How I Learned to Read and Write Korean (1)

My adventures in South Korea began with an important language lesson

After university, I decided to move to Daegu, South Korea, to teach English for a year. All my research told me it wasn't necessary to learn Korean. I thought I would need to study it, but every website, blog and forum  said no. So when I left for Korea, the only Korean word in my vocabulary was kimchi. 

When I arrived in Seoul, I felt baffled by the unusual Korean writing. Lines and circles were everywhere I looked; only some were translated into English.

On the bus ride to Daegu, Korean was on every sign we passed. It bothered me that I couldn't read anything. I looked at the bus ticket in my hands - more lines and circles My eyes settled on one symbol - it looked like a phone hanging on a wall. I decided to play a game of I Spy with myself. I searched the passing scenery for this same symbol. Later I would discover this symbol, "(대구/Korean: [tɛɡu])" is the first in the name "Daegu", my new home.

Info Cloud
Hi, friends. If you’re still in high school, have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate? Are you going to go to college or are you going to go to university?

These are two distinct questions. But if you’re in the U.S., the two questions are actually one and the same.

That’s right. Americans use the terms “college” and “university” to mean the same thing. It’s common to say someone is going off to college even if they’re actually going to university. But technically, the two terms are different.

That’s right. Colleges are usually small and only offer four-year degrees. Universities are large, made up of many colleges. For example, Ohio State University has its own College of Arts and Sciences among others.

Though they’re smaller, some of the top-ranked schools in the U.S. are colleges. One example is the Ivy League school Dartmouth College.

And that’s quite different from a community college, which offers trade and technical certifications and training, but seldom offers four-year degrees.

Which are called bachelor’s degrees. Universities, on the other hand, can offer advanced degrees like master’s degrees and doctoral degrees.

Language Lab
forum n. 針對某個議題的論壇或討論會/ 針對哪個議題用on
a meeting at which a subject can be discussed
- Representatives from many countries attended the forum on global warming.
forum 
an organization, meeting, TV programme etc where people have a chance to publicly discuss an important subject
- The website is a forum on political issues.

baffle v. 使困惑, 難住
/ˈbæfəl/
if something baffles you, you cannot understand or explain it at all
- The software's complicated installment procedure really baffled me.
baffling adj. 令人困惑的, 難對付的; 難解的
- There seems to be no reason for her baffling symptoms.

settle on [phrasal verb]  目光落在某處 [settle 定居]
- The director's eyes settled on Melody, a brilliant and magnetic performer.

scenery n. 風景, 風光，景色，周遭的環境
the natural features of a particular part of a country that you can see, such as mountains, forests, deserts etc
- The photo can't capture the beautiful scenery of the valley.
scenery 舞台布景
the painted background, furniture etc used on a theatre stage
- The musical's scenery was designed and built by the seniors.

Review Skit
Here I am, in Korea!
I decided to move here to teach English.
Ah, English, English.
I wanted to study Korean before I came, but no!
All my research said it wasn't necessary.
Every website, blog and forum said no.
No. No.
So here I am in Korea, and the only Korean word in my vocabulary is kimchi.
Ah, kimchi.
Yeah. Korean writing baffles me.
I see lines and circles everywhere I look.
Even on my bus ticket, it has lines and circles.
Lines and circles.
Yeah.
On my bus ride to Daegu, I saw Korean writing on every sign.
Only some were translated, so I couldn’t read anything – just lines and circles.
Lines and circles.
That bothers me.
So I’m playing a game with myself.
I’m trying to find this symbol, the one that looks like a phone hanging on a wall.
Yeah, a phone! Hello. Hello…
Yeah. I wonder what this symbol means.
Daegu. Daegu… Here, here.
Really! So this symbol is the first name of my new home.
Home. Daegu. Welcome.
Oh. Thank you. Uh…
Uh, you want some kimchi? You look hungry.
Let’s go eat.
You speak English!
Of course.

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