Interview with Seungjoo Baek (ENG)

Since our Korean teacher Seungjoo Baek is going to leave Tübingen after this semester, I asked here to do an interview with me concercing her time at our university.

Why did you come to Tübingen and was it hard to move to a country whose language and culture you probably did not know much about?

The reason why I came here is…. Actually there are many reasons. My goal is to teach Korean in other countries. Not in Seoul. I want to experience totally different languages and cultures. For example: students who I meet in Seoul are from all countries, so there is no meta language. For this reason I have to teach Korean in Korean even at level 1 because some of them cannot speak English at all. But here the students have the same mother tongue so it is much easier for me to teach Korean. Since I came here, I have found that teaching Korean as a foreign language is quite different with teaching Korean as a second language.

Are the students in Seoul from all over the world or do most come from certain countries?

Most of them are from China but not more than 50%. Many come from East Asia, Europe, Africa… especially at Seoul National University there are many students who got a scholarship from their government. Sometimes I have never even heard about their countries before. So it is quite interesting. (laughs)

So that means this is your first time living abroad? Why Germany?

For a job, yes. Actually my brother works in Germany, in Leverkusen. That is why I felt closer to Germany even though I had never been here before. And I do not speak German at all. But somehow I think it is my destiny. I was meant to come here.

How did you manage to “survive”?

Um…Actually I spent most of my time in the office and at home.  So there were not many chances to speak German or to get in contact with Germans apart from my students. So it was not that hard to live here. I know some survival German, for example “Bezahlen bitte.” I had a ten-hour-long course before I came here. But my teacher had never actually experienced living in Germany. He studied German by book and was very grammar oriented. So I learned some words like “Ich”…….. something like that. But basically no German. I am ashamed about myself when I see  1^st semester students speak Korean well. I have been here for almost  ten months but my German still stays at beginner level.

Were there any intercultural funny or embarrassing situations you didn’t know how to handle or how to behave in?

Yes. After the very first class the students knocked on their desks. I had never heard of that before and I was like “Do you have questions? Is there a problem?” and the students replied: “No, 선생님, it means 감사합니다 at German universities.” I was quite surprised. The second time was when students who had a running nose blew their noses all the time. It was quite shocking. No one does that in Korea. If it is very severe they go to the washroom and come back but never in public.

Also: German students do not hesitate to ask questions compared to Korea. Most of the students in Seoul are overwhelmed by the atmosphere. Usually they contact me after the class and ask their questions individually but not in front of the class. So it is quite different.

How do you think university is different in Germany compared to Korea?

When I went to university, I majored in Korean literature. In Korea, for their bachelor's degree only a certain amount of students can get an A+ because the exams are graded on a curve but here anyone can get it. So Korean students are very much forced to get good grades. This is why they compete with each other and even with their best friends. We Koreans do not really know how to cooperate with friends when it comes to education. So I am quite jealous of German students because they can acquire the skills to negotiate or discuss with other students from very young age.

Why did you decide on teaching Korean as your job?

As I mentioned, my major for my bachelor's degree was Korean literature.  It was very old and ancient Korean. The reason I chose this major was simply because I did not like English. If I had majored in economics or business I would have had to read textbooks in English, right? But in Korean literature I did not need to do that. A very simple reason. But as time went by I realized I could not survive in our 21st century without English so I started to learn and study English in Korea and six months in Canada as well. Through those times and the experiences in AIESEC which  I joined for 2 years, I realized that maybe it might be a good idea to get a job that combines teaching, Korean, and English. Looking back, I think it was quite a good decision. I like to meet strangers. It is a good experience for me to see students starting from learning Korean letters and growing up and becoming very good at Korean. I am honored to be a part of their lives. I feel … it is very hard to express in words.. After I came here I respect the students who came to Korea with all their energy and money to study.

How did your family and your friends react when you told them you would go to Germany for a whole year?

They were very jealous. 100% jealous (laughs). Some of my friends were worried about me because they think that I will not be able to get used to life in Korea again when I go back. But in general they are jealous. Some of them even visited me to look around. And they said that it is like an amusement park. So beautiful. Well, sometimes it looks boring but actually it is very nice.

During Christmas break, did you travel around Europe?

Yes, I went to Gran Canaria with my brother for 1 week. It was Spain but did not really look like Spain. There were many German old lady and gentlemen so I could hear German all over the island. In the hotel there were instructions in Spanish, English and German. And I travelled around Europe during the summer break as well: UK, France, Netherlands, Swiss, Turkey and some cities in Germany. But I found that Tübingen is the best city to live! I love here!

Would you like to stay here longer? Or are you happy to be going back to Korea?

Hmm… both actually. I really enjoyed Germany and the students and the faculty staff members were the best, but at the same time I missed my friends. Here the winter and the nights are so much longer than in Korea. So half-half. It is nice to be here but I definitely have to go back because my contract runs out. But who knows. Maybe I will come back later with my family.

Is there another country you would like to spend a year abroad in as a teacher?

Well…. I never thought about that. Maybe… Thailand? Because I like Thai food and nice weather (laughs). The Thai language is quite similar to Korean and at the same time very different. It is quite challenging for me to teach Thai students.

How did you spend your free time when you had some?

Maybe some of you met me in the park because I like jogging and running around. Usually on Saturdays and Sundays I 산책해요 and 조깅해요. And I like to watch entertainment TV shows via internet such as “Running Man” etc. And I love going to the market near Krumme Brücke on Saturdays. I can buy vegetables and fruits there. In Korea these are pretty expensive but in Germany they are cheap. But I miss fresh fish here. It is very expensive in Germany.

What is your favorite German food?

Hmm… interesting. (laughs) Haribo and… Turkish Kebap.

But most students here complain about the Kebap in Tübingen…

(laughs) Oh really? For me it is my first time having Kebap as regularly as once a week. And actually every class I talk about Schnitzel but it is not my favorite food at all, I do not like it that much.  It is more like a textbook answer. Ah, one more. Kartoffelknödel is one of my favorite German foods.

Which situations do you think the German exchange students will encounter in Korea that may confuse them?

Well… in subways some old 아저씨 and 아주머니 find it still very interesting just to see foreigners. They just say everything. They do not consider whether you understand them or not.  And they might ask “rude” questions, for example: “Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Are you married? How old are you?” But it is not because they do not like you, it is more because they want to know more about you.

Is there something you would like to say to the students?

Enjoy this time! And do not be stressed too much. The best way to learn about a new language and new culture is by enjoying it, not by forcing yourself to get good grades or become a famous scholar. And thank you for being awesome students all the time. See you at different times and places!

~감사합니다~

(English corrections by Anastasia Lupas)