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Studying abroad
By Jeon Mi-ja & Goh In-kyung

Many Korean students from elementary to high school go abroad to study English for as short as a month or as long as several years. There is no doubt that living in a country where English is spoken is the best way to learn and practice the language. The young are also better not only at learning a language, but also adapting to a new environment, according to research.

There are examples of success and failure when students study abroad. Most parents tend to focus on the success stories though there are far more who fail. They seem to want their children to become such successful cases and seek a way for them to study abroad. This false illusion makes many children go to an English-speaking country ill-prepared to learn a language and live in a different culture. As a result, this creates many side effects.

First, Koreans spend lots of money on sending teenagers abroad to study English. The Bank of Korea said about $821 million went to foreign language study abroad in the first half of the year, and the figure is expected to exceed $2 billion by year's end. This is the highest amount in the country's history and easily higher than last year's $1.4 billion. The more serious problem is that the amount is growing as more students fly abroad to study. Considering excluded expenses, the amount is probably higher.

Second, most teenagers go abroad to study by themselves or with their mothers. Because of financial problems, it is very rare for an entire family to go to a foreign country for language study. Most ``lone goose fathers," or men who send their wives and children to a foreign country for study, find it hard to live apart from their families.

In addition, relatives eventually feel cultural and emotional gaps between them. A man who sent his two teenage sons and wife to New York said, ``When I planned to see my family abroad, I thought I had lots of things to tell them. But I found myself simply listening to what they said when I finally met them because I couldn't understand what they were saying.''

Third, many students do not adjust well to a new culture. They have a hard time getting along with the locals due to language. The homestay is the most preferred form of student living as it can satisfy two requirements: learning the target language and experiencing the host country's culture.

Adjusting to the food can be a problem, however. The students are reluctant to express their opinions to locals though they dislike the food because they lack confidence in speaking English. In the end, this breaks down conversation between the host family and students. Also, the students do not adapt to the educational environment of English-speaking countries, which is mainly based on self-oriented learning and discussion. The different ways of teaching and learning in English-speaking countries can be a huge challenge to students accustomed to receiving and memorizing things from teachers. It is natural that the students get depressed rather than feel challenged by their new learning environment.

In the end, They are frightened over the different curriculum and the higher level of studying required. This makes it hard for them to study in Korea again. Also, some students cannot get along with classmates in school.

The co-writers are English teachers at a middle school in Gyeonggi Province. They can be reached at january5d@hanmail.net.
 

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom -
Kelly is 24 years old and was born in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, but left Korea almost 11 years ago to go to an international boarding school before moving to Reading, England to start her new life.

"What else, education" is the short but predictable answer to the question of why she left Korea, or more specifically why her parents decided to move her across the globe. "As I was an only child, my parents were reluctant to send me overseas. But an opportunity came up and they decided to go for it."

This extreme approach to education can of course be looked at in two lights. The first is that her parents took the proverbial bull by the horns and decided that if young Kelly was to learn English and become successful, then living in an English-speaking country was the only logical choice. The other is that her parents made important decisions on her behalf.

When she landed in England she could "get around" in English but this was after years of hagwon study and a lot of private lessons. "It was very frustrating because the vocabulary in everyday conversation is very specific and you just don't learn that kind of English in Korea."

Being a young girl from the other side of the world can present a multitude of problems, not least of which is the nastiness that seems to be a specialty of teenage girls. "I did experience a bit of racism, but not a lot. All of the people in my year were very nice, there were some in other years but we rarely met. I didn't really give it much thought and realized that I wasn't here to make everyone happy."

When asked what advice she would give to other Koreans going overseas, Kelly is cautious about offering general advice but does say: "You just have to get out there and meet people," but warns against changing yourself too much to fit in. "You will find people who will like you and people who won't. It is trial and error but you will make friends eventually."

Kelly enjoys most about being in the United Kingdom is the freedom of expression and the freedom to "follow your dreams" regardless of what other people think.

"In Korea it seems to be all about saving face, but here you don't have to worry about how you dress or what other people think about you. In Korea you have to keep up with the latest trends, but here you could walk around in a tutu and nobody would say anything to you!"

It is for these reasons that she thinks that many Koreans want to move abroad. "Because they know other countries are more open than Korea."

The conflicting cultures have given Kelly something of an identity crisis that surfaces when I ask her which country she calls home. "I have sort of lost my identity. I don't really belong to Korea because I haven't been able to follow all the cultural changes and the trends. I will always be a Korean and with my parents living there it will always feel like home. But the U.K. has become like a second home.

"When I am older, maybe 60, I will think about returning to Korea, but for now I am happy in the U.K."

To contact the author, e-mial robguv@gmail.com. To comment, e-mail mattlamers@heraldm.com - Ed.

By Rob McGovern

Question
1. Have you ever studied abroad? Let's talk about your or others experience of study abroad.
2. If you have a child, will you let your child go abroad to study?
3. Do you agree or disagree with studying abroad?
Tell your opinion to us with proper reasons. And if you disagree to that, talk about
counterplan of practicing perfect language in Korea.
 
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