April 11, 2015
For the past six weeks
every weekday I have woken up at 6am and fallen asleep around 12pm. This has
been one of the most productive time periods of my life. My method for
preparing for the TOPIK test has been condensing all the grammar and vocabulary
from various study guides into assorted notebooks and flashcards. In addition
to that, I go to Korean language class for two hours everyday with the Chinese
students at our school, and another four hour class at Daedong University every
Friday. Nowadays I'm finding more and more people who will speak to me
comfortably in Korean. Even though I'm far from fluent, I can see the progress
I've made everyday from conversations with friends and family, listening to TV
programs, seeing new signs, and taking more practice tests. Amidst all the
studying, there are still fun and valuable times that I have experienced during
the month of March (and April so far).
Back in the beginning of March, I got to go to Jeju Island
a second time. This time with the Rotary crew. I was apprehensive before going
because since I had such a wonderful time with my host family, I thought I
wouldn't enjoy the foreigner version. But to my pleasant surprise I was proven
wrong. We left on the 11th and stayed in a small house in between
various activities around the island. We had a barbeque, went to a circus,
touched dolphins, went to a dinosaur themed park, walked a lot, saw lots of
beautiful scenery and completed the largest maze in the world. Usually I don't
like On the 14th we returned back to Busan and I left my wallet on
the tour bus but they sent it to me for free.
The following week my youngest host aunt opened her 3rd
restaurant so I was invited to check it out and ended up helping out. Friday
night, Saturday, and Sunday I got to see my extended host family as well as
experience somewhat of a part time job. The restaurant has a connected
playground the floor below it and that is where I signed children in and made
sure they didn't hurt themselves. It was an excellent opportunity to test my
Korean skills since children don't know how to speak English yet (most of them
anyway). The adults that came with their kids also didn't feel the need to try
speaking English with me because they figured that if I was there, I would know
Korean. Dealing with many noisy kids for a long time is hard work, but I felt
rewarded every time with a free meal from the restaurant before going home.
On the first of April I skipped school to hang-glide off
of my apartment building. That was a joke. Like the ones that actually happened
that day. It was quite interesting because I didn't know Koreans did anything
for April Fool's day in the first place, and I had forgotten about it when
people who were not in my class came into my class and sat down. That day my
classmates wore red circles on their cheeks and only said “Pika pika” during
class. Our homeroom (also math) teacher played along and only taught in English
and Japanese (not successfully). We also turned our desks to face the back of
the class then made a big circle and then went outside to take pictures under
the fully bloomed cherry trees. Good memories.
That weekend took a more serious turn. On that Saturday
my host grandfather passed away. I received the news from my first host mother
at 7am and she asked me to take care of the kids. A bit later my little host
sister and host cousins came to the apartment and I kept them entertained and
fed for the day. Late afternoon my host brother came with some groceries and
left me with instructions for dinner and what not. As long as the kids were
occupied and happy I had an easy time. I let them use my computer for games and
I played the piano with my little host sister.
After dinner my host moms and aunts called periodically to thank me for
watching the kids. It was my pleasure to help them how I could. The next day I
woke up around 6am to the kids playing loudly and made breakfast to make them
quiet again. Before lunch they went with my older host cousin to the funeral
and I stayed at home. I went to school by myself the following morning.
This week I took practice tests and studied and arrived
to the weekend safely. I realized my birthday was coming up when upon entering
my dorm Thursday night my Korean buddy had left me a present on my desk. Friday
morning I received a glass bottle of birthday wishes from my class mates. That
afternoon I went on a stroll along Oncheonjang river with a friend. My real mom
sent me a early birthday wish too. I am very happy and blessed. Time is running
short for my time in Korea but as long as I don't think too much about it I
won't be sad. I'm sure when the end comes I will be ready, but for now I am
still blissful here in Busan.
