How I'm Learning Korean Currently

Hello again!  I thought it'd be helpful to give you guys some info on how I'm currently learning the Korean language in case any of you want to try your hand at it!  I was surprised to find that the language wasn't as difficult to pick up as I had originally thought thanks to this awesome thing called Hangul (한글)!

Hangul is the name for the Korean alphabet.  Yes, that's right, they have an alphabet!  And it may be just the most logical and ingenious alphabet ever created.  Dating back to 1443, Hangul was invented by the Confucian Korean Emperor Sejong the Great during a time when the Korean language was written in complex Chinese characters.  However, since the Korean language has lengthy words (as opposed to Chinese, which has short words), it was very difficult to write lengthy Korean words with complex Chinese characters.  Due to this fact, only an educated elite were able to actually read and write, and thus the common people were for the most part illiterate.  Sejong, influenced by Confucianism, set out to change this and give the common people power by creating a Korean writing system that was not only easy to learn, but also that was tailored perfectly to the Korean language. The Hangul writing system is currently in use as the official writing system of both North and South Korea (although in the North, it's called Chosungul).

Anyways, the thing that's really magical about Hangul is that the letters are written to mimic the shape the mouth makes when pronouncing the letter's sound equivalent.  The letters literally sound how they look!  If that's not cool and unique, I don't know what is.  The letters are then stacked in a specific order to create syllable blocks, which are then strung together left-to-right to form Korean words!  That being said, Hangul was superrr easy to learn.  I honestly just looked up Hangul on Wikipedia and learned it in about 3 days.

I had a rough idea of pronunciation just by doing this, but I was able to learn the official pronunciations by using an app/website called Memrise.  I use Memrise now for language learning in general as the app has many courses you can take to learn just about any language you want to (even Klingon, I kid you not).  I found a Hangul course that I used to review my Hangul, and then used the Korean Pronunciation Skeleton course to touch up on pronunciation.  Then I found beginner vocab courses and started to learn phrases and basic words through those.  Besides Korean, I'm using the app to help me expand my knowledge of German and begin learning Thai!  Overall, I highly recommend giving this app a shot; it's been extremely useful thus far, and is really fun to use.

On a random note, there's this really adorable alphabet song that the Korean brother-sister folk duo Akdong Musician made called "Alphabet Together" that I just couldn't not include in this post about Hangul.  The song and video are so cute!

This song actually really helped me when first learning Hangul to remember some of the letters XD It's kinda hard to forget that chorus ^^'

Anyways, besides Memrise and AkMu's alphabet song, there are a couple other apps and sites I'd like to recommend!

First off, I really love this website called Talk To Me In Korean (TTMIK).  They have tons of free Korean-learning content on their website and a bunch of videos on their YouTube channel.  They have a variety of interesting videos that range from grammar explanations to short skits focusing on specific vocab or phrases.  TTMIK also has podcasts available, and have a soundcloud account for any soundcloud users!

Second, I downloaded this app called Eggbun that has courses for different kinds of words,  For example, it has courses for greetings, verb conjugations and more!  I like the app so far (although I haven't used it that much ^^') and would recommend trying it out :)

Third, and perhaps the most comprehensive, is Korean Class 101.  They have an app, a YouTube channel, and TONS of downloadable content on their website.  Most of their services are free, and they have so much quality content!

Other than those, I've been visiting miscellaneous YouTube channels that are dedicated to teaching the language, and those have helped me a lot too!!

But most importantly, I've learned a heck of a lot of the language because I listen to Korean music and watch Korean shows 24/7.  Honestly, one of the best ways to pick up Korean fast is to watch a bunch of Korean shows (like variety shows or Korean dramas) with English subs.  Also, Kpop is super helpful when learning the language because a lot of Kpop music videos are super colorful and have catchy tunes, so it's easy to remember vocab if you look at a translation while listening to the song/watching the music video.  If you're looking to learn some more poetic Korean/Korean idioms, try looking up translations of Korean songs from indie bands such as my personal favorites Nell or Thornapple.  The translations aren't always easy to come by, but if you can find them, they'll help you to learn some interesting Korean expressions.

I can't say I'm very proficient in Korean at all, but all the above resources have really helped me to get a head start!  This upcoming trip will be instrumental in my learning experience as we're going to have about 5 hours a day of formal language instruction as well as speaking practice with the natives there.  I'm really excited to see how I'll progress!! :D

About NSLI-Y

A Brief Overview

As mentioned in my blog description, I am traveling to Songdo, South Korea via a full scholarship from the U.S. State Department NSLI-Y program in partnership with Stony Brook University [ http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/far-beyond/ ], located in Long Island, New York..  The NSLI-Y (National Language Security Initiative for Youth) program provides eligible American high school students the opportunity to travel with a full scholarship to one of a few specific countries (listed on their website here [ http://www.nsliforyouth.org/ ].  The student may choose to apply for a year or summer abroad in their selected country preference.  If selected as a finalist for the scholarship, the student will then travel with a group of other selected scholarship recipients to the country they got matched with via the application process (the destination is almost always your first or second choice country).  During the trip, students will receive formal language instruction in the target language as well as participate in cultural immersion activities and activities in the community.

About The Application Process

The NSLI-Y application process is lengthy and thorough, and is VERY competitive, as the scholarship is highly selective.  That being said, I highly recommend looking over the application form well in advance of its due date in order to sufficiently plan out your application.  The application will ask for basic information such as your name, birthday, school info, etc., but will also ask for a teacher recommendation letter as well as essay responses to prompts listed in the application.  The application is usually due in October, and is open to any U.S. high schooler (including graduating seniors).

The application will ask for a copy of your grade transcripts as well as a list of extracurricular activities you are/have participated in and any awards/recognition/certificates you've earned.  They're looking for top students to send on these trips, so they want students who have a record of high academic performance and are actively involved in extracurricular activities.  I recommend trying to bump up your GPA if you're lacking in that area, and joining some extracurricular activities if you're not currently involved in any in order to have an increased chance of getting selected.  It's a good idea to be involved in a variety of activities because that indicates a well-rounded student.  Also, leadership positions look really great on any application in general.

It's a general rule of thumb to ask for teacher recommendation letters well in advance of their due date, and that rule applies here as well.  DON'T wait till the last minute to ask your teacher for a letter because the letter is such a vital part of the selection process and is weighed heavily in the scholarship decision process.  Give them time to write a good letter for you, and you'll have a better chance of making it in.  I recommend asking your language teacher, a teacher you're close with, and/or a teacher you've gone on an exchange trip with to write the letter.

There are usually 2 essays and a letter to your to-be potential host family you must fill out in the application.  There is 1 essay prompt for the first essay and 3 essay prompts (you choose 1) for the second essay.  I recommend starting drafts for the essays and the letter and editing them thoroughly to craft the best response possible.  These essays are perhaps the most important part of the application, so make sure you plan these out.  It's a good idea to strongly emphasize your interest in the target country(ies)/language(s) you've applied for; NSLI-Y wants passionate learners!  In your letter, make sure to be polite; your host family is letting you into their home, so please be gracious.

I would recommend applying for a passport around this time if you don't already have one, as it takes a little while to get one.  The sooner you get one, the better.

You will get a NSLI-Y scholarship status update around January, and the update will tell you whether or not you've been selected as a semi-finalist for the scholarship.

I'm A Semi-Finalist...Now What?

If you've been selected as a semi-finalist for the scholarship, you will then be asked to submit a medical evaluation form (filled out by your health care professional) and will be contacted by NSLI-Y volunteers to have an interview.  

The medical evaluation form is thorough and requires you to schedule a physical with your health care professional.  It is a good idea to schedule this appointment as soon as possible, as doctors are often booked during the winter season.  

The interviewers will contact you with information about interview sites and dates available in your area.  When going to your interview, be sure to dress professionally.  Different interviewers will ask different questions, so it's a good idea to brainstorm some responses to possible questions they might have for you.  In my experience, I was asked about why I chose to apply, my interest in South Korea, my personal life, personal hardships, etc., so be prepared for a variety of questions!  I brought a notebook and pen to write some notes down, in case they had any info for me, and while I recommend doing so, be sure not to spend too much time writing notes as that will probably appear impersonal to your interviewer; eye contact is always key in an interview!  Also, be sure to be articulate and specific when answering their questions, as that will show not only that you're confident in your answers, but also that you've thought about what they're asking you.

After this part of the selection process, you will receive a letter around April confirming or denying you finalist status.

Congrats! You're A Finalist!

Once you receive notice that you're a finalist, you will be asked to submit your passport information. After that, you will be contacted by the people organizing your specific trip, and you'll be able to get in contact with the other students going with you.  Take the time before the trip to try and get to know the people you're going with; since you're spending so much time together, it'd be an advantage to try and become friends with everyone ^^

You will also have to complete any pre-departure assignments assigned by your trip organizers. These assignments are pretty easy and you'll have ample time to complete them, so don't stress.  Your textbooks and other study materials that will be used during your trip will be provided you by the organization/college/etc. that you go with.

I Didn't Make The Cut...

It's okay!   A lot of students don't make it in their first time applying.  In fact, about half of the NSLI-Y alumni I've read blogs of or have talked to have said that they didn't make it in their first try.  Try again!  NSLI-Y likes persistent students.  

One main reason you may not have made it in the first time is your grade level.  If you apply for NSLI-Y in 9th or 10th grade, you have a significantly lower chance of getting into the program than if you apply in 11th or 12th grade.  This is because NSLI-Y prioritizes older high schoolers who have less opportunities to apply for high school trips, as their high school years are coming to a close. Also, realistically speaking, juniors or graduating seniors are more likely than freshmen and sophomores to look into the colleges/universities organizing these trips, so it would make sense to prioritize potential students.  Thus, many of the finalists tend to be mostly juniors or graduating seniors, and it's pretty rare for freshmen and sophomores to make it in.  

Other than that, try reviewing your application and looking for areas where you can improve for the next year's application.  

Honestly, it's okay to have to try a second time, and it's worth it!  NSLI-Y is such an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience.This trip is paid in FULL.  Your scholarship covers EVERYTHING besides spending money (although they do give you a stipend). Take advantage of this opportunity.

My Application

Here's just a little bit about my own application to help give you an idea of what they might be looking for.  Keep in mind that they judge the applications on an individual basis, and mine is in no way what every finalist's will look like; it's simply an example that may help as a rough guideline to what NSLI-Y is looking for.

- I have a GPA of 3.9 - 4.0 and attend an all-honors prep school

- I'm actively involved in a variety of extracurricular activities

- I hold a leadership position in NHS and coach Jr. High Speech and Debate

- I have exchange program experience

- I have a strong interest in language and cultural studies as well as travel

- I do regular community service

- I have an awesome German teacher that writes quality recommendation letters and knows me pretty   well (a good combo)

- I don't know if this helped me, but I put Korea as my first and second country choice so I could focus solely on Korea in my application essays, as I most wanted to go there

I thought for a long time about questions they might ask during the semi-finalist interview and came up with some answers for those questions before hand.  This honestly helped me so much during the interview.  I was able to articulate my answers clearly to the interviewers, and because I was able to answer quickly, they were able to fit more questions into the interview.  I think it was helpful to look into Korean culture and history beforehand, as my interviewers were impressed when I demonstrated some of my prior knowledge of both.

Other than that, I made sure to stay on top of my deadlines and turn everything in on time.  It was difficult (there was a lot to keep track of) but worth it!

Questions?

Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions for me.  Also, please check out NSLI-Y's website here [ http://www.nsliforyouth.org/ ] for more information.  NSLI-Y alumni are also available for you to contact if you have further questions (more information about that on the NSLI-Y website).  Good luck to those of you who decide to apply! :D