Today I had a big quiz on Korean grammar. It was not very much fun, but I think I did okay. We have a quiz every Monday, which is not conducive to relaxing Sunday nights, but I suppose it could be worse. These four hour classes are really getting to me, though. I can handle three hours pretty well, but the fourth hour kills me. I usually end up not only not learning anything during that time, but I also forget everything else I learned that day and become very frustrated. Korean is definitely NOT an easy language to learn. I am discovering how easy I had it with Spanish after all, though I did not realize it at the time. I am even thinking I should go back and try to pick up my Spanish again after this year...I actually did know a lot more than I thought I did. Maybe Peace Corps?
This afternoon we talked for a long time about culture shock and our hopes and fears and goals for our time in Korea. I suppose I have been feeling some intense culture shock, faced with all these drastic physical differences, but I think I am handling it okay. I'm definitely not homesick (sorry, Mom!) and so far I am managing all right, even without the ability to communicate with many people. There are so many fundamental differences between Korean and American cultures, however, that I am sure I will run up against some problems, if not here than definitely at my school or in my homestay. The way Koreans interact with one another and go about their lives is very different from my core values and beliefs. There is a definite group mentality here that is very foreign to most Americans, as we are accustomed to individualism and making our own way. The power dynamics are markedly different as well, with hierarchies that are more rigid and permeate even to family relationships (for example, there is a different word for older brother). There is also a definite tendency to avoid confrontation, which I have not witnessed much because I am currently living in a Fulbright bubble, but I am sure it exists. I went to the hospital with one of our RAs the other day, for example, and there was some kind of trouble in getting a doctor to see me that required some phone calls and rapid Korean conversation, but the RA refused to tell me what was going on and simply told me, "Don't worry. Be happy." It runs so contrary to my own tendency toward bare honesty, but I can see the value in avoiding confrontation, as long as everyone in that particular culture is able to see what the truth is regardless of what is said. It is much more difficult for me because I am not able to read their body language well at all. At any rate, I am not too terribly worried about making a culturally insensitive mistake. I am sure I will learn quickly enough.
This evening I had TKD (taekwondo, for those of you not in the know), and it was okay. Our regular instructor is in Vietnam right now judging a competition, so now we have a slavedriver in his place. It was actually really frustrating tonight because he was asking us to do impossible things like clapping our hands between pushups and doing nimble jumps while squatting. I personally think he just found it amusing. We did do some regular kicks and punches, though. I am looking forward to the day when I can throw a mean punch! Next week we'll have our yellow belt test.