THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT………..Some people will go to great lengths quite literally to achieve their goals and nineteen year old, British resident, Rhiannon Brooksbank-Jones is a prime example.
Though she has never visited Korea, she began studying the language, became quite enamored, but found she could not pronounce certain parts of the Korean alphabet. Her dentist suggested that it might be due to having a slightly shorter than average tongue caused by a condition of having a thick flap of skin from underneath the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
After family consideration, Rhiannon decided to undergo an operation to correct the condition even though it had never been a problem in her life or language before. The resulting bottom line is that now her tongue, 1 centimer longer allows her to say words she previously could not.
Now, she no longer has trouble with the Korean letter “L” and can speak with a native Korean accent. An admitted perfectionist, Rhiannon says there was no other option for her – she needed to speak the language perfectly.
It appears Rhiannon may be obsessed with all things Korean – she is currently awaiting her A-level results, and hoping to study Korean Studies and Business Management at the University of Sheffield. The four-year course includes a year at Yonsei University in the South Korean capital, Seoul. She also hopes to live and work one day in Korea.
Apparently, Rhiannon became interested in the Asian nation’s culture through a friend at school. “‘She was into Korean pop and television programmes, which I would listen to and watch at her house. ‘Most of my free time was soon taken up with Korean things. Now I visit a Korean Church in Nottingham, where I do bible readings in Korean, and can’t wait to visit the country itself. ‘Korean people can be quite reserved at first, but once you get to know them, they are very warmhearted.”
Good luck Rhiannon!! What’s next on your to do list – having your limbs altered to climb like monkeys??!!
