Sometimes we can get so involved in trying to work out if something was an English word or a Korean word that we forget that little kids just babble and make up stuff themselves!
Our son is very aware that there are at least two different languages and that Mummy and Appa have different languages. There are times where he has asked if there is “Yul language”. I will reply and say that he can make up his own language if he wants, so he will try and make up some words. Sometimes the things he say is just a mix of English and Korean anyway!
In this video we talk about some myths about bilingualism, in particular the myth that children must be confused if learning more than one language. What we have found is it’s actually us as parents who get the most confused. As an English speaking Australian I have experience with English toddler talk, but Hugh, as a Korean, doesn’t have much experience hearing little children talk. So some things our son Yul says in English make no sense to Hugh, but to me I know it’s just a little kid way of saying something. And it goes the opposite way as well, some Korean things Yul says I either don’t understand or takes me a few moments to realise what he is saying.
We talk about much more in the video as well so please check it out! I hope it’s helpful for other parents in a similar situation as us.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve made comics regularly. Even though this blog started with comics back in 2012, I’ve made less of them as life got in the way. Also, there wasn’t much to talk about during pregnancy and just being at home with a baby.
However, these days our son is very talkative and I feel there are a lot more things to do with being bi-cultural that I can talk about, and make comics about. As always the comics are real moments from our life. With Hugh being so busy with work (busy CEO now!) there have been less moments of intercultural funniness between us, especially as we’ve been married for quite a while. But now having a three-year-old, there are a lot more funny moments to share!
New comic: Babo
Comics will be more bilingual now as well, as we are constantly switching between languages in our home. Translations will be in smaller text underneath the main words.
While I may not be fluent in Korean, and usually speak to our son in English, I can understand most of what they are saying!
The internet has changed a lot since I first started making comics. In the old days people would comment on people’s blogs but these days everyone just comments on social media. So comics will also be shared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and YouTube community. See you there!
I don’t always update every YouTube video on the blog these days, but I thought I’d put these videos in one post. We have been documenting our journey being an intercultural and bilingual family. While we are not every day family vloggers, there are some things we do want to share and are helpful for other families.
These videos take longer to edit with the subtitles in both English and Korean, but the response to them has been great.
We always make sure Yul is okay with filming, which is why we usually ask him questions so he can see that we are recording. He will tell us when he doesn’t feel like being on camera. He also sees the videos before they are uploaded and enjoys watching them. I hope he can look back one day when he is older and appreciate them.
One of the most important aspects of raising a bilingual child is creating the right environment. We are lucky to be in Seoul and are able to find the right balance. While it’s completely normal for so many people to be bilingual in countries where there are multiple languages, both South Korea and Australia are monolingual countries. There are different languages spoken in them of course, but only one main language.
When raising a bilingual child a key aspect is making sure they see both languages as valuable. It’s common for children to lose a language in English speaking countries because they can’t see the use or value of the other language. In fact, for years people have misunderstood bilingualism and encouraged parents to force only English on their children. We now know that bilingualism is a gift and benefits children in so many ways.
It’s been difficult because of the pandemic and getting Yul enough English exposure. Usually he’d see a lot more of my family, or even just other local English speakers. However, I do think he is doing really well with his English. But am looking forward to hopefully seeing my family again this year…
There is a lot more information for foreigners wanting to start a business in South Korea these days! We talk about a new center in Seoul that helps foreigners in Korea start businesses, or invest in businesses, or move their business to Korea.
Brown Sugar Bubble Tea? Or Boba Tea? What do you say in your country? Have you tried it in ICE CREAM form?
This is just a fun little video with my good friend Sara from Hoju Sara. Brown Sugar Bubble Tea has been so popular in Korea. There have been a bunch of things with Brown Sugar flavour, especially in convenience stores, so we try the Brown Sugar Bubble Tea Ice Cream.
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