Posted on 07/07/2018 4:30:05 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sunhee, female, arrived in South Korea in 2014
Some people think that because I am studying hair design and working in a beauty salon that I don't need English, but that is not true.
There are so many things about my work that require English, and of course there are also foreign customers that I need to communicate with properly. If I make a mistake because of English, then of course they will blame me and say that I made a mistake because I'm from North Korea.
"I have attended many workshops and career fairs where it is clear that you need English. I am at the final stage of a competition for an internship abroad for which there will be an individual English interview.
I am now really desperate to improve my English so I can pass that interview and get the internship.
Yoon-ho, male, arrived in South Korea in 2008
I took a leave of absence from my university because I was struggling with classes, mainly because of English. I had also applied for some opportunities abroad, but I as rejected because my English wasn't good enough.
I have had opportunities to meet visitors from around the world, but because of my poor English ability, I must rely on translators to help with most conversations.
When I visited the U.S. in 2014, I struggled at immigration. They asked me several questions that I couldn't understand, I was so worried at that moment that they would not allow me into the country.
In North Korea, I could not travel easily without permission, but now I might not be able to take advantage of my freedom because of my poor English.
It was my first chance to go abroad, but at that moment, I realized I needed to know English to have more opportunities in this world.
Hyunhee, female, arrived in South Korea in 2012
I feel pressure to learn English because so many people around me use it. I am desperate now because of my university classes, where sometimes I have to make presentations in English.
When it is time for discussion, I am quiet because I don't have confidence to say anything in English. It is so stressful because next semester I will have three classes in English. I tried to avoid such classes, but now I must face that.
My major is nursing, and there is so much English terminology that I must learn and memorize. I have gone to Itaewon a few times, but I was always worried that a foreigner would talk to me.
When I listen to them talking, I can't understand anything they are saying, there is so much slang and other words I don't understand.
Hea-young, female, arrived in South Korea in 2016
I remember the moment that I decided I would learn English. I was at church, a foreigner greeted me. But I could not reply, even the word "hello" was stuck in my brain but could not come out of my lips. I was thinking, "I escaped from North Korea where I was taught that foreigners are dangerous, but I was with some foreigners trying to talk to me, but I can't communicate at even a basic level."
At that moment, I decided that I would learn English. When I was in China, I had learned Chinese, I thought that knowing Chinese and Korean would be enough. In South Korea, I noticed that I would not be able to reach my goals without English. Because of my Chinese ability, I hope to work at a trading company dealing with China, and with English I will be a more attractive candidate and qualified employee.
I still have family in North Korea so I need to get a good job so I can support them and maybe one day I can even rescue them if North Korea doesn't change.
Mikyung, female, arrived in South Korea in 2007
I went to a meeting several years ago, where I was the only person who could not speak English or understand when some English words were used in Korean conversations.
I felt so nervous and embarrassed. I kept thinking that I should learn English, but I was busy trying to adjust to life here.
Then I saw Yeonmi Park give a speech at an international event, and I realized that I had been making excuses for myself. At that moment, I decided I would focus on English and stop making such excuses.
ML/NJ
Good heavens. I have been studying Hebrew for several years and still don’t feel I know nearly what I need to be fluent. This girl has my admiration.
Taking the TOEIC is almost a rite of passage out of college and into corporate society in ROK. Unifying the Koreas will expand this.
In world commerce, diplomacy and academia the prevailing attitude is either you speak English or there is really not much point in taking you seriously. Just the way it is.
My ROK soldiers at I Corps and KATUSAs at 2nd Division usually spoke pretty decent English, especially the ROKs at I Corps as they were sons of Chaebol, senior military men and high government officials, hand-picked to work in our headquarters.
In the 60s, a Korean friend total me he had to learn some English, Chinese and Germnan to get through college. Some books in some STEM courses at the time did not have equivalents or translations in Korean.
I think that if that happens, it might happen in a few generations. I say that because everybody there now is completely brainwashed into thinking the Kim family is descended by whatever god they're forced to believe in. It will take a long time for them to completely immerse themselves into the world-at-large.
I'm throwing a guess out there that many will refuse to assimilate, and would sooner attack an American or South Korean than have friendly conversation. But, that's just my opinion.
English. The global lingua Franca
It is too bad that English is such a difficult language to learn.
But, a functional ability in simplified English is possible with about 850 words and a simplified grammer.
So, the Koreans “get it.” Why can’t our own Libtards understand the importance of English language proficiency amongst immigrants that they allegedly care about?
Interesting, though it would be a good thing for the world if those elusive concepts ensconced in the language could be internalized by everyone.
Someone once said that language is thought, and I think they may have been right.
English has the largest vocabulary on earth with tens of thousands of “borrowed” words. There are 171,474 words currently in use in English. There are over 47,000 obsolete English words.
English has more words than any other language (there are some languages, such as Finnish, where sentences can be effectively compressed into one new word, making the number of words nearly infinite). But English has the most words that are singly defined in dictionaries.
That makes it very difficult to learn.
“Business” English is a subset of English (under 5,000 words) that is widely used internationally. I have read that people meeting internationally in groups will use “Business” English as a common language, with the native English speaker being at a disadvantage because he will naturally use a wider vocabulary the non-native speakers cannot understand.
I want this lady as a citizen of the United States.
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