About 1 and a half years ago, I participated in an English Speech Contest for high school students.
Because I wasn't as good as current me at English, I wrote it in Korean then my teacher prof. hahn translated it for me.
I still recall how hard time I had for memorising it. ^^;;

My dream

Hi. Everyone!
I came out here to introduce my dream to you.
My name is Lee Hajin.
I'm a high school girl and a professional Baduk player.

I was introduced to Baduk for the first time when I was six. Baduk was very interesting to me and I started to learn to play Baduk then. Baduk is a profound and mysterious world and a fantasy for me. Baduk searches the infinite variations on the board of 361 intersections.

Although Baduk has been considered difficult in some ways, when good players find the solutions like a magic, it makes me fully obsessed with the game. Baduk also taught me a charm of victory through the subtle psychological war against my opponent and always thrills me even though I am pressured by enormous tension. Baduk has an invisible deeper inner world.

However, Baduk is not always a fun. No matter how many times I listened to explanations, sometimes the concept is still vague to me. Due to its special quality of being changeable with the different situations, it is no use to simply memorize a certain situational sequence. It is frustrating sometimes, but I've never thought of giving up Baduk from my life. Because Baduk has already become a part of my life.

I have conceived an idea of becoming a professional Baduk player because I simply liked the game. I just enjoy playing Baduk and winning the game one at a time. At that point, I was ready to abandon everything for becoming a professional player.

Therefore, I left my family, friends and all the interesting life behind in Daejeon. I moved to Seoul and fully concentrated on studying Baduk to become a professional player. I was determined to make my dream come true. It is very difficult to become a professional player, I thought I would be the happiest girl if I could get through the tunnel of being a professional player.

I will never forget the date of the 11th, November 2004. I became a professional player on this day. Many thoughts came on my mind when I won the decisive game and become a professional player. I missed my family and I wanted to do many things that have been abandoned during my Baduk study. I was overwhelmed and I thought I have achieved my goal and it is the end of everything. I was on the top of the world. I thought this is what people say is 'total happiness'.

But this feeling didn't last long. There was a strange emptiness in my mind along with the self-satisfaction. I was fully motivated to work hard when I had a goal. But when I made it, at the same time, I lost the goal and everything became meaningless. Then I suddenly realized that it is meaningless living without a dream. I found my dream has to change as I become changed.

I realized that I need a new dream and soon I found it. It is to become the strongest player in Korea and the world. The level of professional players was different from what I used to deal with. They were more elaborate and accurate. A small mistake makes one a loser. I found myself deficient and poor among top players and it made me frustrated. The world of victory or defeat is cold and shrewd. I suffered a lot from being defeated. I had to calm down and control myself from despair and disappointment.

However, I don't have any intention of surrendering. On the contrary, I think the real show starts from now on. My Baduk is still improving. As a tree grows, I'll grow towards the better moves. I'm moving on to the top female player in the world and I'm determined to make my new dream come true. On the day I stand on the top, my dream will again aim higher.

Thank you.