Korea Herald 20080708

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TUESDAY JULY 8, 2008

Expat living is a page dedicated to the issues that affect expats' daily lives. It is your page, where you can share stories about your life in Korea. Send story ideas to Matthew Lamers at [email protected]

In focus: Film photography By David Smeaton

I bought a digital camera and I love digital technology. However I noticed that a lot of people are still photographing with film cameras. Is there any reason why people still shoot with film? Garam, Seoul. I suppose film is to digital like records are to CDs. Many people just like the old ways. As in all things, some people will argue that film is better than digital, or visa versa. Neither film nor digital are superior, because both have their benefits and drawbacks. However it’s easy to see why so many people use digital nowadays, especially because of the instant results and feedback with each photo. Digital is instant, highly editable (thanks to Adobe Photoshop and similar programs), highly portable, and best of all — free. Once you’ve outlayed for a digital camera, you can shoot as much as you want and it costs almost nothing. The biggest benefit of film is the quality. Digital may be useful, and even quite high quali-

PHOTO CHALLENGE — Water — Geoje-do, South Gyeongsang Province, is one of the most scenic destinations in the country, and many visit this island for a holiday. Simon Bond (369photography.co.uk)

camera until the roll is finished. The only remedy for this is to carry more film bodies, each loaded with different ASA films. Film has become the old school approach to photography. Anyone using an old rangefinder or SLR is someone who knows their way around cameras. Many people are still developing their own film too, despite the increasing costs and need for space to build a darkroom. And although digital is instant, there’s nothing more exciting than getting a set of prints back from the film store and looking through your pho-

Film is becoming more expensive, but despite digital’s popularity, film will never die. ty, but the print quality of film is still much higher. It’s true that digital will overtake film quality, when digital cameras are around 32 megapixels, but it’s still nice to look at the quality of a film photograph and marvel at it’s detail. Some digital cameras are higher quality already, but this is only in limited areas. Generally, film is still superior in terms of resolution quality. Once digital is enlarged beyond its optimal size, the quality goes downhill fast. Film doesn’t suffer the same side effects, the print quality is only limited by the size of the print paper. Many experts argue that film still has much better range and tone than digital. But digital photos can be edited much more easily, and without expensive, messy chemicals. While software is improving all the time, I don’t think digital handles noise particularly well. Film has very low noise film stock. One-hundred ASA film is particularly good for making images without any noise or grain. The ace up digital’s sleeve is that all of these features (particularly ISO/ASA) can be changed on the fly. Film photographers have to choose their film stock and leave it in the

tos. It’s just as much of a thrill, even though you don’t get the chance to go back and re-shoot the shots you messed up. Film is becoming more expensive too, but despite digital’s popularity, film will never die. Ultimately, each will always have a following. Personally, I love photographing in film just as much as I love my digital camera. I use both cameras regularly and love getting rolls of film developed. I think, too, that the old ways can be the best ways. Since digital does everything for you, photographers may become lazy or forgetful of the importance of manual focus or manual shooting. Shooting with a manual camera is a good way to keep your skills sharp. Besides, there’s nothing more satisfying than the solid “click” that comes with a film camera’s shutter. Happy shooting. Send David a message at [email protected] or visit his website at davidsmeaton.com. If you want to be a part of the weekly Photo Challenge, join the “Seoul Photo Club” group at flickr (flickr.com/groups/seoulphotoclub). — Ed.

Expat Living on Facebook Expat Living is finally on Facebook. Starting in July, check out the Facebook group “Expat Living (Korea)” regularly for free restaurant and concert ticket giveaways. You have to be a member of the group to be eligible for the free stuff. — Ed.

Podcast “The International Hub of Podcasting” — SeoulPodcast, sponsored by Expat Living — Not your grandfather’s internet radio show. See SeoulPodcast.com

Dedication needed to learn Korean By Rob York

An expatriate can learn a decent amount of Korean in only a few years. Those who have done so say that all it takes is a bit of determination and a lot of love, be it for Korea, Korean people or new experiences. First, consider the story of an American named Bryan Smith, 30, who left his home in Colorado to come to Korea late last August. A speaker of not only English but also Spanish and German, Smith was motivated to travel here by his love of foreign cultures and languages. “I decided to go live somewhere else; it didn’t really matter where, at that time,” said Smith, who works as an English teacher at the Avalon Institute in Suwon. “Korea just seemed like the easiest one to get to at the time.” Then, there’s Martin Sketchy, also 30, who came to Korea from his home in the United Kingdom in November 2005. Sketchy’s wife Mina is Korean, and he said that he came, in part, to learn about her home country and to raise their son abroad. He eventually went to work at the Wall Street Institute, teaching English to corporate clients, in order to prepare them for expatriation to countries such as the United Kingdom or United States. Neither man has taken a formal Korean language class, but neither one wasted any time in getting started. In fact, once Smith was sure he was coming to Korea, he “immediately” started studying through the internet while still in America.

Much of his studies are still done online, but he also enjoys Korean children’s books, which he deciphers with a little help from his electronic dictionary. “That, as well as just trying to talk to as many people as possible,” he said. This includes coworkers, students and “people that I just run into, people that I just talk to and actually end up being friends with.” Sketchy began studying Korean as soon as he arrived at Incheon International Airport, he said. He eventually mastered the alphabet by reading road signs. “I noticed that the language was totally different (from) English, but that is what is interesting about it,” he said. Those with different ideas about studying languages can take comfort in this: The two expatriates have attained their Korean ability with widely differing study methods. For example, Smith generally spends at least one hour per day studying, but may take as many as three. “One of the main things I do is I write stories in Korean,” he said. “I’ll go somewhere and try to write a little bit.” Exposure to Korean media can also be helpful, but that may depend on individual tastes. “I do watch some movies in Korean,” Smith said, “(but) I’ve never been a huge television fan.” Sketchy, on the other hand, spends about five hours a week watching Korean TV. He also spends quite a bit of time memorizing words and gets a lot of practice just by listening to his wife and son. Now, he describes his speaking abilities as “upper

elementary,” but his listening skills may actually be better than that. “I can now understand about 90 percent of what my wife and family say,” he said. The practice has paid off in many ways for both men. “Basically, if people speak very slowly, I can hold simple conversations,” Smith said. “With the help of an electronic dictionary, then I can hold more complex conversations. On the phone is much harder because you don’t have those visual cues.” Smith feels comfortable with most Korean grammar but still endeavors to expand his vocabulary. “I can generally hold productive conversations with people,” he said, but “I have still a lot to learn.” Sketchy also considers the vocabulary of the Korean language to be the hardest aspect of his studies. English, for example, has a large number of cognates, or words that have similar-sounding counterparts in languages like German and Spanish, for example. Native speakers of English, however, get little help of that sort with Korean. “You have to learn everything from scratch,” Smith said. “There’s also the vastly different grammatical structure, the lack of prepositional phrases.” Sketchy, who studied French while living in France, estimates that it takes about five times longer to memorize a Korean word than a word from a European language similar to English. “However, I find Korean easier because I live in Korea, have a Korean family and under-

stand the culture of this country,” he said. In addition to his listening skills, these days, Sketchy can converse on familiar topics and generally make himself understood, he said. The best advice that they have for others studying the language is to simply keep at it. “It seems at first that you’re making absolutely no progress,” said Smith, who has, in the past, taken as much as a month off from studying. “Luckily, I got back into it; I got unburnt-out,” he said. “If you have to take some time off, then do it, but get back into it.” Because of his love for languages, Smith has thought of pursuing an advanced degree in linguistics. Even if he does not choose that route, he finds plenty of advantages to knowing the language while here in Korea. “I think it can be a lonely situation not being able to speak to anyone,” he said. “To have that basic human interaction ability is really invaluable. “Also, it’s almost impossible to learn about the culture if you can’t communicate with the people.” Sketchy recommends daily study of at least 30 minutes and as much speaking practice as possible. “You may make yourself look silly in front of Koreans, but they will probably correct your Korean,” he said. “Do not think too much about grammar when speaking ... and concentrate on conveying your message. “It is difficult, but don’t try to translate what you want to say from English; try to think in Korean.” He also recommends seeking

to understand Korean culture better by visiting museums or reading up on the country’s history. As a family man, Sketchy has put his knowledge of the language to use in attempting to understand Korea, and believes it has made him a better-informed resident. “For example, I was able to watch a documentary about the dangers of ordering food over the internet, and eating and the making of galbi,” he said. “It was this information that helped, as I can be more aware and cautious of what could affect my family in this country.” At this point, Smith said that he has built up a “vast” circle of friends in Korea with abilities in the English language that vary greatly. “I think that the alphabet is very simple, and that’s definitely a nice advantage, Smith said. “There’s nothing that’s too ridiculously complicated. It’s certainly a lot simpler than English.” Sketchy agreed with this sentiment, saying that the alphabet is simple to learn, but the language itself is very difficult to master. This makes it both rewarding and challenging to study, and Sketchy hints that his learning process may go on for some time to come. “When I return to the U.K., I will be able to speak to Korean friends and understand them better due to the time and language that I am still learning. “It would be great if I could get into translating or interpreting in the U.K.,” he said, “but that will require more study.” ([email protected])

How does your Korean rank? By Paul Kerry

Whether studying Korean on your own, with a language partner or at school, it can be difficult to know how far you’ve come. Since an increasing number of people are studying Korean these days, more of them are taking the Test of Proficiency in Korean, the most universally recognized test for evaluating Korean language skills. In countries where Koreans have invested heavily, there is high demand for speakers of their language. The fact that more Mongolians take TOPIK than TOEIC is evidence that Korean business is globalizing. Applications will be accepted until July 15 to take the next TOPIK exam on Sept. 21. The exam comes in two types. The first tests everyday Korean skills according to six levels. The other covers business Korean. There are three levels of examination for the standard TOPIK test. Each lev-

el covers two grades, so the test evaluates participants according to six grades total. There is only one level for business Korean. Andrew Watson, a teacher in Gyeonggi Province, studied in Australia before coming here. He plans to take the TOPIK test in September. “I think that if I have some proof that I can speak Korean it will be good when I apply for jobs next year,” he said. “One of the things I thought was that if I put on my resume that I can speak Korean, then they don’t really know what level I am at.” Watson thinks Korean language skills are important both inside and outside the classroom. “Inside the classroom it’s useful for discipline, and I don’t have to rely on my co-teacher as much as I would otherwise,” he says. “Outside of the classroom it just makes my life easier. I think that says to the school that if I have problems, I’m not just going to leave. I’m not going to go on a midnight run, because I’m not finding it hard here.”

Park Ma-ri of Japan is a gyopo, or ethnic Korean from a foreign country, who also plans to take the test this year. “I’ve been here studying for one year, and I want to know what level I’m at,” she said. “I’m taking TOPIK because it’s the most well known exam.” Park came to the country to look into her Korean roots and learn the language. “My parents don’t speak it that well, although they can understand it, so I never learnt Korean from them,” she says. “I would have liked to talk to my grandfather in Korean, but he died before I could learn it. It’s something I regret.” Park plans to return to Japan next year, where she says she hopes to get a job related to Korea. Ayumi Sato, also of Japan, took the test last April. She came here after the Korean Wave sparked an interest in the country. “There are so many Korean people that are famous in Japan, so I wanted to find out what all the excitement was about. I read about Korean stars, and although it wasn’t directly connected to

famous Korean entertainers, I bought a book and began studying Korean. Since Korean and Japanese are very similar languages, and there are lots of common words, and studying was fun, and I became interested in studying the language.” So much so that she came to Korea to study. “When I came here, I studied to level four at a hagwon, and wanted to know my level,” she says. Like Park, Sato hopes to find Korearelated work when she returns to Japan. “I’d like to, but where I live in Japan — Hokkaido — there are not many Korean companies. So if I do it, I will probably have to move.” TOPIK was previously known as the Korean Proficiency test. Materials bearing the KPT label are still available in shops, despite the name change. TOPIK is held twice a year, in April and September. Visit www.topik.or.kr for information and to apply for the test. ([email protected])