Korean translation, 년[neon,nyawn]: year



Korean translation, 년[neon,nyawn]: year




To whoever is looking at this blog, know that while although one of the functions of this blog is to inform others of my time here, I also use this blog as a way to document what I am doing in Korea for myself. I do this so that come a year, two years, ten, twenty from now, I can look back and remember some of the the amazing people I met, the places I went and the meaningful experiences I had.

Why am I in Seoul, anyways?

Why am I in Seoul, anyways? I'm studying language in Seoul for the year through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth operated by the U.S. State Department. While in Seoul, I attend a local Korean high school as a regular Korean student and have intensive language classes three times a week at an international institute in Seoul. My school is a digital media vocational school. Both in school and in many other settings, I am often the only American they have met and almost always the only Jew. As such, I have an important role, not only as an American or a Jew, but as The American and The Jew. Because of this, I have been prone to some alarming, but insightful questions. Like when it was drizzling outside, weather that does not necessarily warrant carrying an umbrella, but being asked by my host brother, "Do all Jews not use umbrellas?" I am constantly being put in new situations. I make mistakes sometimes. Like when I clearly asked for "not spicy," however later realized, tears in my eyes, that the woman's shocked expression when I ordered "meh-un tteokbokki" was not from my Korean ordering skills, but was because I had probably been the first foreigner to specifically ask for the spiciest food on the menu. These year as the non-umbrella-carrying-spicy-food-eating-American-Jew living in Seoul has been exhausting and exhilarating, but a year of experiences I will bring with me for the rest of my life. .

Thanksgiving Festival at Digitech

Met at Starbucks with Taehee to make a script to accompany my thanksgiving day PowerPoint that he helped me  translate.  The school is definitely making good use of their resources (meaning me). They've had me do presentations on cultural differences, Jewish history, Judaism, Halloween and now Thanksgiving. I thoroughly enjoy making the PowerPoints and sharing them with the students. My reward is when I get asked at the end of class, a question that shows they were listening to what I was saying, "Gadi, what is the difference between Christianity and Judaism?" 
I presented the Thanksgiving PowerPoint with Taehee and it was success! In our manuscript, we had asked each other what we are thankful for, which I had him translate for me into Korean, so I could say it. I said, "Digitechkoeh chincholhameh kamsahdulimnida. Jorul dowajushin chingudulkwa sownsengnimdulkwa yoropundulkeh jinshimuro kamsahdulimnida." I am thankful for Digitech's kindness. My friends, teachers and faculty have been extremely helpful. I am very grateful.Then I asked Taehee, in Korean, what he was grateful for. "Taeheenun muoseh kahmsahamnikka?" He said he was grateful for the opportunities Digitech and his teachers had given him, to his friends and to Gadi for letting him help. Never has an applause from an audience that doesn't understand most of what you say been so humbling. I felt they had done more for me than I had for them. And for that I am grateful. 

Little did I know when I was practicing the dance with my class, but there was indeed a dance competition between the homeroom classes at the Thanksgiving festival. Needless to say, we won first place. I had to go to get to my visa appointment across town, but the crowd wouldn't let our team go- they demanded an encore. And so I found myself walking back up to the stage, to dance a second time. 

The day before the festival I was really nervous to have to present, because although I had presented before, it was only in a classroom and I didn't have to dance. I am glad I danced, though. I'm glad I went up the stage and danced, even though I made mistakes. I am glad I danced. 

After visa appointment, went to TopCloud, the thirty-third floor of the Chongno Tower to see the city from high up. Great view, but slightly obstructed by the angle I was at. TopCloud is a very fancy restaurant so I didn't go in past the reservation desk. 

























What are you thankful for?
















View from TopCloud

Chongo Tower, near Jonggak Station