Bloom Korea

Documenting my stay in Seoul, Korea from June to August.

[fyeahbangtaned]

IM SCREAMING

[korean-adventure]

KOREAN TEXTBOOKS MASTERPOST

ENGLISH

Colloquial Korean - the complete course for beginners [AUDIO]

Integrated Korean - Level 1 [AUDIO]

Integrated Korean - Level 2 [AUDIO]

Teach Yourself Korean [AUDIO]

Seoul National University - Korean 1

Seoul National University - Korean 2

Seoul National University - Korean 3 [AUDIO]

Seoul National University - Korean 4 [AUDIO]

Korean for dummies [AUDIO] [CHEAT SHEET]

My Korean 1 [AUDIO]

My Korean 2 [AUDIO]

Korean Advanced Course. Level 1

Korean Advanced Course. Level 2

Active Korean 1 [AUDIO]

Frequently Used Korean Dialogues 2000 Sentences [AUDIO]

College Korean

Beginner’s Korean [AUDIO]

Basic Korean - A grammar and workbook

Intermediate Korean - A grammar and workbook

Korean Through English 1 [AUDIO]

Living Language Korean Course [AUDIO]

Modern Conversational Korean

Hanyang Korean 1 [TEXTBOOK - GRAMMAR&PATTERNS - WRITING PRACTICE]

Essential Korean [AUDIO]

Pathfinder in Korean - Beginner [STUDENT BOOK - WORKBOOK]

Continuing Korean [AUDIO]

Korean Grammar for International Learners

The sounds of Korean - a pronunciation guide [AUDIO]

Using Korean: A Guide to Contemporary Usage

The Korean Language Structure, Use and Context

Tense and Aspect in Korean

Korean Honorifics and Politeness in Second Language Learning

A Korean Grammar on Semantic-Pragmatic Principles

Korean (London Oriental and African Language Library)

The Korean Language (Cambridge Language Surveys)

A History of the Korean Language

—

A Korean-English dictionary

Collins Korean Phrasebook

Easy to learn Korean Language

In-Fight Korean [AUDIO]

VocabuLearn Korean [LEVEL 1 | LEVEL 2]

Slang dictionary

Dirty Korean Everyday Slang

—

Korean Headstart Cultural Notes

Frommer’s South Korea Travel Guide

An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology

Korean Folk Tales

The Korean Wave: a New Pop Culture Phenomenon

A Brief History of Korea

The Rough Guide to Seoul

Culture and Customs of Korea

North Korea though the Looking Glass

Foods of Korea

A History of Korea from Antiquity to the Present

RUSSIAN

Корейский язык Вводный курс [AUDIO]

Корейский язык. Вводный курс (Вон Гван) [AUDIO]

Корейский язык. Основной курс (Вон Гван) [AUDIO]

Начальный курс корейского языка

Пособие по корейскому языку для начинающих [AUDIO]

Китайские иероглифы в корейском языке

Корейский язык Курс для продолжающих (Вон Гван)

Пособие по переводу с русского языка на корейский

Учебник корейского языка. Средний уровень 

FRENCH

Manuel De Coréen Volume 1

Grammaire coréenne

SPANISH

El coreano básico

SLOVENIAN (not sure, please corect me if i’m wrong)

Uchebnik Koreyskogo Dialoga 1

Uchebnik Koreyskogo Dialoga 2

GERMAN

Kauderwelsch Koreanisch Wort für Wort [AUDIO]

BOOKS

Harry Potter series

Children books (post by myhangeul)

——————-

(feel free to add more links)

[lifelovekorea]

so many 😍😍

[anxioustranger]

What if I don’t know what to pack?

(My fall quarter is ending so I’ve been away for a while as I prepare for finals TT so I wasn’t able to update last week.)

This is a question I can only answer based on how I packed for a summer in Korea. The list I provide may be relevant and useful for countries that have a similar summer climate as Korea. This list is broad as it was created between me and multiple people as we helped each other not forget our essentials. So, not everything on the list is necessary for everyone. You may find that something you need on the list is not there as well so you can use this as a base and personalize it for your trip.

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I’m alone? (pt.2)

“What if I don’t make friends”

     This was honestly one of my top fears.

     The one friend I knew I would have on the trip withdrew before the program started and I was left alone…

     I was ready to stay in my room throughout my entire study abroad stay because the thought of being out in an unfamiliar city alone terrified me.

     But, surprisingly, I found the campus environment to be fairly open and friendly, making it easier than expected to make friends.

     I wouldn’t be surprised if at least 90% of the people on your program are in the same position as you, in fact, you should expect it. They’ve probably never been to the country either, the entire environment is new to them. Some may not know the local language. Others may know a little bit but are just as overwhelmed as you.

     The other 10%, well, they’ve probably been there before, have family there, or are fairly familiar with the language and customs. Sometimes you can befriend or be befriended by these few people, making getting around the country a bit easier. I was lucky enough to find someone like this the first time I went to Korea and I am forever grateful to them!

     But because so many people are feeling the same things as you, they become much more open to meeting others because they want someone to travel around with too. 

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I don’t know where I want to study?

If you don’t know where to study, it’s best to look into various programs. But there are tons of programs and each of them have varying countries and universities, right? It’s hard. Try asking yourself these questions:

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I want to learn the language?

    It’s always a good idea to get some exposure of the language of the country you’ll be studying in, even if it’s just common phrases. I want to provide you with a start-up list for learning a different language, but since I’ve only ever looked into studying Korean on my own (and not in a class setting) my list may be lacking.

*Any suggestion with one (*) next to it, I highly recommend. I found them extremely helpful and useful.

** Two asterisks mean I recommend it but the service may not be completely free. Of course, there are many other ways of obtaining these services.

-  Unless there is a link, these are all apps that are easily accessible in the app store.

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I don’t know the language?

     Language is always hard and it really depends on where you’re planning on studying. Sometimes you only need a basic grasp of the local language but other times, if you don’t know it at at least an advanced beginner’s level, you’ll find getting around to be very difficult.

     I can’t speak on the topic of other countries, but I will try to give my advice based on my experiences in Seoul.

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

Just a Break...

School just started and it’s my last quarter! So things are getting a little hectic as I try to figure out the best way to approach taking two beginner’s language classes at the same time! (I’m taking Japanese and Arabic, in case anyone is interested in knowing).

Because of this I wasn’t able to properly prepare an update for the blog… Sorry about that. So here’s some pictures of the 3 main palaces in Korea that I visited! They’re definitely worth at least one visit if you’re ever there.

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I can’t afford to study abroad?

     This is a question I’m sure a few of you have asked yourself when deciding you want to study abroad. Not everyone can afford an academic term abroad, while others have the privilege of receiving federal aid. Financial reasons may also be what has been holding you back from finally studying abroad. So what do you do if you can’t afford to study abroad but want to go?

     The first thing you could do is talk with your university’s financial aid and scholarship office. Often times they have a counselor specifically for study abroad programs that can help you come up with a plan or adjust your current financial aid package for you.  

*On the topic of financial aid, apply for it!

Your federal aid goes with you when you study abroad and may cover all or part of your program’s expenses. You don’t lose out on anything by applying and seeing if you’re eligible for it.

*If your federal aid isn’t enough to cover all your expenses or if you just don’t qualify, crowd funding is something a lot of study abroad advisors suggest. Receive financial help from your relatives, friends and community using sites like gofundme.com.

*Still not enough money? It’s time to look into scholarships!

The one I want to highly recommend is the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship. (I’ve linked the scholarship application process)

     This is the scholarship that allowed me to actually be able to afford my study abroad program. The amount the award is, is dependent on how long/when you decide to go abroad. But no worries, the amount is plenty generous. Please consider doing it, there is no cost for applying, so again, there’s nothing to lose by trying!

**It may be difficult to find scholarships sometimes so below I’ll link a few I looked into. Always check with your school’s financial aid office for other scholarships, sometimes there are country or school specific ones you may not find online. Good luck!

Keep reading

[anxioustranger]

What if I'm afraid to study abroad?

     You’re not alone in feeling this way.

     Almost everyone who’s deciding to go abroad for an extended period of time will face some form of fear about it. Of course, everyone’s level of coping with this fear is different. It’s good to first identify what it is you’re afraid of. Is it just the thought of leaving home? The unfamiliarity of the country you’ll be studying in? The possible language barrier you’ll face?

     Some people don’t know what it is that they’re afraid of, and that’s okay. You may not even know where your fear is stemming from.

     The point of this blog is to try to pinpoint these anxieties and try to offer some solace and some comfort. I faced these anxieties twice, once with the security of a close friend and again all by myself. It was a nerve wracking experience that had me tossing and turning for the two months prior to my departure (especially the second time around!).

     My fears ranged from travelling alone, not making any friends, something happening at home, getting sick abroad, getting lost, housing, transportation, getting stared at for being a foreigner… honestly, the list can go on and on.

     There were moments before my departure where I just couldn’t handle it anymore and wanted to drop out of the program but I kept telling myself that 1. I’d regret it, 2. It was something I had dreamed about for years and 3. It was something I needed to do (travelling abroad is a major requirement for me). Sometimes my fears felt trivial but I later accepted that it was okay that I felt the way I did.

     I didn’t really have anyone to guide me and put me at ease about some of these matters. So I hope to use my experience and fears to help you get through this too.

     This is a big decision, and despite being a great opportunity, it drains a lot of people to plan and mentally prepare themselves for it. Having someone to talk to and offer different perspectives of advice is always great. It will take some time to get over these fears, whether they’re big or small and whether they seem irrational to others, they’re valid fears. The truth is, you might not actually overcome some of your fears about this, but if you manage to stick to it until you’re in the country you want to be in, you might find out that maybe you weren’t so afraid of xyz as you thought you were.

     I’m open and happy to talk to anyone who may need some advice in something other than what I post.

     So if you’re afraid to study abroad, I hope something that I post on this blog can help you push that fear away at least a little bit and give you a little peace of mind.

[anxioustranger]

What if I want to study abroad?

     I’m happy you want to go abroad! I honestly think it creates the most memorable and educating experiences. The fact that you’ve decided that you want to take part in something this great is always step one! From this point on you’ll need to look into different programs and countries you want to study in, and maybe you already have something you want to do in mind. If you have no clue where to start, below are some study abroad programs you can look into:

CIEE

ISA

IIE (This one helps you find different programs that are the best fit for you)

Semester at Sea

IES

AIFS

** There are also the programs that are hosted by your home institution or host institution (the university you want to study at) and these can often be a better choice to these third parties.

     I took part in my university’s program, UCEAP, because it worked for me in terms of country, money, and time commitment.

     A program that works for one person, may not work for another.

           See which one works for you. Do they offer a program in the country I want to study in? Do they have a program during the semester/quarter/year I want to go in? Is the program something I can afford? Do they offer housing (if this is a priority for you)? Does the university the program is hosted at offer classes in my major? Are the courses right/interesting for me? (Think of these questions as something you would put on a flow chart to decide whether a program/country is the best for you).

     Speaking from personal experience, it’s best to plan for a study abroad program starting from the year prior. This gives you enough time to not only choose your program and country carefully, it also gives you time to prep for any possible obstacles like finances, personal and family matters, travel documents, or find a back-up program (e.g in case you find a better one). If you’re someone who needs detailed plans for long trips, having a year to do so is ideal. It reduces the amount of stress and anxiety that may build up should you only start planning closer to the application due date. It gives you the time and the opportunity to take a step back and think about everything if the process gets too stressful.

     Of course, when you make decisions like this you may also find yourself stressing or panicking about things that may seem minor. I will be addressing some of these fears throughout my blog and you are more than welcome to ask about any other concerns you may have.

     I want this to be a space where you feel comfortable asking any questions you may have.

[anxioustranger]

What is the purpose of this blog?

     My wish is to use my experiences of studying abroad to help other students decide whether studying abroad is right for them (with the ultimate goal of having them choose that it is!).

     I’ve been on a study abroad program twice before, both times to South Korea’s Yonsei University. The reason I went to the same place twice is something I might get into in later posts, since it will be relevant to the topics I discuss.

     The main purpose of this blog is to talk about some of the anxieties (posed as “What if” questions) that may come up when deciding whether or not you can push yourself to commit to a study abroad program. I will be doing this using my own experiences, and though my responses may be rather subjective, they may still be relevant to the problems you may be facing. Hopefully my responses can put your mind at ease regarding some of the topics.

     If you have your own concerns that I have not addressed, whether it’s about studying abroad in general, studying in South Korea, or the program I was on, feel free to send a message and I’ll try my best to answer it!

[revolutionarykoolaid]

I’m just done. Absolutely fucking done. The police executed another Black man tonight in Minnesota, as he attempted to comply with orders to produce an ID. He told officers that he had both a gun and conceal carry permit, but that he was reaching solely for his wallet. 

Philando Castile had a clean record according to his girlfriend, and worked in the public school system. He was murdered by police as his 4-year old daughter sat in the back seat. His courageous girlfriend did something I don’t have words for–she filmed the scene as Castile bled out, while the pig did nothing to save the man he just shot point blank. The video streamed live on Facebook, but has since been taken down. It is still circulating on social media, however I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND watching it. It’s very graphic and triggering.

We didn’t even get a full 24-hours to mourn Alton Sterling before the murderous thugs stole another life. It’s beyond Black Lives Matter now. We need a revolution, we need liberation, by any means necessary. #farfromover

[bloomkorea]

Time to pay 765...........

[bloomkorea]

[bloomkorea]

[lamppostt]

Skull & Haha - Busan Vacance