Showing posts with label adult learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adult learning. Show all posts

Friday, July 13, 2018

Singapore National Climbing Standards {SNCS} Level 1 Certificate Course Experience

I had my first taste of rock-climbing back in University while the boy and I were studying in Australia. That was about 15 years ago?? Wow.

Back then, one of our friends, Felix, found a nice indoor rock-climbing place at Northbridge and introduced the sport to us. Sometimes we went as a group, other times the boy and I went just as a couple thing. We both found it fun and went pretty regularly. The boy was so into it that he soon bought his own shoes, harness, chalk bag etc haha...

At that rock-climbing gym, we didn't need to have any certification to help belay one another - just had to learn how to do it with the easy-to-use safety set-ups, much like the ones you see in Climb Central.

However, when we came back to Singapore, we realised that in most rock-climbing gyms, you need to have at least Singapore National Climbing Standards {SNCS} Level 1 Certificate to belay and climb. Especially if you want to climb outdoors.

Since we didn't do it regularly anymore, and also since the boy injured his shoulders which meant that he doesn't do it at all for now, we made do with just going to those gyms like Climb Central or Clip 'N Climb where there was auto-belay walls where Lil Pumpkin & I could climb on our own, and set-ups where I could help Lil Pumpkin belay even if I didn't have the SNCS L1 Cert.

よーし！I get an immense sense of satisfaction from overcoming the challenges of scaling the tall walls ( ᐛ )و

It's not just challenging physically, but also mentally as well as you need the mental endurance to not give up even when you're tired and stuck, and mental alertness to problem-solve and plan your best route to get to the top.

As a sport, it also promotes muscular strength and aerobic endurance too so it complements my gym training as well. Superman says it's a good activity for me to burn more calories and if I do it more often, my grip strength will definitely get better haha..

Last month, I finally got off my arse and went for the SNCS L1 Certificate course so that I could belay and climb more independently in more of the local rock-climbing gyms with some other friends who are interested in rock-climbing as well °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Here's what to expect in case you're interested in doing it yourself...

SNCS Level 1 is a beginner’s introduction to climbing. No prior climbing experience is required, but it is of course good to have climbed before so that you have a better understanding of what the instructor's are saying.

This is a top-rope certification course {7hrs full day session with 1 lunch break, or 2 x 3.5hrs half-day sessions}. It will introduce you to the basics of the sport - such as equipment, checking procedures, and climbing calls, but the main objective is to teach you how to:
  1. safely use a harness, rope and belay device,
  2. tie a figure-of-8 knot, and 
  3. belay a climber using the 5-step belay technique
As you can see from the syllabus, the course will go through 7 sections of basic climbing where participants will learn:
  1. what sport-climbing {top-rope and bouldering} is,
  2. the correct usage, proper care & limitations of climbing safety equipment,
  3. basic climbing safety knots,
  4. how to safely belay a climber using the 5-step belay technique, 
  5. basic climbing techniques,
  6. practical top-rope climbing, and
  7. final assessment and course review
Note: You need to be 13 years or older to take the course, so unfortunately Lil Pumpkin couldn't do it with me now. She'll have to wait a few more years, and participants under 21 must have a guardian of over 21 to sign on their behalf.

The SNCS Level 1 Certificate Course is standardised and conducted by most of the popular rock-climbing gyms in Singapore e.g. Kinetics, Onsight Climbing, Gorilla Gym, The Rock School etc. by Singapore Mountaineering Federation certified instructors. You can go over to their websites to have a look at their course schedules but they are usually conducted every month over the weekends.

The course costs about S$65-75 and is usually cheaper if you are a gym member.

If you pass the course, you would be issued with the life-long SNCS Sport Climbing Level 1 certificate {card-sized}, accredited by the Singapore Mountaineering Federation.

There's no need for any renewal and after that, you can go on to take the Level 2 {learn how to lead climb and lead belay} and Level 3 {learn techniques of climbing bolted multi-pitch routes safely}.

But that's not the end though...

Some gyms also require you to be further verified to use their premises even if you do have a SNCS Level 1 certificate. Maybe they don't trust it?? haha..

During the SNCS Level 1 course, you will learn how to belay using an ATC {Air Traffic Controller} belay device. However, if you wish to belay using a belay device attached to your harness and climb at Ground Up, Climb Central & Onsight Climbing premises, you need to know how to belay using an ABD {Assisted Breaking Device} belay device as they only allow those belay devices there.

Sooooo... if you wish to climb at those 3 popular gyms, you will need to be ABD verified after you receive your SNCS Level 1 cert. This requires further assessment and costs S$10/pax. After passing verification, you will receive a Verification tag that is recognised at Ground Up, Climb Central & Onsight Climbing as the test requirements are the same.

In Gorilla Gym, you can use either an ATC or ABD belay device, but you still need to be verified that you have the skills and competency to climb & belay and pass to be issued the Verification tag. The verification assessment is free and can be done on-the-spot though.

If you pay attention to what's taught during the course day, it should be easy to pass (*＾▽＾)／

I won't say exactly where I took my SNCS Level 1 course as I reckon it could have been conducted better so won't recommend it to others. Although the instructors were friendly and we had adequate practice time, instructions on how to tie the figure-of-8 knot was a little sketchy and they didn't touch on different types of climbing and basic climbing techniques.

I mean, I already kinda knew how to rock-climb {albeit inefficiently?? haha} and had also tried bouldering before, but there were people in my class who had no rock-climbing experience. Since it's in the syllabus {but not tested}, would have been good to have been taught about the effective use of handholds & footholds, and perhaps tips on how to overcome different wall configurations.

Also, although the cost of the course was supposed to cover equipment rental cost, we were only loaned the harness and belay devices and we didn't get to climb with proper climbing shoes - just our own covered shoes. I think courses conducted at other gyms let you use their harnesses, belay devices and climbing shoes. 

I would have also liked if they touched on where you can find rock-climbing equipment, what brands they personally like, how to choose your equipment, and introduce community groups on how we can meet other like-minded and experienced climbers. Would have been good to share to beginner climbers like myself, no?

I did ask, but their answers were too general and inadequate. I didn't want to probe further due to lack of time and perhaps they didn't want to "sell" anything or show favoritism to any shops?

Anyway, I joined some online community groups who were eager to spread their knowledge, and I did a fair bit of research on what I should get, and where I should get them.

See my list of Sport Climbing / Bouldering Equipment & Gear Shops in Singapore for more information  ( ◞･౪･)

P.S. If you're interested, check out my experience taking the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course in Singapore too!! Yes, I passed that!! hehehe...

Follow my Fitness Diary posts here or on Instagram {#AiFitnessDiary}.

One-on-On Personal Training Updates:

Genesis Gym Personal Training Updates:
The Beginning - Signing Up for Personal Training


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Friday, November 25, 2016

Learning to Cycle as an Adult {in my 30s} !!!

Confession: Until 3 weeks ago, I did not know how to balance on a bicycle and cycle on my own.

Don't get me wrong, I love cycling {and do it very often on our Assault Airbike for exercising}... it's just that I can't balance on my own?? haha.. It's not that I haven't tried learning before. I remember my mum brought me to learn when I was a kid and just on that day I almost manage to master it, we got into a car accident and she never brought me back out to practise again (*≧▽≦)

Over the years, some of my friends tried to teach me too but I just couldn't get the hang of balancing on my own. Of course, I am kinda bummed not being able to ride a bike on my own sometimes but it never really bothered me too much. I don't use it in my daily life for transport, especially in Singapore, and my family/ friends and I are hardly ever out cycling for recreational purposes. If there's a need to, I'd just rent a tandem bike and cycle with someone.

Or, there's always my trusty 2 legs haha... I love going for strolls and walks to explore places.

In Japan, bicycles are widely used. People ride it all over to the shops, park, school or work. When I was studying and staying the dorm at Ryukoku, my friends and I used to love going to this １００円回転 sushi place to binge on delicious and cheap sushi! It isn't that accessible by public transport as there's no direct bus or train there. It takes about 20 minutes by bike... or about 45 minutes by walking. Most of them are able to cycle but we would usually all walk together. Sometimes though, they would take their bikes and because Min and I can't cycle, we would walk. It really worked up our appetite though and gave us a good exercise to burn those calories after our full meal so honestly, I didn't mind one bit!!

Yup, it was nice knowing that there was someone else who didn't know how to cycle even as an adult too haha.

I was resigned to my fate of never being able to cycle on my own until recently, a cycling enthusiast friend found out that I couldn't cycle and took it upon himself to want to teach me and another friend who happened to not be able to cycle too.

A group of us went down to East Coast Park one Saturday to try and get this other friend and me to learn how to cycle. I didn't bear much hope of mastering the bike in one session but lo and behold!!! I manage to balance and cycle on my own after about 30 minutes!!! Hooray!!! So so pleased and thankful to my friends who were patient enough to teach a me to cycle even after 30+ years...

So you see, you can teach an old dog new tricks haha ( ᐛ )و

I love my new-found freedom of riding a bike and have been rather addicted to riding. Can't wait to go faster and further!! ❤

I've been practising at least once a week since I learnt how to cycle and on my second practice session, my family and I went from East Coast Park all the way to Gardens by the Bay via the park connectors. I never knew that it was so close and accessible to one another!!

Really, it's amazing how much you can discover and explore on a bike...

Unfortunately when we reached there, my rented bicycle's rear derailleur broke and I had to walk and push it all the way back to East Coast Park again to exchange for another one *groan*

Last weekend, I learnt how to shift bicycle gears to pedal up and downhill more efficiently, and how to brake more smoothly.

I am still sticking to the park connectors and even then, I get nervous when I have to cycle near other people so will try to go to less crowded areas. Slowly, I'll try to gain confidence to cycle on pathways, roads and maybe even mountain trails haha...

I'm planning to get my own bicycle for Christmas but have not decided on what to purchase yet. Any ideas or suggestions for a first bike??

Ever since I shared that I only recently learnt how to cycle as an adult a few weeks ago, at least 6 people have come up to tell me that they still don't know how to cycle too! Well, I hope that they get to learn real soon!!!

Most adults would already know how to cycle so if you can, just grab a patient friend / family member to teach you. However, if you don't want to impose on them and don't mind paying someone to coach you, I searched online and found that there are structured adult cycling classes that you can go to at Biking Singapore, Cycle School SG and Singapore Bike School {founded by Daddy Kenneth who shared about his fatherhood journey on my blog previously}.

Cycling is not a necessity in our society, but it does help improve our health in many ways by increasing cardiovascular fitness, increasing muscle strength and flexibility, improving joint mobility, improving posture and coordination.... not to mention it is super fun, relaxing and can be enjoyed by the whole family!

I foresee us going for many more cycling sessions in the near future haha (⌒▽⌒)☆

Know anybody who still can't ride a bike?
What do you suggest to get for a first bike? Something cheap or second-hand? 
Or invest in a good, expensive one?

P.S. If you want to get fit & have fun with your family, Safari Zoo Run 2017 is coming up!

There's an early bird promo until 30 Nov 2016 and just for my blog readers and friends, enjoy 10% off current rates when you register from now until 15 Jan 2017 using my promo code: SZR2017BGPSAKUHARU10 (*＾▽＾)／


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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Fitness Diary :: CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course Experience

Last weekend the boy and I had quite an adrenaline-packed weekend as we attended our CrossFit Level 1 {CFL1} Trainer Certificate Course. We were pretty excited since it was our first fitness-related course! There was a lot of hands-on learning such as performing 13 exercise movements and completing a work-out each day... not really your typical sit-down-fall-asleep-boring-lecture kind of seminar haha.

CFL1 Trainer Certificate Course is a 2-day weekend course {9am - 5pm, 1hr lunch break} held all over the world throughout the year. If you feel like it, you can of course fly overseas to take the course {like what my friend Jed did} and go for a holiday while you're at it, or you can take the course in your own country if it is organised there.

Lucky for us in Singapore, we have the course organised locally and this time round it was at Innervate CrossFit. Even then, we had attendees fly in from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia etc to attend the course so there was a nice mix of nationalities to see how CrossFit is in other countries too.

There were 3 trainers for the course seminar - Brett from Australia, Juria from South Africa {but owner of local box, CrossFit Enduro} and Liang from China.

They were all so knowledgeable, patient and friendly.. and omg their exercise techniques and movements are spot-on!!! It's a real treat to watch them perform the movements and I can only aspire to reach their level of artful techniques.

This is what we covered over the 2 days:

Day 1: Saturday
  • What is CrossFit
  • What is Fitness
  • 4 Fitness Models of CrossFit
  • Squat, Front Squat and Overhead Press {lecture & practical}
  • Shoulder Press, Push Press, Push Jerk {lecture & practical}
  • Movement Technique
  • Kipping Pull-Ups and Thrusters {lecture & practical}
  • "Not Fran" WOD {hah!}
Day 2: Sunday
  • Responsible Training & Legal
  • Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift High Pull and Medicine Ball Clean {lecture & practical}
  • Nutrition
  • Midline Stabilisation
  • Glute Ham Developer
  • Muscle-Ups and Snatch {lecture & practical}
  • Workout Programming
  • Scaling Workouts
  • Med Ball & AbMat Sit-Ups WOD
  • Exam
If you speak to anybody who took this course before, the one most important tip they will give you is to go with an open mind, and pay attention during the course seminar. And that's what we did... or try to do anyway haha.

It is good that we studied the course notes before the course seminar {wish I started earlier though as there was heaps to cover!!} so that we had a better understanding of what was being said, and could ask any questions about the notes during the lectures too. However, during the seminar, the trainers will actually highlight the important points about each section and kinda hint what is going to come up in the exam... so it really is good listen attentively to all parts of the course, and yes, that includes the practical sessions (^▽^)v

During the practical the trainers checked our own movements, as well as taught us how to spot common faults and use cues to correct them. This was very valuable and helped me to understand further why my own PTs used those cues to correct me when I'm training at Genesis Gym too.

From my time at Genesis and experience with CrossFit the past year or so, I've done most of the movements but not all of them were taught in detail to me, especially if I had to do it in a CrossFit WOD, so it was extremely beneficial to be able to learn how to do the Overhead Press, Push Jerk and Snatch properly.


I've never done Kipping Pull-Ups or Muscle-Ups before so it was excellent that I got to try and learn these movements under the guidance of the experienced trainers. Oh goodness, they really aren't easy to do but I definitely want to master them eventually... hopefully in a year or 2? Haha.. seems like a long time but these movements are complex and require lots of strength, agility and body co-ordination, all of which I'm sorely lacking in now.

The workout for each day is related to what is covered in the course. In most CFL1 courses, Day 1's workout is notorious for what CrossFitters call "Fran" {21-15-9 reps of barbell thrusters & pull-ups each, for time} but Brett was very kind and gave us a "Not Fran" workout haha. My arms are still aching from training so I was very thankful that we didn't have to do any pull-ups! I finished my WOD in 5 mins 10 sec.

Day 2's workout was 10 reps each of Medicine Ball Cleans, AbMat Sit-Ups & Medicine Ball Overhead Press, AMRAP. My Overhead Press needed a lot of work as I've trouble extending my hips before pressing under the bar, so I could only manage 2+ rounds in 10 mins #oops For this WOD, it was an opportunity for us to "train" our partners, motivate and coach them in their faults too.

The exam is at the end of Day 2 and there really is no time to revise as the lectures will end just about 10 minutes before the exam starts to give you time to set-up the sitting arrangement, grab some water, go to the toilets etc. It is a closed book, no-notes test and sorry Singaporeans, other than the sample questions in the CFL1 Handbook, there's no 10-year series exam questions available for practice σ(≧ε≦ｏ)

It consists of 55 MCQs to complete in 1 hour. 50 MCQs are scored, while the other 5 are not scored and don't affect our marks. The unscored questions are scattered throughout the test so
participants will answer them with the same effort that they give to the actual scored questions. They are used for "pretesting", so basically we are like "guinea pigs" of these questions which may come out in future papers haha

I thought I wouldn't have much time to check but actually I finished the paper in about half an hour and had enough time to go through it another time. There definitely were some tricky questions and I changed my answers a few times when I was checking but overall, I think I should pass?? I know I definitely got at least 2 wrong and you need at least 34/50 {68%} to pass. The results will be out by the end of this week eeks!

Overall I'm glad that I completed the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course. Yes the course cost is rather steep and I may not actually coach anybody in the future {actually most of those who attended weren't thinking of being CrossFit trainers yet haha} but I at least cleared some misconceptions/ gained a better understanding of the foundations of CrossFit & fitness in general, learnt more about workout programming, how to do some fundamental exercise movements properly and how we should help others to achieve their fitness goals.

That's really valuable knowledge gained I reckon. And best part is, I did it with the boy.

A couple that stays fit together, grows old together ♥ I love that fitness is tying the both of us even tighter together and we are both pursuing this with passion. We have much more to talk about with each other now, and I know that with both of us being active, it will keep us healthy so that we may be able to live longer and spend more time with each other in our old age.

Not to mention, it does have a positive effect on Lil Pumpkin when she sees both her Mummy and Daddy making health and fitness a priority in our lives. We want her to see fitness as fun and watch her grow up associating working out and eating healthy as natural and a "normal choice". It is something enjoyable and clearly beneficial to her health, body, and mind.

She is definitely one of the reasons why we took this course too. In CrossFit, kids as young 3 years old are following the program and of course it is scaled to their young age and physical capacity. The boy and I took this course as it is a prerequisite to taking the CrossFit Kids Trainer course, which we want to take up in the future too. With that, we can understand CrossFit Kids better and hopefully teach that to Lil Pumpkin {and other children} too... and therefore include her even more in our workout routines and healthy lifestyle! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧


Tips:  
  • Try to go through the course notes and handbook at least once before the course seminar.
  • Arrive about 30mins earlier on Day 1 to register, get your name tags and collect your free CFL1 course t-shirt from Reebok.
  • I'm not sure if it's this batch, but the course t-shirts were about a size smaller than usual. I usually wear size S for Reebok tees, but when the boy registered for me he ordered a M. Thank goodness he did because it fitted me just nicely! So you might want to go a size up when ordering the tees if you do the course in Singapore. The boy took a size L which fits him nicely too {he usually wears male size M}.
  • As the course lectures are held in CrossFit boxes, most likely there will not be desks for you to write on. Be prepared to bring your own clipboard {I brought my own laptop desk haha} for easy writing comfort. Clipboards will be provided during the exam though.
  • I hope you won't need to but IF you don't feel confident enough to take the exam after the course, you may opt out of the exam onsite. Your original registration allows you one free exam attempt within one year from the date of the course. If you don't pass the exam within one year of original course attendance, you will have to pay to retake the course {and pass the exam} to earn the Trainer Certificate.  
  • Water is provided but bring your own lunch as you only have 1 hour to go out to eat. I packed salad and pita bread for us on both days so that we could eat leisurely at the Box, and give us some time to revise notes while eating too. It also gave us the opportunity to watch our trainers complete their lunch WODs! #respect 
  • Day 2's workout is before lunch. You might want to bring a change of outfit to be more comfortable {and less stinky haha} when taking the exam at the end of Day 2. 
  • You can take photos during the course {useful if you don't want to write notes}, but you are not allowed to take videos.  

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course
Cost: US​$1,​000 ​​if registered 14 ​days ​or more​ prior to the course date or ​US$1,​200 ​if register​ed​ within 14 ​days of the course ​start date​.
Details: http://training.crossfit.com/level-one



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Friday, July 1, 2016

Studying for CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course

A few months ago the boy told me that he wanted to go for the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course {CF-L1}. He's been doing CrossFit {read this for a quick intro on CrossFit} regularly for at least a year and is pretty passionate about it. In the future, he'd like to teach CrossFit to kids {partly because of Lil Pumpkin} part-time as a hobby but in doing so, you have to pass CrossFit Level 1 first, then take the CrossFit Kids course to be qualified to teach CrossFit to kids aged 3 to 18.

On hearing his idea, I thought that being a CrossFit Kids coach seemed very enticing too. I'm not that big on CrossFit and only do it once a week or so as strength-training is still my focus but I mean, I'm pretty into fitness now and I like working with kids... so it's not a bad idea if I can somehow make coaching kids fitness a part of my life, if not career?

I don't know. It's a big career change but in any case, I decided to join him in taking the CF-L1 Trainer Certificate Course first. No harm in learning more about fitness! #活到老学到老

The Level 1 course is an introduction to CrossFit's methodology and foundational movements. You can take it in Singapore {& many other countries} and it includes classroom instruction on these topics, as well as hands-on small-group training for the exercise movements.

It is structured to meet two goals: 1) provide attendees with the knowledge to better use CrossFit methods for themselves; and 2) provide attendees with an initial and foundational education to begin training others using CrossFit.

We also have to study the Level 1 Training Guide and goodness, there's a lot of things to cover!!  At the end of the course, we should be able to:
  1. Define the core concepts of the CrossFit program.
  2. Identify the primary points of performance of the foundational movements.
  3. Perform the foundational movements safely and identify when someone has committed a form error.
  4. Identify correct movement when training others.
  5. Identify unsound movement and apply appropriate correction toward improved movement.
  6. Apply the CrossFit program safely and effectively while gaining the experience necessary to develop competency in training others using CrossFit methods.
{source}
Some of the stuff  e.g. zone-meal planning, foundations of CrossFit etc. & especially the biomechanical articles, are pretty technical and I'm finding it really hard to understand and remember the details in my mushy mummy brain, especially since the last time I studied for anything was eons ago!!

Some of the other stuff like exercise movements are easier to comprehend as I try to relate them to my what my trainers have been telling me, and the gym workouts & CrossFit WODS I've done.

I met up with one of my old swimming pals who recently took his CF-L1 trainer course for some tips on how it went on Tuesday night. Goodness! After hearing what he went through, I'm even more freaked out that I wouldn't be able to pass the course exam.. it seems pretty tricky and tough *groan*

I don't think the boy will have any trouble with the course or exam since he has a medical background and has been reading up and learning about fitness for so many years already. I'm more worried about myself haha

Our 2-day CFL1 course is next weekend and from now to then, I really have to buck up and try to understand / memorise the whole training guide, or at least the important points that my friend highlighted.. which was like 90% of the guide!!

The course itself is pretty expensive and to retake the course or exam is not cheap either so I'm hoping I can pass this time round.

Wish us luck!! xox

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate Course
Cost: US​$1,​000 ​​if registered 14 ​days ​or more​ prior to the course date or ​US$1,​200 ​if register​ed​ within 14 ​days of the course ​start date​.
Details: http://training.crossfit.com/level-one




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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Korean Language Learning | I Won't Give Up!

Last July I started learning basic Korean at a community centre near my home. It was once-a-week on Saturdays and very convenient, but I didn't continue when the course ended because I felt that it was not conducted very well. Maybe I'm too used to proper structures and consistencies in previous full-time classes that I found my then-Korean teacher to be quite unfocused and haphazard in her teaching.

We were supposed to be in the most elementary Korean class but she didn't follow the textbook and often jumped to tell us something more advanced, then say "oh not to worry, just take note but you don't have to learn now". o.O"??! Then why confuse our minds when we are struggling to learn the basics with something out of our syllabus? I'm all for learning out-of-the-box, but at least let us get the foundation right first. There were not many opportunities to practise speaking or writing in class, and not much material to revise back home as well. Indeed, classes at the local community centres are inexpensive, and I'm sure some are good, but taking Korean classes there was not for me.

Luckily, I managed to find a Korean language class near my workplace and have been taking classes there for about a month already. I signed up for the most elementary class again as I wanted to start from scratch and have a strong foundation. Again, it's a once-a-week part-time class after work every Tuesday, which is pretty tiring and I get home only about 10.15pm that night, but I feel it's such a worthwhile time spent.

The lessons at my new class are more structured and we follow the syllabus of a very recognised university in Korea, Kyung Hee University. The teacher goes through each new component pretty thoroughly with plenty of practice in class, and homework as well. I recognised most of what was taught because of my previous Korean language class, but have a better understanding of it due to the current class. On completing this class, I would be able to read, write and pronounce the 21 vowels, 19 consonants of the Korean character set, about 100 new vocab words and learn how to have a very, very basic Korean conversation with the natives ;p In a way, it has also given me insights on teaching Chinese to Lil Pumpkin too.

Last Monday I received an email from the centre conducting my current Korean language class that they will not be offering Korean Language Programmes from May 2013 "to consolidate our programme offerings so as to align with the overall strategic direction". This means that after my current term, I will have to find another language centre to learn Korean! Bummer!

The news was so sudden and really took all of us in class by surprise. So very unexpected as their Korean language classes are pretty popular. If they intended to close the Korean Language Programmes in May, why did they allow students to take classes from the beginning of this year? The centre offers {or used to offer} Korean lessons that cater to all Korean language learners - Basic {6 levels}, Intermediate {4 levels}, Advanced {4 levels}. I was hoping to go all the way, which will take about 4.5 years as a part-time learner.

Now, I'll just finish Level 1 and will need to start all over again somewhere else, and their programme track might be different plus they might use different textbooks. This means more time lost and money spent. If I knew this centre was going to stop the Korean Language Programmes in May, I would have started afresh somewhere else. Kinda pissed and disappointed actually.

In any case, I will not give up and continue my quest to master the Korean language! 頑張ります！

*****
human-nature-600 photo human-nature-organic-bodycare-skincare-products-giveaway_zps7c63c403.jpg



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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Korean Language 101 | You are Never Too Old to Learn Something New

Over the weekend I posted on Facebook and Twitter that I've started learning Korean. Yup, after years of procrastination, I've finally started classes!! It is once-a-week over the weekend, and the boy helps to look after Lil Pumpkin during my class.

I've always felt that to truly understand a particular culture and its traditions, it is important to understand the language. We've many good Korean friends and visited Korea twice, and it is definitely a country that I want to know better.

It has been a few years since I attended class, and to be honest, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Adult learning classes are definitely not easy. Coupled with work, household chores, and other family/ social commitments, even though it is just "part-time" learning, it is rather intense. Compared to tertiary learning or lower where each chapter can be covered over a week or two, each 1.5hrs class is also packed with new information, that you only have 1 week to digest and remember before the next class. I don't even dare to think of skipping one class in case I can't catch up! {Actually I felt like skipping the first lesson to go for a blog event, but luckily I'm a good girl and didn't :P}

My hubby is also learning a new skill this year- veterinary acupuncture {yes, you can perform acupuncture on animals too!!}. He believes that learning new skills helps to develop the brain so he is constantly upgrading his work skills and he also took Japanese for 2 years while working & looking after the family. He is my inspiration that I too, can perservere in my new endeavour to learn this new language skill. 

I hope that I can master Korean to at least an intermediate level, enough for me to read, listen and have easy daily conversations with native Koreans. The Chinese have a saying - 活到老，学到老 {huo dao lao, xue dao lao}. It basically means that as we live and get older, we should never stop learning. It doesn't mean that you have to go enroll in a certain class, but it can be little things like learning new crafting skills on *cough* Pinterest,  learning a new recipe on Masterchef, or learning a new way to enjoy the life's simple pleasures from your young ones.

Indeed, this is something we want to pass on to Lil Pumpkin too, that learning doesn't stop when you leave school.

What have you learnt lately? Any new skill you want to pick up, but haven't yet?


I Blog on Tues with Diary of a SAHM.




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