Born in the US, Sonya grew up in Korea and taught English in both countries. Today, she is a Korean language instructor as well as Assistant Director at CRLC.
Keep reading to learn her favorite Korean word and the promise she made to her daughters when they returned to the US from Korean in 2018.
You have moved between the US and Korea multiple times. Explain your journey.
I was born in the US while my father pursued his PhD in Minnesota, but we returned to Korea when I was only two years old. It was after 20 years, when I was a sophomore in college, that I first came back to the US.
Sonya in college.
As a graduate student in the US, I met my husband, but went back to Korea to work. We made it through several years of a long-distance relationship and got married, then I came back to Minnesota, where my husband was working towards his post doctorate. When he got his first job in Texas, we moved, had two daughters, then went back to Korea (keep reading to learn why!). After five years there, we returned to the US and now live in Clifton Park.
Did you speak both English and Korean growing up?
Since my parents were both Korean and my family lived in Korea, we only spoke Korean at home. We learned English at school, but only through grammar books and a dictionary. I was more fascinated by reading books, listening to music, and watching movies that were in English!
When I majored in English language and literature in college, I decided to go to a graduate school in the US, majoring in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). I never imagined teaching Korean, but I was so ready to do something. That’s when Kim (Andersen, founder of CRLC) reached out, asking if I would be interested in teaching Korean.
Sonya and her daughters enjoying a meal in Japan, en route to Korea for their annual visit.
I always think that language learning and teaching are fascinating. They connect people, not only linguistically, but also culturally. It also opens doors to a lot of new and exciting opportunities, and I love that I can help my students in that journey.
MEET NEIL, ONE OF SONYA’S STUDENTS!
What is your favorite Korean word?
My favorite Korean word is “jeong” (정). It means a warm feeling of attachment. It is often translated as love, affection, attachment, sympathy, etc. in English. However, there is no real direct translation in English and that’s why I love this unique Korean word.
Sonya and her husband, Kwanho, at Sokcho Beach in Korea.
You return to Korea every year for a month with your children. Why is this important for you and your children?
My daughters were born in Texas, but when my first daughter went to kindergarten, she picked up English with an uncontrollable, and a bit scary speed (losing her Korean at the same speed). My husband and I were worried that our two daughters would grow up not speaking their mother tongue. We decided to move back, putting our daughters in Korean school. We stayed from 2013-2018, then we moved back to the Capital Region.
Sonya and her family at Bulguksa, a temple in Gyeongju, Korea and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
My daughters have wonderful memories of Korea and hated leaving their friends, so we made a promise that we’d visit Korea every summer, and we are keeping that promise (except in 2020, due to COVID). They appreciate their month in Korea because they get to see grandparents, uncles, aunts, and friends from kindergarten and elementary school.