The power of serendipity
Acquiring a new language is much like discovering a new identity. A new version of yourself if you will. If you know more than one language, then I encourage you […]
Gratitude
While Monday was tough for me, I feel that things have been picking up a bit the past couple of days. Since I’m on sabbatical, I’ve got a lot of […]
What does it mean to be fluent?
Are you fluent in Korean? This is a question that I hear quite often and my usual answer is yes. But to be honest, the correct answer is maybe. Because, […]
Advanced Korean writing patterns
I’m currently auditing a class at Sogang called 읽기와 쓰기 or, in plain English, Reading and Writing. More than trying to pass for an undercover student (even though I own […]
Learning Korean with FRIENDS
I’ve been an avid fan of this epic tv show for as long as it’s been around, and I still remember how I used to learn English watching and rewatching […]
A mind-blowing reading experience
The winter break is soon over and I’ll officially start teaching again next week. These days the Sogang campus is packed with new graduates clad in the traditional cap and […]
My morning routine
I once heard someone calling mornings “the rudder of the day”, meaning that how you start your mornings will determine how your day will progress. The morning is the time […]
Thankful
With the year coming to an end, it’s time to look back and reflect. It’s been a truly amazing year full of experiences and exciting trips in and outside of Korea, […]
Slow down… reflect and learn
There’s a book that I’ve already read 3 times this summer, once in English, once in Korean, and once as an audio book. Okay, well, then technically I only *read* […]
Taking on a new Korean challenge
I had originally planned on enrolling in Sogang Korean level 7, but unfortunately, there was only one sign-up aside from myself, so they had to cancel level 7 this fall […]
What language learning and martial arts have in common
This week I tried something I’ve never done before. Prompted by a friend I registered for a Krav Maga class in Itaewon. In case you haven’t heard about Krav Maga, […]
Believe in yourself
I recently started tutoring a Korean woman who wants to improve her English conversation skills. She understands almost everything and her writing is good, but she lacks speaking confidence and […]
Open your books
I once had a brilliant lecturer who told us that “you don’t get smart from just leaving the books on your shelf – you have to actually read them”. Wise […]
Why all Korean learners should learn (a few) Chinese characters
In my interactions with other Korean learners, I’ve frequently heard complaints that Chinese characters (which for the record do not appear often in written Korean) are hard. Using this as […]
Korea: A year in the life
“525,600 minutes, 525,600 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, […]
Getting back on track with Japanese
As regular readers of my blog will know, I gave a pitiful attempt at learning Japanese in the fall. Then I got busy with my Korean studies at Sogang, and […]
Sofie to Korea 