Week 4: Feeling the Rhythm

Wow—I can’t believe I’ve been in Korea for a month already. Time absolutely flies!

Writing that out really made me pause and reflect on how different this trip has been from all my previous visits. I haven’t done anything touristy the entire time I’ve been here—literally nothing lol. But that’s what makes this experience feel so special: it’s not a vacation, it’s real life.

What We Learned in School This Week

This week was packed with even more grammar and practical everyday language. We covered:

• How to tell time in Korean

• How to ask someone what they’re doing, where they’re going, and their daily schedule

• Days of the week

• How to express likes and dislikes

Last week, I would’ve told you the hardest part was learning Korean numbers. But this week? Hands down, grammar rules.

We started learning about topic particles and object markers… and suddenly I felt like I was back in high school English class. Thankfully, we have a grammar and vocabulary book in English, which has been a lifesaver when I need things broken down more clearly.

We also took a practice dictation test—where the teacher says a sentence and we have to write it down in Korean.Let me just say… it was VERY hard lol. So yep, I’ll definitely be studying hard before the midterm coming up in a few weeks.

Despite the challenges, one thing that keeps me motivated to show up every day is my classmates. I truly feel like I’ve got the best group. We’re all super supportive of one another, and as the class leader, I’ve made it my mission to keep things light and fun. I try to bring humor to class each day—because learning a new language is no joke, and laughter definitely helps.

Outside of School

Most of my time outside of class has been spent… you guessed it: studying. I’ve found that it is best to study a little bit every day. If I wait too long - let's say for the weekend it almost feels like you have to re-teach yourself everything. Not fun!

I also started working out with my personal trainer, Bin, this week! I’ll be training with him weekly while I’m here. He’s been helping me with my fitness goals—and I’ve been helping him with his English in return. It’s been a fun exchange, and he’s even introduced me to some of the other trainers at the gym. It’s a great atmosphere and a really fun group.

The gym also has a restaurant inside called Gym Kitchen where you can order healthy meals which has been nice. Lots of steak, rice, and veggies - pretty similar to my routine back in the states.

On Friday, I had dinner with Minje, a friend I met through Jae at Goodmate Travel. We had a great meal and followed it up with coffee—just a really nice night of catching up.

Also, I’m writing this post a day earlier than usual because I’ve decided to try something new: I want to reserve Sundays as a rest day. We’ll see how that goes, but I’m hoping it becomes a regular thing. I

That’s it for Week 4! I’m officially in a rhythm now—school, study, gym, mixed with some social time. Learning the language has been challenging (in a good way). I’m really grateful for this experience and everything I’m learning along the way.

Catch you next week!