Because it took some time to get situated with a learning partner, I haven't had the chance to meet with mine very much yet. However, by speaking to him a little, I was able to get a different understanding of the Korean culture I was not aware of. For example, when I visited Korea a year and a half ago, I got the impression that while Koreans are very friendly towards people they know, they can seem kind of cold to strangers. Because Koreans don't seem to engage in small talk with strangers, that's the impression that I got. However, my language partner insisted that this isn't true, and since he actually lived in Korea for years, I am sure I was not able to get the right impression by only staying there for a week. It seems that there are a lot of parts of Korean culture I am not fully familiar with, and I hope to talk more with my language partner and learn more .
As for the language, I have been able to work a little on my writing and speaking skills. I feel that it has improved a little, and with more practice with my language partner over the semester, I should be able to reach my goal of writing a letter by the end of the semester. I have also had the opportunity to speak more Korean recently, and am becoming more comfortable with it. Now, I hope to further that knowledge into being able to understand more difficult language such as what is spoken on the news or in documentaries. I have watched a few clips of the Korean news to see how much I can understand. While there is still a lot of vocabulary I still struggle with, I think with a little more practice and studying this semester, I will be able to work towards understanding more difficult phrases. I also plan on continuing to practice speaking about not only everyday aspects, but also things like current events.
I think particularly for Korean, understanding the culture is an integral part of speaking the language. Because there is such a high value in respect dependent on age, this flows straight into how the language is spoken. Unlike English, all sentences are grammatically changed when speaking to an elder versus a friend your age. You must also know that even if someone looks your age, you must verify that they are exactly your age and younger before you can speak "banmal" with them. Even if they are younger, it may also be appropriate to use more formal language until you are comfortable with each other. Because I have a background in Korean, I was already familiar with this concept. However, I do believe that understanding the culture is an integral part of learning any language.
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