Fish Out of Water

Korean Café in the King Library

Only two students sat in the reserved study room for the “Korean Café” on Wednesday. They had been at previous sessions, and their understanding and grasp of the Korean tongue was evident.

I tensed a bit realizing I was out of my depth but I was down for an hour-long challenge.  My insight on Korean culture was short:  kimchi, the division between North and South Koreas and former NBA Star Denise Rodman’s weird connection with the North Korean 'nuclear-threaten' dictator Kim Jong-Un.

My shoulders soften as the teacher Celine Lee welcomed me and cordially invited me to mimic her in saying a few phrases in the phonetic language. It was a different mouth feel and required your ears, eyes and verbal dexterity. Lee shared that there are 14 constants and 10 vowels in her native language. She explained that the written symbols captured the spirit of the visual world: the sky, people and the land.

The written system reminded me of playing hangman –my mind drifted a bit as Lee piled study sheets before each of us.  I refocused as she wrote out my name in the symbols. Then shared with us how to use the Hangeul, Korean alphabet, as we sound out words.

“How have you been – Jal/ji/nae/sheo/sseo/yo?” Janice said in Korean. She was a Japanese student who wanted to learn Korean as her third language. Lee congratulated her and shared how we are to use different expressions to greet friends verses strangers.

Then we jumped to numbers. First we focused on saying 0-19 and then reviewing how you multiple and add to the to larger digits. Then Lee shared about how to order popular Korean dishes in restaurants. She give us sheets with flavors in beef dishes  Bulgogi and Galbi.  

The class had only a few more sessions before summer and she started preparing her ongoing students for their next lesson. It was a light and generous learning space. But I am not sure when I will use Korean and it got me out of my comfort zone.