It has been two months since I started preparation for TOPIK and KLPT. I literally slept with my books and dictionary every night. Actually I have all the reasons and excuses in the world not to work hard as the test results are inconsequential. I don't need them to study or find a job in Korea. But I decided that I should prove a point to myself that nothing is impossible in the face of determination. The natural course of thing is that before anything makes a turn for the better, everything else looks bleak. At certain point of time, it seems that there will be no light at the end of the tunnel. However, after coming through all, I realise that I have indeed learnt a lot over the last two months. TOPIK's result will be out tomorrow and KPLT's result will be out a month later. I am not losing sleep over what I will get for my test. I have already gotten what I wanted, which is the state of learning. 드디어 다리를 뻗고 잘 수 있다.
I am always reminded that there are many more people out there who are quietly putting in effort and time to study Korean. There is this middle-age guy who used to be in the same class as me in SKS. He is a Malaysian who lives in Johor Bahru. I used to think that he works and stays in Singapore but I was later told that he works and stays in Johor Bahru. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, he will make his way across the causeway and take the MRT down to SKS to attend lesson. After the lesson, he will make his way back to Woodlands and across the causeway and as such, his passport is always in his bag. I am not too sure whether I will do likewise if the only place to learn Korean is in Malaysia. Will I ever go through the immigration checkpoints and cross the causeway four times a week just to study Korean language? Quite a number of people told me that they like very much to continue to study Korean but SKS is too out of way for them. They are not wrong to cite inconvenience as a reason for not continuing with their Korean study but it just makes what this middle-age Malaysian does, for the sake of studying Korean, all the more respectable.
I received the following e-mail from my "hu-bae" (후배-後輩) or junior who is studying at NUS Extension. He sent me this mail a few days before his Basic KLPT. I thought the mail was quite inspiring to me and I will like to share it.
Dear Equinox!
Hi there! I was just searching randomly and I just happen to come across your blog cos I was searching for materials on KLPT and your write up on it came up. Anyway, I'm taking the B-KLPT this Sunday at NUS-extension.
Not going to write a long mail but just want to tell that it's a good thing you wrote your journey on learning Korean in your blog. I started learning Korean last July with NUS extension and currently I'm waiting to start on Lv 6 on Nov 9. Up till now, I felt very alone in this journey I decided to embark upon last July. I took up Korean because I like the culture alot and wanted to learn more about it. I also thought that a third language would help me open up more rooms in my career. However, after a year of lessons, struggling and swimming in the deep pool of the Korean language, I begin to feel that Korean is not just a language, it is a life style and a way of life for many people. Thus, I took up the challenge to get a taste of real Korean life in Korea through the 3-weeks programme at Kyung Hee University from 3 Sept 07 to 24 Sept 07.
Reading your blog, reminded my of my own experiences in learning Korean as well as my time in KHU. Even on the KHU programme, I thought that we are like the few Singaporeans ever on the programme. Some how feel that Singaporeans are very obedient and few would venture out of their comfort zone to try new things. Thus it was a warm feeling to know there there are so many like-minded people out there passionate about Korean. Previously, I only planned to study Korean to get my B-KLPT and stop there. However, the KHU programme totally changed my perception. I realised that I really love the way Korean way of life and will continue my journey with the language.
Thank you for letting people like me know that we are not alone!
I am always reminded that there are many more people out there who are quietly putting in effort and time to study Korean. There is this middle-age guy who used to be in the same class as me in SKS. He is a Malaysian who lives in Johor Bahru. I used to think that he works and stays in Singapore but I was later told that he works and stays in Johor Bahru. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, he will make his way across the causeway and take the MRT down to SKS to attend lesson. After the lesson, he will make his way back to Woodlands and across the causeway and as such, his passport is always in his bag. I am not too sure whether I will do likewise if the only place to learn Korean is in Malaysia. Will I ever go through the immigration checkpoints and cross the causeway four times a week just to study Korean language? Quite a number of people told me that they like very much to continue to study Korean but SKS is too out of way for them. They are not wrong to cite inconvenience as a reason for not continuing with their Korean study but it just makes what this middle-age Malaysian does, for the sake of studying Korean, all the more respectable.
I received the following e-mail from my "hu-bae" (후배-後輩) or junior who is studying at NUS Extension. He sent me this mail a few days before his Basic KLPT. I thought the mail was quite inspiring to me and I will like to share it.
Dear Equinox!
Hi there! I was just searching randomly and I just happen to come across your blog cos I was searching for materials on KLPT and your write up on it came up. Anyway, I'm taking the B-KLPT this Sunday at NUS-extension.
Not going to write a long mail but just want to tell that it's a good thing you wrote your journey on learning Korean in your blog. I started learning Korean last July with NUS extension and currently I'm waiting to start on Lv 6 on Nov 9. Up till now, I felt very alone in this journey I decided to embark upon last July. I took up Korean because I like the culture alot and wanted to learn more about it. I also thought that a third language would help me open up more rooms in my career. However, after a year of lessons, struggling and swimming in the deep pool of the Korean language, I begin to feel that Korean is not just a language, it is a life style and a way of life for many people. Thus, I took up the challenge to get a taste of real Korean life in Korea through the 3-weeks programme at Kyung Hee University from 3 Sept 07 to 24 Sept 07.
Reading your blog, reminded my of my own experiences in learning Korean as well as my time in KHU. Even on the KHU programme, I thought that we are like the few Singaporeans ever on the programme. Some how feel that Singaporeans are very obedient and few would venture out of their comfort zone to try new things. Thus it was a warm feeling to know there there are so many like-minded people out there passionate about Korean. Previously, I only planned to study Korean to get my B-KLPT and stop there. However, the KHU programme totally changed my perception. I realised that I really love the way Korean way of life and will continue my journey with the language.
Thank you for letting people like me know that we are not alone!
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