Saturday, November 15, 2008

Korean update

OK, so I'm on day four of learning Korean. Rosetta Stone does NOT start out slow! So I feel a little overwhelmed with it right now, but in theory I totally agree with the immersion method. I spend my entire lesson learning in Korean, there's no time wasted listening to someone speak to me in English. I am learning a lot though and I think that once I get further into the program I'm going to start retaining more and more of it. I estimate that if I go at a normal pace and really work at it, I should be able to finish the program in six months. In six months I hope that we're getting ready to get Clarissa home. If I really DO learn to speak Korean enough to get by, it might be the big push I need to actually make the trip to Korea instead of having Clarissa escorted to the US. My heart is telling me to go to Korea, but my brain is telling me that I'm too scared to fly to handle a 15 hour flight over the ocean. Fifteen hours! We're going to Memphis in the spring and I'm already panicking about the five hour flight, and it's a flight I've taken before. We flew there last February and I survived. I don't know why I'm convinced that I can't do it again. Every second on an airplane is torture for me.

BUT I'm in love with the idea of actually getting to go to Korea. To meet Clarissa's foster mother and to be able to tell Clarissa later all about where she came from is important to me. Plus I've just fallen in love with Korea through everything I've read and seen lately. It seems like a beautiful place that I really do want to visit.

So we'll see. I change my mind about it daily and it's still months away. When the time comes, we'll see who wins, my brain or my heart!

3 comments:

Jeni said...

I think you would always regret it if you didn't go to Korea if it was possible. I also think it will be wonderful for Clarissa to have real personal pictures of the foster Mother who cared for her as well as the country she came from. I also think it would mean a lot to you to see her foster Mom face to face.

I think the purpose of the trip would get you through it. :)

Amy said...

think of it this way. If you go on Korean Air, you'll get at least 3 meals on the plane, and you can choose the Korean option if you like. Thats just more cultural immersion! And if you have a layover in California, then that second flight will only be 13 hours, and you could listen to the movies in Korean to see how much you understand. I've had very good experiences with Korean Air. :)

Creatively Ewe said...

Hope all is well your way! Its been a month since your last update, I hope you guys are safe and just enjoying this cold weather we have!