 (수)

-Penguin Loves Mev 123 and 124 화

-총리와 나 episode 8 and 9

 

17 일 (목) – 19 일 (토)

– I didn’t get the chance to do any work because I suddenly got a job interview that I was really nervous about. It ended up going well and I have another one next week. Also on Saturday, I had to take my cat to the vet and later in the evening I went to a Sara Bareilles concert that was amazing! She’s really awesome. Check her out!

 

20 일 (일)

-총리와 나  ep 10

 

21 일 (월) ?

-KGIU: Unit 3 (Particles)

-총리와 나 ep 11 – ?

 

I haven’t really been following my schedule. I think part of that is because I found out that I choose things that were beyond my level. It’s hard to find resources outside of textbooks. I do intend on buying reading and writing textbooks when I save up money (they are so expensive). So for now I think I’ll stick to TTMIK, KGIU, Penguin Loves Mev, and a drama that I find interesting.

 

I hope those of you that are a schedule are doing better than I am ㅎㅎㅎㅎ ^^

Learning Log

6일 일요일

• KGIU: Unit 2- Negative Expressions
• Practice PenmanshipTo practice my penmanship I printed out lyrics and traced it. I feel like my handwriting is too blocky and I want it to be pretty ㅎㅎㅎ here’s an example:

  

  SPICA – Tonight lyrics

 

7일 월요일

• Update Lang-8 with examples on tenses
• Practice Penmanship
• Readings from Fresh Korean (X)

I had a serious problem reading the story from Fresh Korean. It was way beyond my level so I pretty much failed ㅎㅎㅎ so I think I’ll just do Ewha that day or find another website to use. I was thinking about Sogang.

8일 화요일

• Nothing, I was too busy and tired ㅜㅜ

9일 수요일

• Basic Conversations from Fresh Korean
• Update Lang-8 with examples on negative expressions
• Read ebook (?)

Because I skipped yesterday I had to double up today. I decided to do the all the Basic Conversations instead of the Extended ones from Fresh Korean. I found that there were sentence endings that I haven’t seen before, which kinda sucks. I tried looking it up but I couldn’t find anything. I might read Penguin Loves Mev today if my brain isn’t too fried in a few hours.

So, so far my new schedule is working really well. It’s been less than a week but I have already noticed a momentum building. I’m excited everyday to complete a milestone or to just check something off my list.

Until next time! ^^

Weekly Schedule

Korean Schedule
Monday:
-Reading-
Korean story plus worksheet from Fresh Korean

Tuesday:
-Reading-
Extended conversations from Fresh Korean

Wednesday:
-Reading-
Find an ebook or webnovel
update blog

Thursday:
-Listening-
Podcasts List from Hanguk Drama

Friday:
-Listening-
watch an episode of a drama without subs then with subs

Saturday:
-Grammar and Vocabulary-
Complete a few lessons from TTMIK (level 2)
update blog

Sunday:
-Grammar and Vocabulary-
Complete a few pages of KGIU: Beginner

I realize that there is a lot of focus on reading but that’s because I feel like that is my weakest point. I hope that this will make me more comfortable in recognizing the vocabulary that I have learned already. There aren’t that many resources in Fresh Korean but I think it’ll buy me time to find more things to read. For an ebook or webnovel, if I can’t find one then I’ll probably read Penguin Loves Mev. I want to find a drama that I’m really interested in, if not I’ll most likely rewatch 별에서 온 그대.  I want to do around 2 or 3 lessons in TTMIK a week, maybe more if they are related or if I learned it already. For the KGIU, I want to do a section of a unit a day. As for updating this blog I plan on doing that twice a week, just small posts on anything that confused me or if I want to review anything. I really hope I stick to this schedule! I’m usually not good at schedules but I do think that I love Korean enough.

Do you guys have a schedule? Was it hard or easy to stick to it? Did it help you be more organized in your learning? 

Have a good weekend ^^

Ewha Exercise

Just a short post about another exercise that I completed in the Ewha workbook. I was finishing 제5과: 하루 일과 and I figured I would post it to monitor my progress better. I tend not to look back in my notebooks or textbooks. Anyway, here goes:

엘릭 씨의 하루 일과

엘릭 씨는 아침 6시에 일어납니다. 그리고 6시 10분에 세수합니다. 6시 45분에 아침을 먹습니다. 식사 후에 학교에 갑니다. 엘릭 씨는 영어 선생님입니다. 7시에 학교에 갑니다. 9시부터 12시까지 영어를 가르칩니다. 12시부터 1시까지 점심 먹습니다. 1시에 퇴근합니다. 퇴근 후에 스포츠 센터에 갑니다. 2시부터 4시까지 운동을 합니다. 운동을 후에 샤워합니다. 7시부터 9시까지 한국말을 배웁니다. 보통 10시에 집에 갑니다.

Have a nice week and study hard ^^

Schedule

While on a trip to Korea Town a few days ago, my girlfriend and I were discussing the easiest way to learn. She believes that I need a set schedule everyday. I would agree. However, I’ve never been that organized with how I learn. I don’t even know how I learn. So I think that’s why I find myself so disorganized.

So in response to her advice, I want to gather resources that will give me a comprehensive style of learning. I thought about spending at least an hour a day on the main parts of Korean (writing, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, reading etc.)

Following this plan will require me to gather more resources considering I only have my Ewha textbook and workbook and my KGIU. Ewha is broken up into these sections but I doubt it’ll be enough. I really hope to find websites and/or ebooks that will help me to have a more complete understanding of Korean. I’ll update when I get my resources and schedule complete. Wish me luck! I think I’ll need it!! ㅎㅎㅎ

Anniversary

I missed it by a couple of days but this month is the one year anniversary of my studying Korean. On June 13th I started my Korean learning journey. It’s kind of hard to believe! I feel like I haven’t made as much progress as I would have liked but I am aware of my limitations during the semester and lack of motivation laziness. Since the summer break has started for me, I have only studied about 3 times. But that’s mostly because I’ve been trying to catch up on reading. So I’ve been reading all day and watching the World Cup. Summer = distractions and it being too hot to even move.

Anyway, I just wanted to acknowledge the work I’ve been able to put into this and I’ll work harder to meet my goals. I also want to thank all of my followers for 1) taking the time to follow my blog 2) reading my posts (don’t know if any of you do, but it’s okay) 3) for offering suggestions and advice and finally, the most important thing, 4) for inspiring me. I thank you all ❤

I hope I can achieve some more of my goals this summer and I wish the same for you all as well ^^

-Noel

하루 일과

Just a short post about a new paragraph (if you can call it that) that I wrote. The assignment was to write about your daily schedule. I basically wrote about how I spent me days a few semesters ago, since it was more interesting. Anyway, this was from 이화 한국어 1-1 제5과. I found that writing this paragraph was a little easier vocabulary wise than the passage I wrote about 우리 집 I few months back. But it was harder grammar wise, mostly because I forgot am out of practice. If you have any corrections or suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it ^^

저는 오전 8시 30분에 일어납니다.  8시 40분에 샤워합니다. 9시에 학교에 갑니다. 9시 20분에 아침을 먹습니다. 보통 커피와 오트밀을 먹습니다. 그리고 9시 30분부터 3시까지 수업을 받습니다. 저는 전공이 인류학 있습니다. 저는 보통 1시에 점심을 먹습니다. 그 후에 다시 수업을 받습니다. 3시에 집에 갑니다. 4시 15분에 간식을 먹습니다. 8시까지 숙제합니다. 오후 인터넷과 텔레비전을 합니다. 11시에 접니다.

 

On to 제6과!!! I’m so excited to be near the end of this book