1. Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Noah Ellis. I’m from Atlanta, Georgia. I came to Korea in August 2022. Before coming, I didn’t know any Korean at all. I didn’t know anything about the culture, I just wanted to get up and go somewhere really different, and I love to learn new languages.

2. Do you remember your first memory with the Korean language, either spoken or written? And how was your first time learning Korean? 
Right when I got off at the airport. It actually was hard in the airport because when I came here, I learned to say certain things. And one of the Korean phrases I learned was, ‘Ice americano juseyo (Please give me iced americano).’ And it was ‘I want one iced americano’ when translated to English. So I thought ‘juseyo’ means ‘I want’ when it actually meant ‘please give me.’ So, I remember getting to the airport, and I had to go to Dongdaegu. And as soon as I got off the plane and get through the customs, I was by myself, saying, ‘Dongdaegu juseyo (Please give me dongdaegu).’ And they laughed. And I thought, ‘why are they laughing?’
I did an online class in America before I left. When I came here, I could read a little bit of Hangul, but I wasn’t quite good at it. I had to stop and think a lot. So, I think the Korean Language Practice class at KMU was when I really got a good grasp on it. And since, I wasn’t just saying random things.

3. After all these months, did your Korean capacity improve a lot compared to your first day in Korea? How does it live up to the expectation you had before coming to Korea?
Absolutely. I mean, they were non-existent when I came. I think, from the kid who said ‘Dongdaegu juseyo,’ I’d be proud. I lived up to my expectations.

4. What other languages do you speak? And can you rank them from the most difficult to the easiest?

I speak English, that’s my only native language. Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese. I speak Pidgin Sign language, it’s American Sign Language, but with English grammar. And now I’m learning Korean. 
Korean is the most difficult. French is right after that. Spanish and Portuguese underneath that. Sign Language was quite natural for me to learn. I would probably put English up there, too, because I learned English in quite an unconventional way, too.

5. What was the most effective language learning method for you?

I think the best method to learn any language is to make it interesting. If you integrate yourself into a language to use it everyday so that it becomes a part of your life, then it’s not boring, it’s not something you “have to do.” And it’s all about patterns. It starts small and you kind of have to think like you are a baby. Start with small things and build up, finding patterns with the conjugation and vocabs.  

6. Do you have tips about learning a new language for both international students learning Korean and Korean students learning other foreign languages you speak? 

For Korean students, PLEASE make mistakes. Because, in my classes here, I feel like no one wants to step out of their comfort zone. I think, when you are learning new languages, you will never learn if you stay inside your comfort zone. You absolutely are going to sound completely stupid and funny, but you will learn from it. Then you can laugh about it later. 
For foreign students, it’s actually for Korean students as well, don’t directly translate from your own language. And don’t be lazy. You have to have this mindset that this word you are learning might have a different implication than the one that you are used to. Like, I hear Korean guys calling their brother ‘gwiyeowo,’ but I don’t really call my brother cute. I call him other things to express what ‘gwiyeowo’ implies here. 
And don’t give up. For foreign students, if you don’t have East Asian features, people will look at you and automatically speak to you in English. So, if someone starts speaking to you in English when you know how to have this conversation in Korean, keep speaking back in Korean. 

7. Will you continue learning Korean after you go back to the United States? 

I’m actually debating this right now. Korea has given me things that are priceless. I’ve learnt such important life lessons, but I just don’t know if I want to come back for a long time. I probably will keep learning Korean, but I don’t know if it will be where I focus most of my energy. I definitely don’t want to lose the Korean I’ve learnt. I’m just conversational, but I don’t want to lose that.