Koala in New Zealand talks about English.

You hear as much as you know, you speak as much as you hear.

JUNG, JIN-HEE (New Zealand Koala) 지음

작가와 2024년 08월 03일 출간

작품소개

책소개

This book contains the entire journey of starting English conversation as a hobby, undergoing language training in New
Zealand and Australia, obtaining a TESOL Certificate, and eventually teaching English. It is composed of stories about life and travel in New Zealand, visits to Australia, and various anecdotes from language, as well as the mindset and methods used in teaching English. This is my first book that encapsulates my passion for English.

목차

Table of Contents

Prologue 6
1. The day I encountered the conversational English for the first time 8
2. Nickname ‘Koala’ makes me dream of Australia. 11
3. Singaporean homestay host: His name is Anthony. 16
4. Why did you come here? 19
5. What I saw in New Zealand surprised me: Bundles of cultural shocks. 21
6. A big bowl of Latte in Devonport. 25
7. My Language School Life and Essay Contest. 28
8. All Blacks : New Zealanders Who Are Passionate About Rugby 31
9. Princess Diana: Diana Spencer - Elton John: Candle in the wind 33
10. McDonald's 50-Cent Ice Cream, Korean store's $1 Shrimp Chips, and $1 Shin Ramyun 35
11. Bungee Jumping at Taupo, New Zealand's Largest Lake 37
12. Titanic 6 times + 1 time in the theatre 40
13. What's new? Annie's song, taught in mourning the day John Denver's light plane crashed, becomes the soundtrack to a wedding video. 43
14. The Day I Was Intimidated by the Maori Haka and Learned the Maori Love Song Pokarekare Ana 45
15. "Is Korea Going Bankrupt?" 48
16. Christmas in the Middle of Summer 50
17. Rafting in Queenstown and a Cruise in Milford Sound 52
18. Graduation 55
19. Visiting Australia to Meet Koala Bears 57
20. 23 Years of English Education Sparked by the SMU-TESOL Certificate 60
21. The University TOEIC Lecture that Came to Me Right After TESOL 63
22. Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and the Person I Met There 65
23. Oh, You’re from Germany? I Visited There Last Year! 68
24. I Thought You Weren't Korean 71
25. Where Did You Learn English So Well? 74
26. Performing "The Phantom of the Opera" with the Daejeon Wind Orchestra: Reliving the Magic from the Sydney Opera House 76
27. My Experience Earnestly Promotes the Fulfillment of Your Goals 79
28. You Hear as Much as You Know, and You Speak as Much as You Hear 85
Epilogue 88
Book Information 89

책 속으로

24. I Thought You Weren't Korean

My husband is German. Some might imagine that my German is very fluent, but no, no, no. My husband, who studied in England, is also comfortable with English, so we communicate in English.

My husband first came to Korea with the title of visiting professor for a UN peacekeeping-related project. Initially, there were often meetings to gain advice from various experts in the field.

One day, my husband’s mentor, Professor Kang ** from Korea University, arranged a meeting with former Foreign Minister of Korea, Han **. Since my foreign husband was present, the conversation naturally proceeded in English from the beginning.

After some time had passed, as the conversation continued, the minister suddenly switched to Korean and said, "I thought you weren’t Korean." Hmm... I was momentarily confused about how to interpret that.

Actually, I'm used to this kind of situation. When my husband and I went to Thailand, China, or Malaysia, shopkeepers in night markets would often speak to me in their language, not in English, thinking I was one of their own. It seemed I looked like one of their people rather than a Korean, which I felt bothered whenever it happened.

Could the minister have meant that as well? That I looked Southeast Asian? Sensing my slight confusion and hesitation, the minister kindly elaborated, "I thought you weren’t Korean because you don’t have any Korean accent at all."

Wow! That was probably the best compliment I’ve ever received. Saying that I speak English without any accent means my English is very natural, which is indeed the highest praise. It was an honor to receive the best compliment of my life from a former foreign minister of Korea.

That night, I couldn’t sleep easily. From then on, if anyone asks me, “You’re not Korean, right?” I would feel very easy to accept and even forgiving about it, regardless of what they might mean by it.

작가정보

저자(글) JUNG, JIN-HEE (New Zealand Koala)

I thought math was everything and lived the first 25 years of my life believing so. However, afterwards, I realized that English was everything and have been living with this understanding for over 25 years. I started studying conversational English under the nickname Koala by accident. Captivated by its charm, I mastered conversational English to a certain extent in Korea. Later, I went to New Zealand for language immersion, and to pursue professional English education, I obtained a TESOL certificate. I have been involved in English education for more than 20 years.

Most people in Korea find English very difficult and quite challenging. To address this, I educate using an approach similar to the principles and fundamentals of mathematical formulas. I believe in making it easy for learners to grasp the language and, as needed, I teach them how to expand sentences. To avoid stagnation, I am always learning and researching to stay up-to-date in the field.