만나서 반가워요 (man-na-seo ban-ga-wo-yo)! My name is Maddie, and I will soon begin teaching English at an all-girls middle school in Cheongju, South Korea. I can’t wait to share this journey with you! I’m originally from Louisville, Kentucky, but I went to college at the University of Virginia. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to read and write. That passion only deepened in college, where I studied global literature and poetry writing.
Although I studied abroad in England, Ireland and Scotland, I have always wanted to travel to a place where English wasn’t the first language. In particular, I’m fascinated with South Korean culture. How has a country roughly the size of Kentucky produced books, music (called K-pop), and even T.V. shows (called K-dramas) that have traveled around the world? Even more importantly, what do we lose when we can’t read, watch and listen to Korean art in its original language?
Just over six weeks ago, these questions led me on a 27-hour journey from Louisville to 괴산읍 (Goesan-eup), South Korea. Since then, I’ve spent over four hours every day studying Korean.
