kangmi: learning korean

I’ve always liked learning languages. I picked up Spanish by being sent to a middle school classroom with a blank look on my face (long story).

When I first went to Korea I figured I would pick up the language in no time. That didn’t happen. I decided to teach myself; this increased the weight of my backpack without any appreciable change in my proficiency. Eventually I decided to take some classes (given that I was working as a teacher at the time, one would think that the idea would occur sooner: one would think). For the record, YBM/시사 is nearly as expensive as it is effective. When I left Korea in the fall of 2003 I told myself that if I ever went back I’d take the KPT so I could have some sort of tangible proof that I wasn’t entirely ignorant.

On my return I looked for the KPT study guide in 영풍문고, didn’t find it and promptly forgot about it. Somewhere in the middle of the year I saw an announcement in the Korea Herald that the registration for the exam was open. When I went to the website I realized how poor my reading really was. Several long minutes later I figured out that although the 2004 registration had not yet been posted, I could register for the 2003 version. This was remedied a few days later and I downloaded the form and avoided filling it out. After learning the difference between typed and hand-written Korean (strangely it doesn’t just arrange itself in neat squares by itself when you write it), I sent it in. A day or so later the institute secretary called me out of the staff room to answer the phone.

“여보세요?”

“네?”

After a bit of confusion, I realized that it was from KICE. Apparently you’re supposed to decide what you’re putting on a form before you seal it in an envelope. Right after I dropped it in the mail I realized that I hadn’t chosen a level; I was pretty confident with my ability to handle level 2 but I thought I should challenge myself and take level 3. Unsurprisingly, I said “이단계” The study guides were still not in, and I pestered the staff of 영풍 everytime I was in 서울. Finally, in July I got the study guide and, naturally, I carried it around in my backpack. July was a busy month and the book would probably have stayed in my bag indefinitely (till the Sept exam that is) were it not for my ‘coffee club?’ a trio of coworkers with whom I regularly went out for tea. When they found out that I was planning to take the test, they nagged me mercilessly. When I actually started studying I realized cowardice was the better part of success. Level 2 was harder than I thought. I was a little disappointed to discover that the study guide was nothing more than a compilation of the 6 previous tests but I went over them, one a week, until I could complete a test in about half the allotted time. I was living way out in the sticks, 춘천 a town of 300K people an hour from 서울, so I decided to spend the weekend in 서울. On Thursday, my friends showered me with gifts; 엿, 떡, and even a tiny pair of scissors to hang on my phone.

The test was in the afternoon but on Sunday morning I got on the subway headed for서울교대. On arrival, I explored the entire campus before relenting and asking a security guard where I was supposed to be going. After more aimless wandering (interspersed with occasional requests for directions to people who turned out to be fellow test-takers who were as new to the building as I was), I located my room and my assigned seat.

I couldn’t study. The majority of the people seated in the room were reviewing furiously but I couldn’t see what difference a few more minutes would so I started chatting with the guy next to me. He turned out to be an exchange student from China (where, I don’t now remember). My chattiness turned out to be a problem. There was a news crew (SBS if I recall correctly) hanging around and, when they noticed how voluable I was (and am) they asked me to give an interview after the test. The attractiveness of the reporter overcame my better judgement and I consented.

The test itself was actually quite anticlimactic. After being very challenged by the practice tests (except for listening which was disproportionately easy) I was surprised by how easy the real thing seemed.

After I finished, I went out and had my interview. Once the camera started rolling, I forgot every single word of Korean I know. Naturally, those few of my 아줌마 students who saw it said I did very well.

I returned home and waited the 6 weeks or so that it took for the results to come out. When they did, I searched the list for my name. It wasn’t there. I checked with my first name alone, then with my last, still nothing. I came very close to tears. Then I thought to check for my number and, thankfully, there was my name. Both first and last were misspelled. I was unreasonably overjoyed. Mastering the second level of a six level test is no great achievement, especially compared to folks like Joel (Level 5) and especially oranckay(Level 6) (my apologies for the shameless kissing up), but that’s how I felt.

Hopefully when I go back to Korea I’ll be able to take Level 4 but, given my study habits, it’s not worth holding one’s breath.

Crossposted to Cruel Green Dress.

Periodically I received messages from Amazon saying that the book hadn’t come on the market and would I like to extend my waiting. I did, and my patience was rewarded yesterday when a copy showed up in my mailbox.

In comments, Lloyd mentioned that he had given away his copy “because it used too much transliteration.” I can vouch for that, but it does use 한글 alongside romanization, although why a book that bills itself as “designed for advanced students of Korean” uses romanization at all is beyond me.

Nevertheless, I am pleased to have it. It along with 인선’s recent gift of 엘리베이터 낀 그 남자는 어 떻게 되었나 is calling me to end my hiatus, but the time is not yet.