AH! It’s so exciting! It’s the last day of classes today! The weather is freezing cold and there is hardly anyone on campus. I just want to go home, but I get my literature grade today–so I have to be here!!
I am actually looking forward to my Korean exam. I could answer all the review questions no problem, so I think I should do well… especially if I study hard all day Monday and Tuesday. I received an email last night, from the head of the International Study office. He was practically begging me to go to Korea for 11 weeks, instead of the 5 or 6 for Sogang. I’d LOVE to do 11 weeks, but I couldn’t leave my husband and son for that length of time!
Now let’s throw in a little bit of Korean grammar. I’ve been wondering how to say “I am going, but…” or “I am doing x, but…” It turns out that it’s very simple!
Using Korean sentences with but….
… 지만 = … but
There are lots of verbs where you may attach 지만 onto, here are a few of them:-
| 가 – ( go ) | 가지만 ( goes, but …….) | ||
| 하 – ( do ) | 하지만 ( does,but……) | ||
| 싸 – ( buy ) | 싸지만 ( buys,but…..) | ||
| 있 – ( is/are, have ) | 있지만 ( has,but….) | ||
| 마시 – ( drink ) | 마시지만 ( drinks,but…..) | ||
| 먹 – ( eat ) | 먹지만 ( eats, but…….) | ||
| 앉 – (sit ) | 앉지만 ( sits, but…..) |
So as you can see, it’s actually very simple. That’s what I’m starting to love about the Korean language. It makes sense! I know way more than I did when I was at the same point in Japanese. This is probably aided by the fact that there is only one alphabet, unlike Japanese where there are three (and we learned two of them (hiragana and katakana) immediately).
I am so happy! I love learning the language and the culture. My son Phoenix also loves it all!! We are going to a demonstration TaeKwonDo class on Thursday next week, and then out to a Korean restaurant (if we can afford it, which I’m doubting!)
Oh, here is a copy of my Korean presentation so you can all see just how bad it was…
미당 서 정주
반갑습니다. 저는 규리입니다.
오늘, 저는 시인 미당 서정주에 대해 이야기 하겠습니다.
서정주는 한국어 유명한 시인 이였습니다.
서정주는 천구백십오 년에 태어났고, 이천년에 돌아 가셨습니다.
불교를 공부 했습니다. 나중에 시를 썼습니다.
제가 좋아하는 시는 “국화 옆에서” 입니다.
“국화 옆에서”인생에 대한 은유 입니다.
계절이 중요합니다.
봄 이십대를 의미합니다.
여름 고통과 시련입니다.
그러나, 우리가 만나 시련을 견뎌 내야 우리의 잠재력을,
마찬가지로 국화 꽃을 피웁니다.
질문 있으세요? 이상 마치계습니다.
Today, I will talk about the poet Midang Seo Cheong-Ju
He is a famous Korean poet.
He was born in 1915 and died in 2000.
He studied Buddhism. Later he wrote poetry.
One of my favorite poems is “Beside a Chrysanthemum”
This poem is a metaphor for life.
The seasons are important.
Spring is youth and searching.
Summer is suffering and trials.
However, we must endure trials to meet our potential, just as the chrysanthemum blooms after the frost.
