Latvia is one of three states in the Baltic region, which is 22 times smaller than the Korean penisular. As in other states, Latvia has its own native language – Latvian. However, in this territory, people can easily find people fluent in other foreign languages: English, Russian, also not a few German-speaking and tourists from Asian countries.
With the increasing influence of Korean culture on other countries, the socalled “Korean wave” has not bypassed the countries of the Baltic region. Every year, there are more and more adolescents who are interested in Asian cultures and traditions. As a consequence, the percentage of people who want to learn a new language without leaving their country is increasing, but it is from this point that the main problems and difficulties in learning the language appear.
People’s first attempts at learning new languages begin with finding a teacher who is fluent in Korean and is qualified to teach. However, due to the small, teachers or tutors, at the moment, are virtually non-existent. On the expanses of the Internet in Latvia, you can find only a few faculties specializing in the study of Asian languages, or already old and neglected accounts. The reason for this is only recently emerged interest among future students. Not everyone has the desire to learn a language over the Internet, as it is much more convenient to ask a teacher when you see him in real life. Also, the problem in choosing a teacher via the Internet can be a time difference, because many students are still in school themselves and do not have the necessary amount of time to fully immerse themselves in a new culture. Another issue for many students is the cost of tuition. Not everyone has the ability and desire to pay for language courses. If there is no full confidence in their own desire for new things, but it is more related to the distrust of parents themselves, to the hobby of children.
Almost all the problems mentioned above can be solved by simple means – persistence, as well as the desire of relatives and community – to support the new generation in the desire to learn new things, because times are changing and progress does not stand still. The lack of teachers can be solved by expanding the number of departments studying Asian languages. Increased interest in the field will increase the number of students. An excellent solution is also to promote exchanges, not only among students, but also among teachers. This method will help to master the language, through communication with a native speaker, even without knowing the common language for easy communication. It will also help students at universities in Asian countries to learn another language – Latvian. According to my own observations, I can safely say that for students from South Korea it will not be very difficult to learn a new language, because Korean and Latvian have similarities in pronunciation. Having heard the word several times, Koreans can repeat words and sentences from Latvian almost with absolutely clear pronunciation.
Thanks to the desire to learn something new people gradually change, which is why after less than six years Korean culture has become an integral part of many people in Latvia, and I am one of them. Thanks to the music, the meaning of every song, every drama and of course people living in South Korea and telling another country, more and more people want to change their lives and become better not only for themselves, but also to be an example in the eyes of others