Anywho, I have had a lot of friends as well as other outbounders asking me why I chose Korea. No, it wasn't just some random country I placed down; the opposite in fact. I ONLY put down Korea. I didn't want to go somewhere else- Korea is the only country for me!
Anyhow, here is my rant on why I love Korea/chose it. :)
It all started the summer between my 8th grade to freshman year of high school (3 years ago). I am a HUGE international news nerd, and I've always had an interest in the Asian culture in general, but I stumbled across an article from a Japanese newspaper. I have tried and tried for MONTHS to find that article again but sadly, I cannot find it anywhere. Anywho, it basically talked about the increase of suicides in [Japanese] high schools due to the intense pressure on academics, and more specifically, English. And I don't know why, but something inside me....hit close to home. I KNOW English and am fluent and these kids are ending their life because of teachers who are unqualified or know improper English or cannot teach it accurately. And I know Japan and Korea is NOT the same country. Give me some credit here. :D I started looking into the Japanese culture but I didn't feel that.... I don't know how to explain it without sounding cheesy, but I didn't feel a connection with the Japanese culture This connection... this feeling of calmness and a sense of coming home, persay.
But in a weird way I have to thank the Japanese culture for introducing me to Korea. :D I was reading some manga and I found this book wedged next to the Japanese Fruits Basket series and it was called.....GOONG. :D haha. From there, the rest is history. I looked it up on wikipedia, fell in absolute LOVE with ancient Korea and started to become fascinated with the Korean way of life. The Korean people are on another plane than American people. They are GENUINE and FAMILY is more important than anything. These two values I hold dear to my heart. :)
The Korean language system, Hangul, is fascinating in how it was created. Hangul was created by the great King Sejong as, well, basically a code so the other neighboring clans couldn't intercept messages from them and know what was going on. :D It sounds so surreal! But Hangul is extremely logical. If you can figure out the pattern, you know how to romanize Hangul. :)
This will sound really weird, but I feel.... it is my DESTINY to go to South Korea and teach. I just...I don't know how to explain it. Have you ever had this gut feeling, that no matter what, you KNOW you're going to do it and that it's fate? In my heart I know that I need to go there. While I'm not 100% sure if I'm crazy or not, a strong possibility, I need to at least try. That's how I feel. And more than that, I have the passion and the love to drive me there. :D
Sorry about that rant! I warned you it was boring!! (:
About Me
- Heather
- I know what I want to do in life. And I will not let anyone stop me. People may think it is stupid and crazy but that is not their place to say. I do not want to spend the rest of my life wondering, "what-if" or "I should have..." And I am not easily swayed. Once I make a decision on something I fight for it until the end. No one is going to hand you anything in life, you must work for it. Which is what I intend to do. Going to South Korea and teaching kids English [ESL] has been my aspiration since freshman year. It is off the wall, I know. But I have never felt more sure of doing this in my life. So no matter what happens, I will not give up. I will succeed.
My Creepers
시간
