misunderstanding.

I often lose some words from other people’s talking because I couldn’t focus on their talking every word.
Defiantly, I miss much word when I talk with Americans due to some unfamiliar word.
Most international students learn and repeat same sentence and word.
And then they use to speak and listen naturally.
One of my friends in here, who is studying TESOL, she always push me to meet her American friends for improving my English.
Sometimes, I got pressure to speak with English front of Korean due to my personality.
Usually, when we have gone out somewhere, she let me to speak every time.
However, she is only one person who makes me so comfort and we are having fun recently.
Anyway, she introduced her American friend who was born in Russia but was raised in the United States to me.
He totally understood my hardship and pressure because of his back ground.
My Korean friend pushed me to lead our conversation, myself.
I was really thanks to her otherwise so shy.
He recognized my situation and he asked me common question which people usually started to know each other.
He asked me about what are my hobby, favorite colors, and favorite movie.
And then, I answered with small voice and he would wait for my answer for a while.
He asked me, “can you play any instrument?” and I said, “Computer.”
I wrongly think the instrument as equipment.
He asked me again, “can you play the computer?” and I realized what he asked.
After I said “I can play the computer keyboard.”, I released from pressure and mistake that might happen when I spoke with him.
Well, anyway I am student who want to learn English and that is my reason to come in here. :)

Koreans

When I met Americans and foreigners, they confused where I am from.
First time, they asked me “are you from Japan?” even they tried to say hi by Japanese.
And then, I told them just “No!” after they guessed I am from in China.
Well, sometimes I tried to explain I am from in Korea but my feeling is starting not good.
I realized my country is known in the world before coming in here. That also is my selfish mind but I want to let them know about our country.
Most Americans did not know where Korea is and what difference between North Korea is.
I am proud of my country, which has long history, only one blood, one our language as Hangeul and special traditional culture.
Our country, people of South Korea cannot meet North Korea’s people naturally.
Even though I couldn’t meet North Korea’s people in here, sometimes other countries people asked to see them or to experience of travel in North Korea.
This is our sad situation from Korea war and we were divided by two sections.
Actually, some old people in Korea may desire the unification by peaceful way without military power.
In another hand, some young people want to keep this situation as two counties.
I am not sure of my opinion with our country of problem because I was not lived war time fortunately.
Including me, many Koreans are not aware of out situation because the war is not finished.
We are temporarily stopping fighting.
I did not read the news paper when I stayed in Korea.
However, I am searching of our events in Korea usually in here.
During that time, I am a stranger in here at the same time I am worrying about our country so much.
Thus, I desire that many Americans would understand our situation as history of two countries.

my father

I met many persons who have influence in my life. I couldn’t measure who gave me more than anyone but my father deserve to be the best. Because my father has stayed with me during whole my life, I reminded my father first. My father is the first son in our big family and he has a strong sense of responsibility. He has dreamed about perfectly happy family. In the past, he had droved a ship for make money in order to support our family. He has never forgotten our family even he had sailing in the abroad. That time, I couldn’t imagine his life in the abroad. I was so young to understand his life at that time. When I was little kid, I was just enjoyed his gifts or vacation. The period of working was approximately one year or more than one year. After finishing his job, he used to visit Korea to see his children. I still remembered what he sent many gifts from the abroad for me and my siblings. After he decided to stop the working at abroad, I was so excited to see my father every day. In other hand, he thought that his children needed father when they were young. His life worked only for his family. Sometimes, I miss my family so much even though I choose this life, in Carbondale, for my dream. After coming in the United States, I realized his saying and efforts for support my family. He has always emphasized that the love of family will be the most important value in our life. And then, I am totally agreed with his thinking about family because the family makes me to be stronger.

1.     I brought a gift from my boy friend when I left in Korea.     This gift is a small recording machine, looks like penguin shape.    Usually we argued by small event that couldn’t remember after a day.    My boy friend liked surprising event for make me fun.  When he gave me this small recording machine, he recorded saying for apologize to me.     He recorded that “ Seo- Kyoung, my Korean name, I am really sorry and I love you.”     This small machine has a switch for turn on his saying.     When I really missed him, I turned on this small penguin for listen his voice on my bed.     That machine makes me for remind our memories, which could be travel, small argument, and parties with my friends, too.  Even though we didn’t talk a lot these days, we still believed and loved through long periods.

 

convincing & motivation

 Sometimes, I really want to stand apart from my friends for myself. Keep my place alone and enjoy the time my own time. I used to hanging with my friends who graduated same high school and they completely know who I am. I am confident of my personality to strong otherwise I am so weak, depressed, and selfish. However, my friends always make me to be funny, enjoy, and pretty person. I was protected from their love and never ending friendship as kid even though I made some mistakes in relationship or works. They were guardians to me every time and then I accustomed to receive their reasonable concerns. Following Korean proverb, “a big fish in a little pond” that means one who loved in same place couldn’t image other place what happens there and try to go outside because of fear in other side of life and familiar life. Also, I was a big fish so I had avoided meeting other persons who I did not know much. In this place, I should meet other persons and grow up my social ability. Listing music, reading a book, cleaning my house… That is also good methods to replace thinking myself who I am. The most important thing is “don’t miss who I am.”

journal question 4- dream

I have the same experience. Before I took an airplane to the United States, I really got scare and fear. That time was moment of achievement in my dream. I regretted my choice which is for study here in an airplane. Why I decided to go the USA, why I should left in Korea, my family, friends, accustomed life to me. My brain was almost like a black paper. Even I am still thinking about it here. If I would not come to the USA, what happened in my life? The marriage? That may be mine or friends. New job? I could not find answer against question because that is not real anymore to me. Eventually, in the last, my thinking always ends this way.“Don’t image other choice that I did not go. enjoy for better life.” When people would decide to leave somewhere for their dream, no one can sure that dream is followed right way or wrong way. Actually, no one can suggest and advise to you due to not theirs. People should be roamed for finding a dream and destination. My thinking, people who can leave home to follow their dream with willing. Definitely, that should be deserved respect because of their courage, challenge, and passion. For find dream of process should overcome the scare, fear what will happen in the future. Even future which will not perfect can disturb you.

Journal question 3- America impression

I don’t know exactly how people think Americans commonly but I learned many things in here.
Before I stayed in Korea, I watched many Americans drama. Through the Americans drama, I should imagine about the real life in America. That time I got curious about Americans culture, such as party, eating habits, and fashion style. When I first visited in wall- mart, I remembered how much so excited to see many products in there. And then, I still remembered how much hard to clean my bathroom because in the bottom of bathroom does not have a drain. That is really different between Korea and America. The most interesting in Americans of characteristic is freedom of opportunity for education. When I checked the class room or walked in the campus, I really surprised due to age of students. The reason of that they look so old to be students again. In case of Korea, we cannot dream study when we are getting older because we already appointed our goal and job in the adolescence. That is a problem in society of Korea and can explain why I decide to come in America. During I study in the United States, I will enjoy the America.