A New Course Idea. I’d Love Your Feedback! 🍋

Over the past two summers, I’ve taught at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a learning community for adults ages 55+, offering:

• Nunchi: The Korean Art of Understanding People and Situations
• Between Cultures and Selves: Wisdom from the In-Between

My favorite part is the exchange. I bring perspectives shaped by living across countries and cultures and navigating the spaces in between. Many participants are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and have spent much of their lives in the U.S. Their experiences help me see familiar ideas differently. We learn about culture, each other, and ourselves.

For next summer, I’m considering Through a Korean Lens: Culture in Conversation.

Over five weeks, we’ll use Korean cultural concepts to compare everyday experiences in Korea, the U.S., and other places participants have called home. We’ll explore how expectations differ, overlap, and change across generations.

💬 Reading between the lines
Through nunchi 눈치, or social awareness, we’ll explore words, silence, tone, and context. When do we expect others to “just know,” and when do we prefer directness?

🏡 Me and us
Starting with uri 우리 (“our” or “we”), we’ll discuss personal choice and responsibility. How do we balance our wishes with family and community expectations?

🤝 Respect and authority
Korean honorifics and customs around age and social roles open a discussion about respect at home, school, and work. Can disagreement express engagement rather than disrespect?

🌱 Humility and confidence
From accepting compliments to sharing accomplishments, the same behavior can seem humble, insecure, confident, or arrogant. How do we express our strengths considerately?

💛 Care and boundaries
Through jeong 정, affection and connection built over time, we’ll discuss offering food, asking personal questions, and giving advice. When does care feel welcome, and when does it feel intrusive?

Which topic sounds most interesting, or what else would you love to explore? I’d love your thoughts! 😊

#DrLemon #LifelongLearning #InterculturalLearning #KoreanCulture #CrossCulturalCommunication