소희
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A new language challenge
Several people in the language learning universe have inspired me to do a challenge, among them are my good friends Jeremy and Jonson from the Spongemind podcast. I’m obviously still studying and speaking Korean every day, so no changes there, but just to push myself a bit further, I’ve taken on a new 90-day challenge…
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Awesome Korean slang expressions
I’ve started to become a regular guest at the Playground café in Hongdae. (If you look through their facebook pics, you’ll see proof that I was there.) This café is an awesome place where Koreans and foreigners can get together and exchange languages. This week, I went there on Tuesday and met a couple of…
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The challenge of teaching economics in Korea
This has definitely proven to be more challenging than I had expected, but certainly not in a boring way. Teaching in Korea has also made me rethink which examples I use when I teach economics. It turns out that not all everyday examples work in the same way in a Danish/American or Korean classroom. Today I was…
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My first Chuseok
Although I actually celebrated my own little version of Chuseok last year, this year marked my first Chuseok in Korea. Chuseok is the Korean harvest festival, or Korean Thanksgiving, which is usually celebrated some time in either September or October. Since the date is determined by the lunar calendar, it varies from one year to the next.…
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Inappropriate Korean
Not that I advocate broadcasting your knowledge of inappropriate, suggestive, or lewd Korean to everyone, but sometimes it’s useful to be able to decode what Koreans say, even when they say something that may sound seemingly innocent. A few decades ago, a guy might have had other motives than exclusively philatelic interests if he asked a girl to…
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Adapting to life in Seoul
I’ve almost been here six weeks now, and I’m happy to report that I’m adapting to life here more easily than I had imagined. Seoul definitely feels like home in a strange way, I can’t quite explain. While I’m doing the same kind of job as I did back home, I still feel that my everyday…
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Going all Korean in Hongdae
This Friday I did something I haven’t done in a loooong time. I went to an international language exchange meet-and-greet party in Hongdae. Alone! With my husband out with some friends, and my Korean best friend abroad on vacation, I was without my usual companions for a Friday night on the town. Since it had been…
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Class is in session
This morning I taught my very first class at Sogang University. I’ve been looking forward to this day for quite some time, and I’ve been preparing for ages. Usually, when I’m teaching a new class I’m always a bit nervous, but somehow today was different. I felt oddly at home in the tiny Korean classroom, and all…
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The Korean concept of “han”
“Korea has a lot of han.” This is usually the explanation, when foreigners wonder why Koreans seem to have a particular preference for movies and dramas with tragic endings over the Hollywood sugar-coated happy ending. This is probably also the reason why the classic movie “Love Story” from 1970 was such a big hit in Korea.…
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So you can’t make it? Nope!
Those of my readers who know me well will know that if there’s one thing in this world I tolerate badly (besides dairy) it’s tardiness. Nothing is more frustrating than when people are late. Although the Korean mentality is balli balli (quickly quickly), everybody in this country seems annoyingly unable to show up on time. This week…
Sofie to Korea 