Why are you studying English?

Why are you studying English?

While I am working as an English teacher in institute, I have no problem. Even if I didn't major in English, since I prepared every class and I studied what I have to teach all the time, that was ok.

However, I had to expect the unexpected questions every now and then. Sometimes it was hard for me. That's because I'm not a native speaker, so even I who am a teacher had to keep studying English. As a teacher, I feel that I need to study what I'm teaching my students even though it is some things that I'm already aware of.

In addition, my final goal that I want to acheive by studying English is to communicate with foreigners fluently. I want to talk to foreign people about some things that are interesting issue or even personal. I'd like to share good things, thoughts and feeling with them like my Korean friends all over the world. For these reasons, I enjoy learning English even though it is hard for me and I think I have to keep it up until I die. Because learning foreign langauge is like going on a diet. So English is one of the most important parts in my life.

In fact, I'm not sure whether other people in Korea have plain reasons why they are studying English or not. Like in this video, some of them don't seem to have a goal to study English. You don't have to follow others if you want to. If you study English without any reasons and goals, if you study it since you are just forced to learn in society, I believe that your English won't improve any more.

Everyone in Korea seems to envy people who can speak English fluently. And if you can't speak English, you can't find a stable job since large corporations require interviews in English. In addition, I heard that some companies ask people to have an English skills even though they will never use the ability. You have to know English if you want to succeed in Korea. If you can speak English, you can get a better job, make good salary and have an oppotunity to make foreign friends, read a variety of knowledge written English, watch movies without subtitles, attend international meeting etc.

Moreover, If I want to say to foreign people "I think learning English is not important." or "Could you tell me why I have to study English?", if I really want to say like that (but I don't think so), I should be able to speak English to ask.

We all might have different reasons to study English. But one thing that you have to remember is that you should have clear goals to learn English. Also, if you want to blame the people who have an obsession with English to an interviewer who appears in this video, at least, you should be able to tell him your opinion in English since he seems to be not Korean.