By Nandini Kalani

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The two poems celebrates the beauty of both Korean and Mandarin Chinese, languages dear to the heart of the writer. These poems serve as a love letter to the rich tapestry of linguistic exploration.

Title in English: "Embracing the Beauty of Chinese: A Journey of Language Learning"

Title in Mandarin: "拥抱中文之美：语言学习之旅"

在学习语言中的路，

曲折难行，言辞徒劳。

但终究爱上了，

黑色的书法，流淌着情感。

五年光阴，如梦初醒，

口齿生辉，流利措辞不再迟疑，

如今，我自信地行走，

中文之美，我已完全感受到。

English Translation: 

    In the road of learning language,

    Twists and turns, words in vain.

    But eventually fell in love,

    Black calligraphy, flowing with emotions.

    Five years have passed, like waking from a dream,

    My tongue shines, fluent words no longer hesitate,

    Now, I walk confidently,

    I have fully felt the beauty of Chinese.

Title in English: "Whispers of Korea: Embracing Korea" 

Title in Korean: "한국의 속삭임: 한국을 포용하다" 

한국의 길들 사이에서,

언어의 밀도 속에서,

나는 사랑을 발견했다.

동묘의 북적거리는 골목부터,

경복궁의 조용한 위엄까지,

각 발걸음마다 나 자신의 한 조각을 발견했다.

한국어 음절의 울림 속에서,

나의 여정과 공명을 찾았다,

자아 발견의 여정으로.

한국의 포옹 속에서,

숨겨진 진실을 발굴했고,

내 영혼의 깊이에서 안식을 찾았다.

배운 교훈에 감사하며,

나는 영원히 변화했다,

한국은 목적지뿐 아니라,

내가 된 일부가 되었다.

English Translation: 

    Among the roads in Korea, 

    In the density of language, 

    I found love. 

    From the bustling alley of Dongmyo, 

    To the quiet dignity of Gyeongbokgung Palace, 

    I found a piece of myself at each step.

    In the echo of Korean syllables, 

    I found my journey and my resonance, 

    on a journey of self-discovery. 

    In the embrace of Korea, 
    We discovered the hidden truth,
    I found rest in the depths of my soul. 

    Thank you for the lessons learned,

    I've changed forever,

    Korea is not only a destination, 

    It's become part of me.

Process

These poems are deeply rooted in my personal journey of language acquisition, stemming from my initial foray into Mandarin Chinese during high school. However, it was my participation in the United States’ Department of State’s cultural initiative, the NSLI-Y program, that truly catalyzed my love for Korean. As a 2023 NSLI-Y Korean Finalist, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the language and culture while studying at Hanyang University, an experience that left an indelible mark on my linguistic exploration. Throughout my journey, I found myself constantly stringing together pieces of poetry as I learned more and more vocabulary, each verse serving as a testament to the depth of my connection to both Korean and Mandarin Chinese.