Heong Rae Yu/Opportunity lost/Tuesday 11am

When I was 8 years old, I had the opportunity to live abroad. My father was transferred to China from his company and my whole family accompanied him. This was the first time in my life to experience a country other than my own. At first it was not easy for an 8 year-old boy to cope with a completely new environment. The people were different, the food was different, even the language was different. I did not like it at first

As I stayed in China for a while, I started to adapt. The food tasted better than the first time, I started to speak basic Chinese and made some Chinese friends as well. But since I attended an International school I did not have the chance to learn Chinese in school. My parents tried to have me tutored but every time I refused strongly. I don't remember why exactly but I guess I knew I would come back to Korea one day and didn't feel the need to study the language.

Eventually, I got pretty good in Chinese. I could communicate with the locals at a basic level. But just as I got used to China my father was relocated to Korea so I had to come back. Since then the country and the language gradually faded away from my mind. From now and then I would hear or see Chinese words that I'm sure I used to know, but cannot recall what it is. And now I regret my behavior. I feel I should have had more interest when I had the chance because getting to live in a foreign country at a young age is a very special opportunity. Even though I almost completely forgot about the Chinese language, I am now willing to make an effort in learning it this time. I plan to minor in Chinese linguistics. I hope my previous experience will give me an advantage in doing so.

Kim minjeong/My special stress reliever/writing&rhetoric/Tuesday 11am

     What's the one thing you can do to effectively release your stress? Many people have their own solution to get rid of stress. For example, some people may overeat or overdrink, another people may shout aloud as much as they like. There is no fixed way. In my case, I have my own stress reliever; going for a stroll in the night. I tend to get stressed frequently by trivial matters. Like little decrease of test grade or lack of sleeping time, such things always bothered me especially when I was a senior high school student.
     At the beginning of semester, I used to overate late at night or slept whole weekend. Such behaviors conversely brought much more stresses and it was predictable result. Soon after, I decided to change the way. One day, then, I felt like escape from all situation surrounding me. And then, I came up with an idea. It takes 30 minutes on foot from my house to beach. I immediately jumped out of my bed in the dead of night and started walk blindly to the beach.
     The air of spring night was gently brushed my cheek and the smell of the sea gave me a sense of freedom. It was strange but pleasant experience to break away  from  the  routine  of  daily  life for the first time. The starry night, appropriate temperature and murmuring sound of waves, I was totally mesmerized by the perfect scenery and mood. All these things seemed to a scene in the film. And after that, I occasionally used to creep out of my bed and sneak off to enjoy my own secret.
     It continued until the end of  the  College  Scholastic  Ability  Test. Although I can`t go out to see that landscape until I`ve finished this semester or maybe this year, I`ll probably miss my little secret.

my childhood dream - woohyun shin, Tue 34

EIT

201101812

Woohyun Shin

My childhood dream

I wanted to be a detective when I was young. During elementary school, I was deeply into the detective novel. It wasn't easy to understand whole story for preteen, but I read them over and over again until I got it. I thought it's really interesting to find out criminal by deducing from vague clues and that progress was always fascinating. 

 My favorite character was absolutely Sherlock Homes. He was a genius, logical and cool-headed all the time. He looked so cool so I wanted to be like him. I used to play detective by my self. For example, one day, there was a theft in classroom, I guessed suspects on base the of clues and circumstances. Of course, I didn't let the guess out of my mouth, theft remained unsolved as all classroom theft does. One day, I told my parents about my dream but they said there is no job like detective in Korea. I checked it even by myself, then I found that it is true. So I gave it up. 

 Come to think about it now, it was so ridiculous dream because now I know I'm terrible at guess. However, my childhood dream still seems appealing and sometimes I wonder what would I be now if I keep that dream.