NSLI-Y 2024 Korea – Week 4
Weekly Announcements
Did you know that the movie “Despicable Me 4” translates roughly to “Super Bad 4” in Korean?
What are we learning?
The conclusion of the Fourth Week has fallen upon us! This week brought the introduction of locations and actions into the fray of available assets for their language learning! NSLI-Y students learned places such as 학교 (school), and 커피숍(coffee shop) just to name a few.
Avril focuses on listening to the teacher in class
Stephan and Hanan do speaking practice.
With the addition of places, students can now successfully verbalize the places that they wish to frequent, from the ever so popular 노래방 (karaoke room) to the 은행 (bank) to exchange their currency. Students are adding more and more to their Korean toolkits and further equipping themselves to better their Korean.
Arjun, Doris, Avril, Emilio, Lorenzo, Andrea and Gigi in Korean language class learn how to construct a Korean sentence about doing an action in a specific place.
Finally, for the peer partner practice; this week offered new ways to converse about daily activities and ask peer partners about their weekly schedule and elaborate on them with their fellow NSLI-Y students. Learning is a long and extraneous process; practicing everyday brings each student just a tad bit closer to our language learning goals!
NSLI-Y students discussing their weekly schedule in Korean with their peer partners.
Jude and Hanan review action words with their peer partners.
Special Events:
트윈스 파이팅! (Go Twins!)
This week offered a unique experience to the NSLI-Y students with their mentors to view a game of 야구 (baseball) featuring the LG Twins versus the Doosan Bears! The NSLI-Y students rooted for the LG Twins and came out victorious! LG Twins won by a staggering 6-3. This special experience allowed for the students to learn a variety of athletic chants and cheers to hype up the LG Twins towards their victory!
NSLI-Y students Doris, Emilio, Stephan, Hanan, Gigi, Hazel, Jude and Enzo with Dankook mentors and peer partners with their Korean baseball game snacks.
춤 (Dance)
Another exciting occurrence appeared at the Dankook University campus during week four, dance class!
NSLI-Y students learning the dance moves to Aespa’s “Supernova” with the dance instructor leading the class.
The Yongin cohort met with a Dankook University dance teacher to learn some choreography of the popular Korean song, “Supernova” by Aespa. Although it was daunting to the students at first with a wide variety of stretches that range in difficulty; execution of the final dance was excellent. As well as taking the chance to record a small short-form content video available on the cohort’s Instagram. A trial by fire, but an absolute blast nonetheless!
Emilio, Jake, Stephan, Enzo, and Jude refine their K-pop dance moves with the instructor for their performance.
NSLI-Y students with their dance instructors, one on the left and one in the center in pink, in a supernova pose.
Myeongdong
But that’s not all! On Friday, the students ventured forth into the metropolitan area in Myeongdong – one of the main tourism and shopping districts of Seoul. Many American and Korean brands broke barriers and welcomed the students with stores such as Nike, New Balance, LINE Friends, INNISFREE, and LOTTE Mall!
After the venture the cohort traveled a short trip to view the NANTA musical; where music and food collide! Truly a magical experience with many comical moments and excellent performances by the cast. If you ever get the chance, check out NANTA!
NSLI-Y students with Dankook mentor in the Nanta theater before the much anticipated performance. Filming was not allowed once the musical started.
NSLI-Y students pose in the Jongno Tower building with the backdrop of city lights and their shopping bags after a delicious and filling buffet dinner at Ashley Queens in Myeongdong.
Closing
The conclusion of the fourth week starts to set in the creeping reality that the return home to the United States is fast approaching, and our time in South Korea is starting to close. The reintegration into American society may grant a new type of culture shock to the NSLI-Y Students. Truly begging the question, I believe both students and parents alike are lingering over, “Will the Korean stick?” – an absolutely anxiety-inducing question indeed.
Written by Emilio.