#20
20. New Torchlight – Pioneering the English speakers
The limitations of only speaking Korean and only targeting Koreans became self evident. I gathered the masters and had a meeting. I said, “There is limitation in speaking only Korean and targeting only Koreans. Isn’t it so obvious? There is no hope without pioneering the English speakers. Cosmic energy (Chun-ji-ki-un) that we are trying to communicate is not something that is exclusively for the Koreans. What we want is globalization. In order for globalization to take place, we cannot just stand still here. We have to pioneer and take the challenge for the English speakers anyway. Don’t fear too much about not being able to speak English well. If you can’t speak it well, then start memorizing words now. Even if you have to memorize the necessary words, phrases, sentences for that day only, do it, so that whether the other person understands it or not, you will try to convey the contents. And, let’s increase the English speaking members to at least 5%.”
Like this, we set a goal. Then, immediately the next day, brochures for the English speakers were created; we set a date for an open public lecture, and made preparations. With our English being so poor, it was ridiculous for us to create brochures in English and do the open public lecture.
In the process, when it wasn’t going well, we received assistance from a Korean member who knew a little bit of English. Just like when I was beginning in the Tae Kwon Do training hall in Philadelphia, we made the necessary sentences, translated, and memorized them. It was so unskillful and awkward; nothing was properly done. Even when the phone rang, everyone held back and tried to give it to each other to answer it. It was a situation where awkwardness and fear weren’t disappearing with just words.
Masters from the head office drove around four to eighteen hours in a car, carrying brochures to advertise for the open public lecture and to gather members. For meals, it was mostly easy-to-eat meals eaten inside the car. They slept in the car, showers were taken in the temporary shower stalls in the center, and laundry was done in the laundromat by putting in the coins.
Those masters who did not know English well were mainly devoted in doing advertisements; and those who did know some English did phone consultation in the center nearby.
The corresponding center’s masters were trained so they were just barely able to teach the classes in English. Since they could not even drive, they had to be driven back and forth from work, and there were many masters who worked three to five different jobs. Various rent problems, large and small incidents, whatever problem arose, someone had to go and resolve the matter. I thought a lot about how I might as well go there and do it myself.
We worked diligently. After a while, English speaking members increased, and the percentage of Korean members decreased little by little. After about six months, it was about half and half; and after one year, the percentage of Korean members decreased to 30%. Now, managing the center became much easier, and maintaining the members became easier too.
After about after one and a half to two years, the English speaking members became about 80-90%, and the Korean members began to decrease to no more than 10%. For two languages to coexist in the training center was not an easy thing. Even though the training area and the time were separated, there was something that was difficult about it. Many methods were used to find some coexistence, but it failed in this area. However, I cannot deny the pioneering of Dahn centers in America exists now because of the many Korean members in the beginning. I do not forget those members at that time and I give my gratitude always.
Nowadays, except for one or two places of management in America, they are all English speaking members and the Koreans are not even 30%. Someday, when there is the opportunity, training for Korean speaking members in America needs to be revived again. This is because they were the cornerstone in the beginning, and they must not be forgotten.