안녕하세요 여러분! I am Scarlett, a year 13 student at Wellington High School based in Wellington, New Zealand. I completed the NetNZ level 2 Korean language course last year and I am currently enrolled in the NetNZ level 3 Korean language course.

On my first day of high school, I got introduced to K-pop by a student who is now one of my best friends. From this moment my interest in the Korean language sparked. However, my Korean language journey did not truly start till the 2020 lockdown. As a lockdown project, I decided to learn 한글 (the Korean alphabet). I then self-studied Korean for 2 years. It was enjoyable and I was able to find some very helpful resources. However, the hardest aspects were motivation and time.

Toward the end of 2021, I asked my school if there was any way I could learn Korean through distance education. They enrolled me in the NetNZ L2 Korean language course shortly after. In the blink of an eye, it was the start of the next school year and I was about to meet my Korean teacher Ms Kim. I was undoubtedly nervous. I had had very little opportunity to speak Korean. However, as soon as I met her I could sense how friendly and kind she was. Despite all the mistakes I made she was patient and put a lot of effort into understanding me and working out how she could best support me on my learning journey.

Joining this course is one of the best educational decisions I have made so far. I see learning the Korean language as a significant step to achieving my future aspirations. Without this course, I very likely would have learned the language formally for the first time at university. As a result of this course, I made friends with students who have the same passion for learning Korean as me and I met Ms Kim, an exceptional mentor and teacher.

Ms. Kim prepared me very well for success in NCEA Korean assessments. I ended up receiving NCEA level 2 Korean Excellence Endorsement! There’s no way I would have done this alone; With her and the support of my classmates, I could.

In my opinion, one of the most valuable parts of the NetNZ Korean Language courses is that you are taught how to compare Korean and New Zealand cultures. You also learn about yourself through the topics that are covered. These are crucial skills to progress your Korean language not only within an educational setting but within an everyday life setting as well.

Ms. Kim is not just focused on helping her students achieve their current goals but also their future goals and aspirations. I am ever so blessed by this as she has played a proactive role in preparing me for my future. This has been through preparing me for TOPIK 1 (the Test of Proficiency in Korean beginner version) which I achieved full marks in! It has also been through connecting me with influential people in the New Zealand Korean language and culture scene.

이렇게 열심히 학생들을 가르치고 도와주셔서 정말 감사합니다! 선생님 덕분에 저는 소중한 추억을 많이 만들었습니다. 선생님 사랑합니다 ^^ .

Photo Credit: Photo by Margarida da Mota: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hyangwonjeong-pavilion-on-lake-shore-in-seoul-south-korea-14398455/