another update!

Well, sad to say, South Korea lost to Uraguay last night. I do believe last night was the first soccer game I have ever watched in its entirety, I was totally rooting for the South Koreans. Korea scored once and Uruguay twice... Grr...

Okay, back to the updating.

I don't remember what exactly we did on Monday evening, so I will pick on Tuesday. In class that day, we had our first session of Korean language (Hangeul). It was pretty awesome. :) The instructor spoke Korean most of the time, just introducing us to the vowels and consonants (next week I think we are looking at the grammar, so I may be able to make a sentence all by myself, as opposed to just parroting back what the buddies have said). The constuction of the Korean characters is simply brilliant, just by the way. It's a bit hard to explain, but basically each character is a composite of different markings that, together, form a specific sound. Okay, looking back, that doesn't really make much sense... Here, let me try this:

ㅂ + ㅣ = 비
or...
ㄴ + ㅏ = 나

Each individual piece is assigned itw own sound and together it forms its own word. Next time I update, I will bring my notes to maybe better explain.

After the language class and lunch, we had a lecture on Intercultural Communication. The lecturer (who, by the way, apparently knows Kirsten Sheppard) spoke to us on the difficulties that we encounter when attempting to communicate between people of even our own culture, then extrapolated to apply the difficulties on communcation between persons of differing cultures.

He told us about how Koreans come from a "high context" culture in which a lot of communication is structured on the non-verbal and intutition. In opposition, the United States is a "low context" culture, meaning that we communicate more verbally and directly. He mentioned that, as in many Asian cultures, a person may be superficially cheerful and jovial or smiling even if you have offended or angered them. This is a little hard to accept, as you can probably well imagine. I know some of this already, since I took Intercultural Communication with Kirsten Sheppard during a January term at Maryville a few years ago, but it is a "whole 'nother story" to be actualy living it. I am much more accustomed to knowing if I have offended someone using cues such as their demeanor, tone of voice, facial expression, all that goes into body language. Here in Korea, the signs are different, and coming from a "low context" culture, the signs are almost undiscernable. It's frustrating, to say the least. The lecturer, Dr. John Stiles, however, told us that a smile will get you far, and to just stay positive. He made the point that we are only in Korea for a short time, and it is inevitable that we will offend. I have come to the realisation that I just have to do the best I can and let the rest go.

At this point, I have decided that I am going to keep a small journal with me, because I keep forgetting what I do at night. Thankfully, many of the students have cameras, so it is easier to keep track that way. I know that the longer I wait to update, the more I will lose. The experience of the Korean Studies Summer Program has thus far been enjoyable, fun, hilarious, exhilarating, confusing, frustrating, but all around a blast. I may be speaking too early, but I do believe that I will come back time and time again. Three weeks is not enough time to experience all that South Korea has to offer. This culture is vibrant, intense, complex, and, well, awesome. :)