[PERSPECTIVE]Broadcasting in the mother tongue

Abby Rhodes By Richard Scott-Ashe

Most foreigners living in Korea are all too familiar with the language barrier. It’s no secret that many expats, even some who have lived here for extended periods, still struggle with the language of their host country. English speakers, however, are able to slip by without studying Korean.
Abby Rhodes, an American producer on the English Service of KBS World Radio, has only been in Korea for around three months. But she has no illusions about how lucky she is when it comes to her mother tongue.
“I’m a little bit spoiled in that the first language everyone learns is English,” she said. She added that her coworkers from places like Germany and Spain are not so lucky. KBS World broadcasts in 11 languages and employs a native speaker of each.
Still, having been a journalist in places as diverse as Peru and Kenya, she has no qualms about communication difficulties.
“I really enjoy the language barrier,” said Rhodes, who has a master’s in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois. “It provides for interesting situations every day.
“I usually get by on gestures and smiles,” she said. “But this week I’m learning how to direct a taxi.”
When asked whether she has had any difficulties adapting to life in Korea, Rhodes is diplomatic.
“I haven’t had my freak-out moment yet,” she said.
The fact is, she has adjusted so quickly that she is experiencing something of a cultural inversion.
“I’m always culture shocked when I go to Itaewon and everyone’s speaking English,” she said. “I can’t imagine how it’s going to be when I go home to the States.”

Abby Rhodes By Richard Scott-Ashe [richard@joongang.co.kr]