#113, Speak
Every now and then I'll hear English being spoken in a public place and my ears will perk up. Others take notice too, their curiosity piqued at the presence of a foreign language. When I first arrived in Korea, I had the urge to start conversing with these stray speakers, having the odd impulse to say, "I can speak English too!" That desire has since faded, but my sensitivity to English speech in Korea has not.
The power to speak English is one that is undefined and changing. For example, when I am on the subway with a friend, I am self-conscious speaking English feeling the stares of my fellow passengers. I do not know what what they are thinking, but the attention brings me unease. Outside of PEAI, on the other hand, students and teachers converse enthusiastically in English in a completely natural way. Other students, switch back to Korean the moment they step through the threshold at the bottom of the stairs. Each of us has a different relationship with the English language and thus, when we have the power to use it.
To complete this Journal response,
When do you feel comfortable using English (not including PEAI)? Why? Think about the forces (e.g., classmates, friends, family, culture, environment) involved that make you feel this way.
Comment on one of your peer's responses.
-Brenden Lee Teacher
imagine sisyphus happy