[Korea] Tips for TOPIK Exam Preparation ~ Flashback

Yesterday was a very important day for some people who have studied Korean Language and wanted to pass the language exam. Last Sunday, January 29th, 2012 was the date for the 25th TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) Exam. Some of the participants need to pass the exam for job; some need that for starting their study in university, or as a compulsory exam for graduation; others perhaps need that for their competency.

TOPIK is held four times in a year. Twice is held for foreigners only in Korea (usually in January and July). Since it is only held in Korea, the result comes out faster than the other two exams that are held in Korea as well as in other countries (usually in April and September).

The exam is divided into two types, S-TOPIK (standard) and B-TOPIK (business); and three levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Beginner level is for those who want to get grade 1 or 2, Intermediate for grade 3 or 4, and Advanced for grade 5 or 6. Each level has its criteria depends on the section and score as a standard for grading system. The exam has four sections: vocabulary, writing, listening and reading, For example: for Beginner level, you will get grade 1 if your score for every section is more than 40 points and average of all sections is 50 or more. You will get grade 2 if your score for every section is more than 50 and average of all sections is 70 or more.

I needed to pass this exam last January 2011. I must pass grade 3 for university enrollment in fall semester. I just had less than four months to prepare the exam besides my busyness at home for my family. Fortunately, the Korean Language Center where I studied Korean opened TOPIK preparation classes for its students. Therefore, for about 2 months, from Monday to Friday, I joined the preparation classes after the regular classes in the morning. 

Here are the tips for TOPIK Exam Preparation:

1. Last TOPIK Exam Problems.
• I download the last problems from TOPIK official website: www.topik.go.kr, 기출문제다운로드, and choose which problems you want (mp3 file is also downloadable).
• I printed the problems out. It costed me money but I could feel the real exam situation, made notes on the paper, and easy to bring everywhere. You can find your own method depend on your style of study. 
2. Practice Doing the Older TOPIK Exam
• See through the whole paper, make yourself understand the instructions so you know what to do with the problems. 
• Make yourself in a exam situation, set the timer and practice doing it as if you are in the exam room. Don't look at the answer, just keep doing it. 
• It will give you sense of time during exam. We can't  just focus on one problem and ruin the rest because we don't manage our time well. Each section has its difficulties, for example: the difficulty in listening is different with those in writing. We have to get used in doing it. (I will write more detail about it in separate post).
3. Evaluate your score and study difficult problems
• It is important to check your answer and analyze the problem you could not solve. The exam answer is also provided in the TOPIK website but there is no explanation provided. It is suggested that you ask your Korean language teacher to discuss about it. Or if you don't have anybody to discuss with, check it in the dictionary or grammar book. Do not ignore it, it may appear in the next exam.
• I kept my score and after re-did the test, I compared the scores and also the parts which I could not do in the 1st chance and still made mistake in the 2nd time. 
4. Find your weak and strong points, and make strategy
• After you finish evaluate your score for each section and re-study the problem, you will see your strong point or weak point, whether it is in vocabulary, or speed of reading, or grammar understanding. But don't give up if you found that all you have is the weak point. You just start the process. Study your weakness and make strategy. For example, if you need to memorize vocabulary, start with making vocabulary list.  

I do hope the best for all friends who have tried their best for TOPIK Exam. Wish you have a happy result!

JoSH's birth story in Busan (1)

Waiting for delivery

Sudah lama sekali pingin cerita tentang kelahirannya baby Joshua Songmin, tapi karena banyak urusan lain, posting2 yang lain, sampai Joshua umur 1 tahun lebih belum juga ditulis nih :( Sebelum lupa cerita kelahiran Joshua harus cepat2 ditulis deh...

Sempat bingung mau tulis pakai bahasa Indonesia, atau bahasa Inggris. Maunya tulis pakai bahasa Inggris supaya teman2 yang lain bisa ikut baca, tapi bahasa Indonesia lebih bisa mewakili isi hati deh...^^

Kalau sempat ngikuti blog ini, ada beberapa posting singkat seputar lahirnya Joshua, bisa dibaca di sini, dan di sini.

Sejak masuk minggu ke-37, kami sudah 'ngarep-ngarep' (baca: berharap) si baby bisa lahir di bulan Agustus apa engga ya? San dan aku lahirnya bulan Agustus, tanggal pernikahan juga di bulan Agustus. Wah kalau si baby lahir bulan yang sama, bisa seru nih bulan Agustus...semua2 dirayakan bersamaan.

Minggu ke-38 semakin berharap baby bisa lahir bareng ultahku apa engga ya? Seru juga kali ya kalau ultahnya bisa barengan mama & anak. Ternyata terlewatkan juga.

Minggu ke-39 awal, kami jalan-jalan belanja di E-Mart. Setelah belanja, sambil menunggu San mengambil tas di locker, aku duduk di bangku. Eh ternyata di depan tempat aku duduk itu ada small photo studio dan...ada foto gratis untuk pregnant women!

Woohoo...ga pernah foto di studio selama hamil, di Indonesia kayaknya waktu itu lagi seru2nya pregnancy photo session, di Korea harga foto di studio mahalnya ajubile...

Tanya2 deh kita, dan ternyata iya, beneran gratis untuk 1x foto aja. Foto2 yang lainnya kalau mau diambil juga baru bayar...

So, kita buat appointment di akhir minggu itu buat foto, sesudah aku placement test untuk masuk kelas bahasa Korea minggu berikutnya, which is waktu masuk 40 weeks!

40 wks hamil mulai kuliah? Iya... >.<'

Waktu placement test bhs Korea aja, banyak yang ngelihatin deh...hahaha...mau ngapain ini ibu hamil gede banget badannya, jalannya juga susah gini, duduk 2 jam ikut ujian bahasa Korea. Habis gitu harus nunggu giliran interview bahasa Korea juga...

Karena sepertinya bakal lama nunggu dan punya janji untuk foto, aku tanya ke asisten guru, jam berapa aku interview-nya. Oh oh! Karena aku anak beasiswa, giliran interview setelah anak2 yang lain, dan diantara anak beasiswa, aku yang paling terakhir! Sebelum pergi foto harus ketemu International Student Staff juga untuk briefing...Wah...gimana dong...

Akhirnya aku ketemu International Student Staff dulu, dan dia bilang 'maybe it's ok for you not to take the interview, so you can go'. Aha...ya uda deh, cabut!

Akhirnya bisa dapat foto ini di hari2 terakhir mengandung.

39 wks pregnancy

...to be continued...

Last Year in Silla University

Two days before delivered baby Joshua, in front of Global Town (Students Dormitory).

If you remember my posting "Scholarship..." posted last year, as a result of the scholarship, I had to attend Korean Language Course starting the beginning of September 2010.

The placement test was on September 3.

First class was on September 6.

And my due date was on September 11, 2010!

Some people said that due date for the first pregnancy can be later than the due date. But, there are some people who delivered their babies earlier than due date. So, nobody knows when the due date is.

My condition was good so I decided to attend the classes on my last week of pregnancy with one requirement. San should go to school with me ^^. He could sit somewhere else in the same building while waiting for me finishing the classes. We even had our own university orientation after lunch.

It was uncomfortable for me to sit for 4 hours in the class. The lesson was too difficult for me, too, and it required lots of concentration and effort. But Teachers calmed me down and asked me to make myself comfortable preparing for delivery.

Joshua was born exactly on the due date. Doctor's prediction was exactly right!

The next day after I said 'good bye for a while' to my teachers.

Summer Trip (4) - Oedo Botania

NIIED KGSP 2010, Silla University - Summer Trip (4)

Last destination of my summer trip was Oedo Botania. Yuhuuuuuuuuuu! From the picture above, you will agree with me if I say that it is wonderful!

See previous post if you haven't read it.

I would say that Oedo Botania is a perfect blend of nature, ocean, sky, plants...It is just perfect!

Oedo Botania is a marine botanical garden which is 4kms from Geoje-do. So after touring around Haegeumgang (read the previous post), the boat moored in Oedo island. The entrance fee is 8,000 won.

The type of its landscape is toward European garden. I would say that spring is the best time to visit Oedo island, because you will be able to see the island covered by flowers. Summer is not the best because of the weather is super hot!

On 1969, Lee Chang Ho came to this island to escape from the wind and waves when he was fishing. He found that the island was so beautiful and wanted to live there. So, he and his wife bought the island and dedicated their life to create the wonderful landscape for more than 30 years. 

The house is the place where the couple live. However, the husband has passed away few years ago. The wife built a memorial statue in the garden for the remembrance of her husband.

Since the garden is famous with its beauty, it was used as a scene location for a KBS drama "겨울 연가" (Winter Sonata). It is a very popular drama, not only in Korea or my country but I think all around the world.

When you are at the garden, you can feel the gardeners' passion in creating, cultivate or designing the garden. You can see many types of plants, you will be surprise! Also, I think the gardeners really worked in details, from the pathway, bench, fence, sculpture, etc...you named it.

In an area where the small chapel is, there are some small boards on the garden telling us the gardeners' heart. One of them is "Gardening is my life".

PS: This is the end of Summer Trip posting series ^^ Thank you for reading.

Read also:

Summer Trip 1: Geoje Island

Summer Trip 2: Hallyeo Waterway Observation - Cable Car, Tongyeong

Summer Trip 3: Haegeumgang & Oedo

Summer Trip (3) - Haegeumgang & Oedo

NIIED KGSP 2010, Silla University - Summer Trip (3)

The next destination after Tongyeong (read the previous post here) was Haegeumgang (해금강) and Oedo (외도). I will write about Oedo on the next posting.

We stopped at the small harbour waiting for the departure time of our cruise tour

that would bring us to see Haegeumgang and also to Oedo (Oedo is a small island).

The Haegeumgang is the National Scenic Site No.2 in Korea.

According to the brochure that I had, this is the explanation of Haegeumgang:

"The original name of the island with high ecological conservation value is 'Galdo'. It was appointed to be National Scenic #2 in 1971 since its natural scene is eminent and was registered to be 'Geoje Haegeumgang'. Its shape washed by wave and wind for hundreds of millions of years produces various features....."

This were some pictures of the Haegeumgang and some Rocks surrounding the Haegeumgang.

The one on the right-below is the Saja Rock (Lion Rock).

The feature of sun rising between Saja Rocks is fantastic.

See ya on the next and last part of my summer trip!

Read also:

Summer Trip 1: Geoje Island

Summer Trip 2: Hallyeo Waterway Observation - Cable Car, Tongyeong

Summer Trip 4: Oedo Botania

Summer Trip (2) - Hallyeo Waterway Observation - Cable Car, Tongyeong

NIIED KGSP 2010, Silla University - Summer Trip (2)

After passing the Geoga Bridge (read the 1st posting), our first destination was   (통영, 한려수도 케이블카).

The cable car is the longest cable car installed in Korea. From the lower cable car station to the the upper station, it only took about 10 minutes. Each gondola capacity is for 8 people.

From the upper station you can see the breathtaking scenery! It was awesome. You can see many small islands, the harbour, the temple amidst of forest...It was called Napoli of Asia. My camera could not capture the beauty, but my eyes could do it!

Left: The Bottom Station; Right: The Gondola

This is the other side of view, where you can see housing down there.



The environment-friendly deck installed to the top of mountain

for climbers to reach the upper view deck.

At the view deck. Jakarta was written there!

This is the 2nd post. Wait for the next one!

Read also:

Summer Trip 1: Geoje Island

Summer Trip 3: Haegeumgang & Oedo

Summer Trip 4: Oedo Botania

Summer Trip (1) - Geoje Island/거제도

NIIED KGSP 2010, Silla University - Summer Trip (1)

The KGSP 2010 students at Silla University got this special chance to visit Geoje-do (Geoje Island/거제도) on July 2011. The trip is a one day trip. Thanks to the nice weather! It was raining a lot the week before the day.

Geoje-do is the 2nd largest islands in Korea and is famous of its beautiful scenery. To get there from Busan, we took a bus and pass the Geoga bridge to Geoje-do.

The bridge is a massive combined of tunnels (sunken tube tunnels) and bridges (cable-stayed bridges) for about 8.2km. It was open for public last year. It reduces the travel time between Busan and Geoje to 40 mins by car from the previous 2 hrs 10 mins.

See more detail about the bridge here.

On our trip, first we stopped at the resting point/area in Jangpyeong-ri , named Gadeok Ocean Park (가덕 해양 파크), to see the beginning of the tunnel & bridge to Geoje-do.

Above: The building in Jangpyeong-ri resting point.

There you can find viewing deck, small garden, convenient shops,

restaurant and toilet.

Below: It is the start of the 8.2 km Geoga Bridge.

Above: The parking area in Jangpyeong-ri resting point.

Below: The area above the start of the Geoga Bridge's tunnel.

Left: The viewing deck close to the start of the tunnel.

Right: The cafetaria inside the Main Building.

Something that was interesting on the view deck is this red post box!

It is written:

"Please tell your loved one about your precious memory"

The letter will be sent one year after.

Can you see the bridge on the picture? Sorry for the low photo quality.

The cable-stayed bridges are two parts.

The one on the picture is the first part from Gadeok-do.

I guess this was my best shot on that day.

Our lovely Korean Teacher took a picture of us.

This is the first posting of my summer trip. So stay tuned for the next story!

Read also:

Summer Trip 2: Hallyeo Waterway Observation - Cable Car, Tongyeong

Summer Trip 3: Haegeumgang & Oedo

Summer Trip 4: Oedo Botania

Korean Writing - 내가 존경하는 사람

I never studied Korean formally except learning basic Korean in a Language Course held by Universitas Surabaya for a term (twice a week) prior to my coming in Busan. Therefore, when I started studying Korean Language at Silla University, writing in Korean is my weakest point. I wasn't very accurate in writing the Hangeul and grammar were still a mess.

However, for TOPIK Exam preparation, I had to attend special classes included TOPIK Writing Class. My teacher only gave us 30 minutes to write a 400-600 words composition. For me who never wrote such a long composition in Korean, I was tottally blank. In the end, at the first writing class, I just wrote half of it. I run out of time. 

Also because of the limited of time, I just wrote whatever in my head and used the vocabularies I knew. So sometimes for the writing class, the content is not always 100% true...sigh..I just could not find the vocabularies to exactly express what I want.

Teacher asked us to revise it after checking ours. Anyway, this is the revised version of my first Korean writing.

The theme was about a person who I respect so much, why do I respect this person and how to be like him/her.

I wrote about my Dad.

     세상에는 저에게 중요한 사람들이 많이 있습니다. 저의 아버지, 어머니, 할아버지, 할머니, 선생님 등 다 제가 존경하는 사람입니다. 그 사람들 중에서 저의 아버지는 제가 제일 존경하는 사람입니다.

     제 아버지의 연세가 57살이지만 얼굴이 아직 멋있습니다. 아버지의 취미는 운동과 악기 연중입니다. 목소리가 좋아서 노래도 잘 부릅니다.

     제 아버지 성격이 아주 좋습니다. 그는 친절하고 활발해서 친구가 많이 있습니다. 그래서, 제 아버지는 매일 외롭지 않습니다. 아버지는 어렸을 때 똑똑하셨기 때문에 항상 성적이 학교에서 첫번째입니다. 아버지의 부모님과 선생님들이 아버지를 좋아합니다.

     제 아버지는 매일 운동을 해서 건강이 좋습니다. 게다가, 친구들이 많아서 행복합니다. 아버지는 건강한 몸과 행복한 마음을 있어서 아버지의 생활이 아주 좋습니다.

     저도 아버지처럼 되고 싶습니다. 아버지처럼 똑똑할 수 있도록 열심히 공부해야 합니다. 건강할 수 있도록 매일 운동해야 합니다.

말하기 대회 - 대상 ^^

대상! ^0^ Thanks God for His blessing. Thanks for Agus Susanto who helped me typing in hangeul. Thanks for Teachers & Friends. This prize is for Dad Hariyanto Utomo and Mom! Happy birthday to you!


I joined a speech contest at school. At the beginning, I have no target to win the prize. I just wanted to participate and take some pictures of me on stage so I can have a memory as a speech contest participant. Also, as I am the only student who have been studying Korean less than a year, what can I expect? I thought that the other students in my class would be better than me.
Nothing to lose.
 
I chose the topic of "Loving A Country" and started writing a script about my own experience in loving my country, Indonesia. Then I decided to wear my country traditional cloth, Kebaya as it was matched with the content of my speech.
 
After the judges meeting, the teacher announced the 3rd, 2nd and 1st winners. She didn't mention my name. So, I thought that it was over. Surprisingly, there was still one more prize left, the Grand Prize! And I heard my name called!
 

Silla University - Korean Traditional Cultures

It was a great experience to wear the Korean traditional costumes. It is called a hanbok (한복). Do I look like Korean?

Besides, we were also experiencing some Korean traditional rituals such as the tea ceremony, and how to make a bow.

Silla University - Spring 2011 is coming

It was a shiny day, a cloudy day, a rainy day, or a windy day. All of it are beautiful days.

Topik Level 3 - Passed!

합격!!! 하나님...감사합니다...^^


Agus Susanto 사랑해요...^@^

Test Of Proficiency In Korean (TOPIK)

I was doing my TOPIK test on January 23, 2011.

Onara Onara...

Our Korean class chose Dae Jang Geum soundtrack to be presented at the Christmas Celebration. Six Chinese students were the dancers while Altaf (my Pakistan classmate) and I were the singers. In order to be match with the song, all of us wore "Hanbok" which is the Korean traditional costume. Personally, I had been waiting for a long time to wear Hanbok, and this was the right time.

My Hanbok color is not as that colorful as the others. My friends chose the costumes first and the one that I had is the rest that the Korean Language Institute has. I don't mind with that.

The lyrics for Dae Jang Geum soundtrack is not difficult, but it is not the daily Korean language. The language in the song is not used anymore presently.

Here is what I found about the song (taken from Wikipedia):
"Onara" (Korean: 오나라) is the theme song to the popular Korean television drama series Dae Jang Geum (2003). Im Se-hyeon (임세현 / 林世賢) composed the song in archaic Korean, and the lyrics are unintelligible to most Koreans today.


And the lyric:
오나라 오나라 아주 오나
가나라 가나라 아주 가나
나나니 다려도 못 노나니
아니리 아니리 아니 노네

헤이야 디이야 헤이야나 라니노
오지도 못하나 다려가마
헤이야 디이야 헤이야나 라니노
오지도 못하나 다려가마

And also the pictures!