Regina CP#4

 

Regina Sosinski - CP#4

July 31, 2017, 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Young Joo Oh

Location: Starbucks

 

Today was our last conversation session, and Young Joo said she was sorry it was going to end. She really enjoys having an English conversation partner. I told her I thought her English had definitely improved since our first meeting, and that she spoke with more confidence. She was happy to hear it! I also told her there will be a new semester beginning soon, with a new TEFL class of students who will also need conversation partners. I encouraged her to contact Claire about participating again next semester. Over the weekend, Young Joo said she drove a couple hours out of town with a friend to pick dates from the trees at some kind of farm. She said it was really fun and that they brought home a lot of dates, which are very popular in Korea. She told me she also made some kimchi, which Koreans eat with almost every meal, and we discussed how it is prepared. I told her I read about a method in which kimchi is buried in the ground. She said that is done only if it is cold outside, as a way to keep it cool. Young Joo told me that in Korea, many families have a second, smaller refrigerator made just for kimchi! I showed Young Joo a printout of some Korean symbols for good luck that I had brought, and asked her to tell me about them. They were mostly circle-shaped or hexagon-shaped designs. She said they are typically found on the roof tiles of homes, both in Korea and in China. I also asked if she would write my name and her name in Korean for me, which she did. Very cool! She also described how some of the letters are formed, writing down examples and explaining some of the meanings. I thanked her for her time, and wished her luck and continued success as she worked toward her goals. She said I helped inspire and motivate her to go after what she wants, and wished me the all the best in my future endeavors.