After spending a week in your Korean class the weekend is the perfect opportunity to unwind and explore the city.  There are so many options but my favorite weekend evening has go to be going to a theatrical show.

The first show that I went to, which I highly recommend, is “Nanta.” This is the longest running show in Seoul and perfect for any age.  It is a show that is best explained as a mix between “Stomp” and “Top Chef”.  There is plenty of audience participation and the best thing is you don’t have to know Korean to understand the show.

Before the performance begins a projection screen comes down and displays the plot as well as some instructions (such as no photos during the performance) in several different languages including English, Chinese, Japanese and of course Korean.  The show itself is mostly a percussion performance where the performers use knives, fresh vegetables, and other kitchen supplies.  There are 4 different theaters in the area that show “Nanta” and they all range in price from 30,000 – 60,000 won.  

In contrast with “Nanta” the other show I went to see is a musical called “Miso”  This show is the classic Korean love story told mostly through traditional dance.  There was only one actress that sang which is why “Miso” is advertised as a musical.  Even though I did not understand the singer (because it was in Korean) I was still able to understand the plot not only through dance but through a brief synopsis they provide before the show begins.  This was done through a screen coming down on the stage just like at the “Nanta” performance.  However, because it went through 3 languages rather quickly, I could not follow it all.  Luckily, one of my housemates explained the plot to me before the show.  Also, in the lobby before the theatre doors opened there was a monitor that explained the story in English.

Once we entered the theater cameras had to be turned off. However, after the show the performers came out and took pictures with the audience.  Below is a photo of myself and my housemate after the show.  While we are both very busy with our course work from the AmeriSpan Korean school we were also able to enjoy our weekend at the theatre!

Read all of Josephine’s blogs from Seoul Korea.

 Having no prior knowledge of the Korean language I was a bit
scared about how the class would be structured and the pacing.  I wasn’t sure if they would explain things
in only Korean or if they would even start me off at the beginning.  Classes are also only held on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10A.M. – 1P.M so I was a bit skeptical about
how much I would be able to learn in a short period of time and only being here
for 4 weeks.  However, I am quickly
adapting to the fast pace and the amount of information being given during each
class.

The first couple of classes we spent on the Korean alphabet,
learning how to write the letters and all the different pronunciation
rules.  This pace was normal and we
spent plenty of time on how to read and write the alphabet.  However, as soon as we hit chapter one the
pacing changed!  Now that we are past
the alphabet we do one chapter per day. 
A lot of information is given, but we have plenty of opportunities to
practice both inside and outside of class. Homework is given regularly and every morning we have a dictation test
of the previous chapter.

Class is normally set up like this:

1st hour – Dictation test and review of previous chapter

2nd hour – Grammar of new chapter and practice (including LOTS of
flash-cards)

3rd hour – Continue practicing through partner work and games.

 The book is really easy to follow and while a lot of the class is
spoken in Korean, English and Japanese is also used to explain the material. My teacher is very patient with our class
yet is able to get through the material very quickly. I definitely did not expect the class to move at such a fast
pace, but I am happy that I am able to keep up and learn so much in such a
short amount of time.

Go to AmeriSpan’s Korean school in Seoul

Read all of Josephine’s blogs from Seoul Korea.

When I was first applying for my AmeriSpan program I wasn't sure if I wanted just the lodging house or a host family.  After talking with one of the representatives from the "Live Help Chat" on the AmeriSpan website they explained that I would be getting more practice if I was with a host family.  I was also apprehensive because I don't know any Korean and I would be going to the country with no language abilities except for English.  I asked if that would be a problem and the representative said that it wouldn't be an issue and I would benefit the most because I would be engulfed in the culture and language.  With the reassurance from AmeriSpan I decided to go for it, and boy am I glad I did!

5) Having a Family Away From Home
The host family I'm staying with is household consisting of a grandmother, mother, (mother's) brother, and a baby. It is a comfort to come back from school, or from exploring Seoul, to see the hustle and bustle of normal family life. Everyone is so welcoming and happy to see you that very quickly you start to feel like part of the family.

4) The Other House Guests
I am not the only student staying with my host family.  There are three other students who are attending the school where my Korean classes are held.  We each have our own room and live on the second floor while the family lives on the first.  It's nice to have others in the same program because we walk to school together as well as go out in the evenings just to walk around Seoul as tourists.  It also helps in studying because we are at different levels in our classes.  During meals sometimes we will help each other explain the homework or even practice for an upcoming quiz or test.

3) The Rooms
In my room there is a bed, desk, free-standing closet, and 2 built in closets.  There is plenty of space to call my own for the summer.  I also have internet and a television with cable. 

2) To Come and Go as I Please
Each of us staying at the house have our own set of keys that get us into the front gate, house door, as well as our individual rooms. We are allowed to go and come back at any time which is nice when you want to discover the night life of Seoul without waking anyone up upon your return.

1) Home-Cooked Meals
Everyday, including weekends, we get breakfast and dinner at the house.  It is cooked by our host mom and normally Korean food.  This gives us the opportunity to have real Korean food without going out to a restaurant everyday.  If for some reason we are going to miss breakfast or dinner all we have to do is tell our host mom so she doesn't make extra portions.   However, nothing beats eating together at the house where we are able to enjoy good food with good conversations.

AmeriSpan note: Homestay in Korea is no longer available. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or updates regarding your options.

For more information, go to AmeriSpan's Korean school in Seoul

Read all of Josephine's blogs from Seoul Korea.

When booking your ticket most people just want the quickest flight to their final destination.  However, a layover can be tons of fun if you don’t mind the wait.  This was my first time traveling abroad and I couldn’t wait to start my AmeriSpan program in South Korea.  Originally I thought that a layover would be a bad idea, let alone one that lasted 8 hours.  However, it was a great beginning to my time in Seoul.

My flight took me from the United States to Amsterdam (where I had the layover) and then from Amsterdam to Seoul, South Korea.  When I first got there I thought I would probably just spend my time looking at a few shops inside the airport and then just go on my laptop for the remaining time.  Lucky for me I when I was trying to find where my gate would be for my connecting flight (so I wouldn’t get lost later after exploring the airport) I found a booth for Amsterdam excursions.

For less than 40 euro I could go on a guided tour of Amsterdam, and not just one of those bus tours, but a canal tour.  They took me out of the airport and onto a bus, where they drove into the city where I would then go on the canal tour.  The nice thing about this was that not only did they take me from the airport, but back as well.  This really saved me from getting lost and insured that I was able to catch my connecting flight.  The tour only took 2 hours including the commute.  For a first time traveler this was a lot of fun! 

I got to enjoy the sights of a city I’d never seen, and still had plenty of time to catch my flight.  I was even able to come back and do a little shopping in the airport.  Unfortunately, Schiphol (Amsterdam airport) was undergoing a lot of construction so a few shops were closed as well as the museum that is located inside the airport.  However, I still had a blast looking through all the other shops (it is pretty much a giant mall) and yeah, I’ll admit, I was still able to spend plenty of time online with my laptop.

Go to AmeriSpan’s Korean school in Seoul

Read all of Josephine’s blogs from Seoul Korea.

By Victoria C., Guest Blogger from Seoul, Korea

Today I am going to discuss the lodging options at AmeriSpan's Korean Language School in Seoul, Korea. The Korean school assists with housing. Students can choose from private apartments, shared apartments or host families. The homestays and apartments are very close to the school. The apartments that I visited are only one subway stop away from the school. 

Seoul apartments are very small. Students share a bathroom or can choose to have a bathroom in their rooms for an additional cost. The apartments have shared common areas and kitchens. If a student would like to save on the cost of food, they can choose a meal plan with their housing for an additional monthly cost. The meal plan provides two meals a day; breakfast and dinner.

 
Kitchen & Common Area of Shared Apartment 

Laundry service is also available for additional cost. If you choose not to use the laundry service, you have access to a washer and they provide a drying rack for your clothes. There are also private apartments for students who only want to share living space and kitchens with less people. These apartments are higher costs then the other student apartment buildings.

Kitchen in Private Apartment (kitchen shared with 2 – 4 people max) 

AmeriSpan note: Homestay in Korea is no longer available. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or updates regarding your options.

Click for more information about AmeriSpan's Korean School in Seoul.

I met with the school director at the Korean Language School in Seoul, Korea. She was very professional
and nice, and like many Korean women she was very reserved. I was greeted and
offered something to drink. We met in
the lobby of the school at 2pm. I was not able to see any classes in session
but the school director and I were able to discuss the most commonly asked questions sheet
to make sure the information was up to date. My mother, who is Korean, was with
me and was able to translate and clarify many of my questions.

Building and School Location
The Korean school is located in a university town called
Donggyo-Dong. Hong-Ik Univeristy is
located here and is a very well known University in Korea. I loved the area the school was located. The
school is conveniently located near the subway and bus. It took me only 5
minutes to walk from the subway to arrive at the school. Next to the school is a restaurant, where
students can get lunch after classes are over. The area also has many other restaurants near by and lots of good
shopping as well. The building has elevator access, bathrooms on each floor and
are very clean and well maintained.

The school is on the 3rd
floor of the building. Classrooms are located on the 2nd and 4th floors. The
3rd floor is where the lobby and teachers office is located as well as a
computer area where students have access to emails and the web at no cost.

The classrooms hold a maximum of 11 students. On average a classroom has about 7 students. The school is available to accommodate 150 students which is the maximum capacity for the school.  The most common country in which students are from is Japan. The teachers are all mostly young in age ie; mid 20’s to mid 30’s.

Language Program

There are 6 different language levels. Methods used for teaching are books, audio and video. One of the American students I met in housing, informed us that this Korean school is stronger in their text method then other schools and that their intermediate level of teaching is the strongest. When discussing with the school director on how she felt about their highly advanced levels she said she was very comfortable with this. After my discussion with the student I met in housing, I can say that this seems to be very true. 

The Korean school offers private classes to any student. They are available for 1-on-1 sessions in which a tutor is arranged during any time it is convenient to the student. The school organizes excursions for the students such as city tours, art performances and other group activities. The excursions are available at an additional cost to the students and are mostly conducted in Korean. The students are allowed to invite friends to come with them if they would like.