Reflect upon what you have learned about the culture(s) you have been studying:
Ahhhhhh it makes me a little sad to reflect on what I've learned about the Korean culture while studying it this semester! Reflections always make things seem like they're actually coming to an end and as a senior, wow! I'm in such an emotional roller coaster of a ride with wrapping up my undergraduate career!
For me, learning Korean and about Korea and its culture has been such a dream! It's been a ride full of pleasant surprises, some upsets, and mostly a lot of self-discovery. I think what makes learning Korean even more special for me is that I was able to live and study in Korea for six whole months! South Korea to me, is truly a second home! It's also the place where I reconnected with my spirituality and where I recommitted my life to Jesus. I had such a beautiful and transformational time abroad in South Korea and I cannot wait to go back!
I guess for this semester, really learning about the Korean Church has been one of the most amazing experiences of my Korean language learning! I still remember when I was first learning how to pray my simple and short prayer to God! I was so nervous and it was such a great feeling to speak to God in a different language knowing that He knows and sees my heart in trying to connect with Him in a different language! I was just reminded of how scary language learning is and how I need to be more aware of my use of English when I go back to Korea. Really, whenever I travel to a non-native English speaking country, to be honest. So that was a really humbling moment for me, to be insecure in my language ability and realize again that this is the reality of many people living in my own country, the United States.
I think a big barrier [but that I've found to be quite beautiful] is that just like in English, there is a particular vocabulary when it comes to the Church. Certain Korean language is only used specifically in the Church and/or when speaking about the Christian religion. I've only really learned the standard form of honorifics so learning how to address God and elders in the Church was definitely an experience for me! But totally a good one!
This semester has really stretched me in growing more passionate and in love with this language! I've come to realize that learning Korean isn't as hard as I've mentally made it to be and I'm excited to dig deeper to cultivate an even more rich self-directed language learning after I graduate!
Thank you for an amazing two semesters of learning Korean when it was needed the most for my journey we call life!
[the beloved Korean finger heart ㅋㅋㅋ it was really popular when I was studying abroad there Spring 2017]
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