In five years...

Source: Vox

The United Nations reports around 195 recognized countries in the world; within those countries, over seven thousand languages are available. This number might make you think, “Wow, I feel so small because I can only speak one language.” However, statistics actually show that there is a good chunk of people who are monolingual at around forty percent (Baggio, 2022). It was also stated that about half of the world’s population is bilingual, with ten percent being able to speak more than three languages.

I could speak two languages, which are Indonesian and English, fluently for most of my life, but in 2022, I had the spontaneous idea to try learning a new language. I actually have tried to pick up a language here and there, but I didn’t know how to learn the language properly. I only tried using Duolingo for a few weeks before getting too tired and unmotivated to continue. So, I figured this was not a suitable method for me. This time, however, It’s different. I finally found a platform that fits me so much that I can say it is quite easy to learn a new language. One that I can see myself putting in the time and effort to achieve the best outcome.

But before we get into the details, let’s rewind a little.

At the start of 2018, I became invested in K-pop, especially in BTS. I used to be one of those people who would look at K-pop fans weirdly. I would say things like, “Why are people so in love with Korea right now? It’s literally whatever.” Maybe I wanted to have that “I’m not like other girls” or “I’m so quirky” persona back in middle school. I was, of course, in denial when I first found myself humming K-pop songs and being unable to get them out of my head. Not long after that, I decided to embrace it and be a total fangirl.

I was very obsessed with them that year, but I was more focused on my studies in 2019. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I came back to K-pop and fangirled some more. It was also the time I started to watch more Korean media, like dramas and variety shows.

Fast-forward to 2021, I thought to myself, “Man, it is so frustrating that I have to wait for subtitles to come out before being able to understand what they are saying.” From that, I decided that I wanted to learn Korean. I researched long and hard for ways to learn the language at home and by myself. I finally found a website that provided free online resources.

Whenever I’m learning, I like to take notes, doodles, and use a lot of colors. So, I did just that when I was learning Korean. I jot down everything from the website and put it in my notes book. They also have a YouTube channel, where they explain some more aspects of the languages and clarify any other confusion. I also watch other YouTubers that provide Korean language lessons and explanations that help me understand it better.

While this was all going on, I became a university student. As time went on, I found myself prioritizing my classes and organizational activities more than learning Korean. It just felt like I did not have time to do anything other than what was absolutely necessary, such as my assignments, projects, and the events I was organizing.

These days, things have gotten slower. I’m in my fifth semester, and this will be my last one before I have to do my internship, meaning I will soon no longer have any assignments and will no longer be an active member of my organization. In other words, I will hopefully be able to have more time for my self-development.

Most of my courses during the fourth and fifth semesters are related to teaching English as a Foreign Language. I’ve spent countless hours making lesson plans, teaching materials, and assessments. I’ve learned how to manage my classroom and practice it for a few weeks. It has been an amazing experience and opportunity for me, but after all of that, I still feel like something is missing. My love for learning languages and the knowledge to share that love and teach languages to others makes me want to get back to learning Korean.

My goals in the next five years are to learn Korean more intently and take the TOPIK test. In the following years, I will do my internship, finish my thesis, graduate, and teach English professionally. I hope that one day, I will be able to either teach English in Korea or teach Korean in Indonesia. I may even try to learn another language. I don’t know which language yet. However, with there being so many languages in the world, it would be a shame to be able to speak only two or three.

Reference:

Baggio, G. (2022). 6 Bilingualism and the brain in Neurolinguistics (pp.91-102). MIT Press.