‘수상하고 행복하고 즐거운’ 외국어 생활 [.txt]

A third-grade elementary school student named Joon-woo can understand and converse with birds. This unique ability is known only to Joon-woo and the birds. Joon-woo prefers to live as an ordinary child rather than being singled out for his special talent. However, a crisis arises when Joon-woo's friend Ro-ah loses her headset. Thanks to Joon-woo's friend Kuk-chee, who helps retrieve the headset, Joon-woo's secret is threatened when a new classmate, Suk-hyun, suspects Joon-woo of stealing Ro-ah's headset.

"You're weird! Didn't you steal Ro-ah's headset?" Joon-woo must protect his secret, leading to an intriguing mystery. Joon-woo's special ability began after he began attending an English kindergarten at the age of seven. Due to daily word quizzes and speaking only in English, Joon-woo found the experience exhausting. After recovering from a month-long hospital stay, Joon-woo started hearing bird language after being fed by a paralyzed woodpecker who lived in a nest outside his window.

Interestingly, Joon-woo's health improved once he could understand bird language. While English often causes distress for Koreans due to the pressure of language learning, test scores, and "TOEIC stress," Joon-woo's ability to communicate with birds opens up new possibilities for connection and expanding his world. The author's curiosity and imagination lead to questions about whether it's difficult and unpleasant to learn the language of animals like birds.

The story, filled with suspense reminiscent of a detective novel, presents a unique perspective on respecting foreign languages, even those spoken by animals. Read "A Happy Life with Foreign Languages" to discover why you may want to learn the language of pets, fish, insects, and more. This 15th annual Vanjusos Literature Award-winning tale is truly captivating.