So this week I started making a concerted effort to get out and meet people in Wonju....I don't have many natural connections here, no church, no sports teams, no (English speaking) co-workers (Amy notwithstanding), so it's not the easiest thing in the world. Especially if you have introverted leanings to start with...but I can switch pretty well when I need to, so that's what I've been doing for the last week or so.
I went to a random bible study I found on facebook, went out with some of the public school teachers here in Wonju that I didn't really know and hung around with some of Kyle's co-workers. Also pioneered an evening out with our staff this week. Hasn't happened in the 3 1/2 months I've been here....not that they're not nice or anything....just hasn't happened. People are definitely refreshing sometimes for me....though I would still put myself firmly in the I side of the introvert/extravert scale...
So Gold star for me.
I should write a blog about being an INFJ personality type....in Tesol we had to do an extensive personality test and I was the coolest/rarest type....ok...coolest is an opinion...but rarest is a fact....(I taught my kids the difference the other day)
My Korean has also been coming along....I'm almost half way through my course....my first month I studied a decent amount...my second month like none....and the last month when the colds and the cold have been keeping me indoors, my appetite for korean has increased again. I can tell cab drivers where to go, say basic stuff like where I'm going, where I'm from, what I did on the weekend....argue about prices.....ask where places are, ask how much stuff is....and kick kids out of class for swearing in Korean. Not going to lie...at least a part of my motivation for learning is so that the kids can't just say whatever they want and get away with it :)
Anyway, I'm going in early for a korean lesson....gotta go....stay tuned for blogs on INFJness and also the three wishes I would grant Korea if I could.
~Matt
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3 comments:
My Mom taught me that 'telling cab drivers where to go' wasn't a very nice thing to do...(English is such a great language, eh?).
Seriously, I'm actually impressed. You are amazing, how you can work and listen hard and pick up languages. French, Dutch, now Korean...
Good for you for being brave and stretching yourself. You'll be glad you did.
Bonne nuit.
Uncle Bill
Haha....hadn't thought of that connotation...currently I'm debating whether all this studying is actually going to put me at a decent level in the language or whether after a year I'll still be like a 4 year old or something. But, whatever, it gives me something to work toward.
Thanks for reading
Matt
Funny, I thought the same as Uncle Bill ... no fair telling taxi drivers where to go!! Ho ho. :)
Mom
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