I think my head is going to explode.

So, today was the first day of Korean lessons at the YMCA. Even though it had seemed from the sign-up paperwork that there would be four levels of classes, there are (most unfortunately) only two: beginning and intermediate. During the first hour I sat in the beginning class. The teacher was really nice, but I was totally bored... We were learning hangeul, the Korean alphabet - which I've known for quite some time now. According to the syllabus, the plan is to spend the next four classes continuing to learn the alphabet. While it seemed that most of the roughly 30 other students in the beginning class were genuine beginners, there were a few of us who already knew the alphabet and a good number of nouns and short sentences.... something that the class wasn't going to get to for weeks. They had talked about splitting the beginner class into two groups, as it is so large. I had hoped that they would divide it into beginning beginners and advanced beginners, but unfortunately it seems that it will be divided between English-speaking students and Chinese students (as they have a teacher who speaks English and one who speaks Chinese).

The teacher suggested that those of us who could read the alphabet go to the intermediate class. I, for one, was quite skeptical about this, as Gwen - who has lived in Korea since 2001 - is in that class! She and I should obviously *not* be in the same level Korean class. But during the break at the halfway mark, Gwen told me that I had apparently been "placed" in her class (based on the survey I took when I signed up), as there was a name plate in the classroom waiting for me. She also said that the class was way too easy for her, although it seemed too difficult for many of the people in it. Some of us decided to try the intermediate level for the second hour. (I didn't know if I could tolerate another hour of a, ya, ka, kya, na, nya.....)

Unfortunately for me (and several others), the intermediate class was way over my head. It was conducted entirely in Korean! While I could follow a lot more than I expected, I had no idea how to respond to most of the teacher's questions, and felt like a complete dumbass. Luckily, I was seated next to Gwen, who did a lot of translation for me. Even though the class was totally above and beyond my level, I've decided to stick with it, simply because there is no point to me spending the next month and a half learning the alphabet and simple phrases.

After class, I decided to buy both the beginning class book and the intermediate class book. Unfortunately, given that all thirty or so beginners were on a quest for So-gang 1A (the beginning book), the two large bookstores downtown were all sold out. I did, however, manage to buy a copy of So-gang 1B (intermediate level). Then Gwen and I went to Starbucks and she helped me work through the first several pages of the book. I'm going to have to spend all this upcoming week studying my ass off in order to be even somewhat prepared for next Saturday. It's so embarrassing to think that I've spent fifteen (non-consecutive) months in Korea and yet I speak so little of the language. It's time I did something about that. So that's how I'm going to spend the rest of my weekend. After the nap I'm about to take.

Also, in the intermediate class, there is a Russian woman! As soon as I saw her, I was almost certain that she was Russian, and then a few minutes later, Gwen whispered to me, "That girl's from Russia!" I talked to her after class - nice to be able to talk in a foreign language that I can actually manage - her name is Katya and she's Vladivostock, and she seems nice. It's quite fascinating for me to hear Korean spoken with a Russian accent (although her Korean is really good; she's actually taken the intermediate level class before).

Okeedokee. Off to nap. Then study. Aaack.