Our university also has foreign exchange students from diverse countries from all over the world as well. They are especially more visible in native language classes. This is why Sookmyung News met the foreign exchange students to relieve the curiosity of Sookmyungians. Sato Yumi is from Japan, Afzaly Farishta is from Bangladesh, and Nicoletti Filippo is from Italy. Although they have different nationalities, we took a closer look at how they came together under the name of Sookmyung.

 

The first foreign exchange student we met was Sato Yumi from Japan. We’ve learned that she is a competent Korean speaker who majored in Korean at a foreign language university in Japan and taking Korean classes at our school. The following is an interview with Sato Yumi.

 

 

 

- It’s nice to meet you. Please tell us about yourself.

 

Hello. My name is Sato Yumi. I’m from Japan and I am 23 years old (born in 95). I am currently a foreign exchange student at the Division of Korean Language & Literature at Sookmyung University.

 

- Why did you decide to come to Korea as an exchange student?

 

I majored in Korean at my university in Japan as well. I have studied Korean for about 3 years. I think I came to Korea because of my great interest in Korea. I chose to come here to more closely learn Korean history and the differences from Japan. While I was searching for Korean schools, I was impressed by the diverse departments of Sookmyung University.

 

- Is there a class that is especially memorable at our university?

 

Classes that gave me deeper understanding about Korea were memorable such as Korean classes for foreigners, modern and contemporary history of Korea, and Korea-Japan relationship. I think I was able to learn things such as Korean history and culture that are different from Japan more easily through these classes.

 

- Did you experience any difficulties or surprises while taking classes with Korean students?

 

I was really surprised because the students spoke English so well. Fortunately, I was somewhat comfortable listening to lectures and speaking to students in English because I lived in the U.S. when I was young.

 

- Is this your first visit to Korea?

 

No. This is my fourth visit. First three visits were trips and the recent visit was as an exchange student in Korea. I also have the experience of studying at a language school.

 

- Can you tell us about your future plans?

 

I am participating in a Korea-Japan relationship internship right now. Because I have a lot of interest in Korea-Japan relationship, I am thinking about jobs that contribute to the exchange relationship of Korea and Japan. Also, I am participating in volunteer activities in Asian countries such as India and Malaysia through the international NGO. And I want to participate in more various volunteer activities in the future.

 

- Is there anything you want to do during your remaining stay in Korea?

 

I want to taste more diverse foods in Korea and also meet more friends!

 

  

 

The second exchange student we met was Afzaly Farishta from Bangladesh. Currently, she is engaging a wide range of studies such as philosophy, political science & international relations, and economics. And she is a passionate student who has a lot of interest in women’s rights. The following is an interview with her.

 

- Please tell us about yourself.

 

Hello. I am Afzaly Farishta from Afghanistan. Although my nationality is Afghanistan, I have been studying philosophy, political science & international relations, and economics at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh.

 

- Why did you decide to come to Korea as an exchange student? And is there a reason why you chose to come to Sookmyung Women’s University?

 

The Asian University for Women which I am attending entered into a partnership with Sookmyung Women’s University. I was also attracted by the energetic aspects of Korea. Actually, becoming an exchange student was very exciting in itself.

 

- What was the most memorable class that you took this semester? And did you have any difficulty in keeping up with the class?

 

I took a total of 5 classes this semester. I didn’t have too much difficulty because the classes were in my native language, and there were rather a lot of benefits. All the courses were impressive and the professors were all great. The global media class was especially memorable because the opportunity to listen to the opinions of exchange students from all over the world was very beneficial. The classes in discussion format advanced my thinking and I was able to gather a variety of opinions. Of course, the contents of the lessons were very good as well.

 

- What is your impression about the Korean culture?

 

I like the services in Korea. The country is clean, has developed public transportation system, and the people are friendly and kind. I also enjoyed various Korean traditional cultures and the Hanbok Festival was the most impressive. I really love Korean food such as bibimbap and I am interested in Korea’s traditional beauty, history, and values as well. I personally hope Korea can preserve Korea’s unique culture in the future.

 

- Can you tell us about an especially memorable moment during your stay in Korea?

 

I traveled a lot. I became close with foreign exchange students at Sookmyung Women’s University and we always traveled together. We took trips to diverse regions such as Iksan and Jejudo. The nature and the oceans were very beautiful. We also really enjoyed many types of festivals such as flower and food festivals, and we visited the Namsan Tower as well.

 

- What are some differences between Bangladesh and Korea? Tell us both the educational and cultural differences.

 

There are a lot of differences between the two countries. First, I think the religious aspect is the most noticeable difference. Also, there is a big difference in terms of women’s rights. Unlike Korea, stereotypes related to freedom of women are deeply ingrained in Bangladesh. I feel that advancement of women’s rights in Bangladesh is currently very inadequate. Another thing that surprised me when I got here is the advanced public order. I really envy the fact that people are free to roam about until dawn without much danger. I think this is also a big difference in comparison to Bangladesh.

 

- What are some activities you have participated in Korea?

 

I participated in an internship program and various forums, but I have to say the Seoul Conference Forum was the most memorable. I was able to talk to students from diverse countries at the forum which was conducted over 4 days. I was actually a little worried at first because I went alone. But, I was very glad to have participated in the end. It was a very satisfying experience. I made a lot of good friends and I learned a lot about myself as well.

 

- We are curious about your ultimate dream or future plans.

 

First, I am thankful that I am able to come to Korea as an exchange student. I think I’ll be able to grow more and acquire more abilities through this opportunity. I plan to study about women’s studies in the future. I really want to utilize my skills and knowledge to improve women’s environment as much as possible. I wish that women can equally study and enjoy other basic rights.

 

- Lastly, do you have anything to say to the Sookmyungians?

 

I was really happy during my stay here. I want to thank the Sookmyung friends for inviting me to parties and taking me to the market. All the professors were nice and helped me to develop my critical thinking skill. Thank you. One thing I would like to ask of Sookmyungians is to have more confidence. Most of them seemed too shy. I hope they can become more confident. I think I am going to miss the loving atmosphere of Sookmyung when I leave.

 

 

The last exchange student we met is Nicoletti Filippo from Italy. Although it isn’t easy for a male foreign student to take classes at a women’s university, he adapted well and was fully enjoying the Korean culture. The following is the interview with Nicoletti Filippo.

 

- It’s nice to meet you. Please tell us about yourself.

 

Hello. My name is Nicoletti Filippo. I’m 21 years old and I’m from Italy. I am attending the John Cabot University in the U.S. and majoring in international relations. Currently, I am an exchange student at the Sookmyung Women’s University. Unfortunately, I will be returning back to my home country.

 

- Why did you decide to come to Korea as an exchange student?

 

It’s quite a long story actually. Because I had so much interest in Asia, I studied Japanese for 6 years and Chinese for 1 year. Honestly, I wanted to go to Japan as an exchange student, but unfortunately there weren’t any schools that had exchange programs with my school in Japan. That’s why I chose Korea. Although there were available schools other than Sookmyung Women’s University, I decided on this school after talking to a friend who had participated in an exchange program in Korea. I am very satisfied now. There were a lot of good programs and I was able to make a lot of great friends.

 

- How many classes did you take this semester? And which class was the most memorable?

 

I took a total of 5 courses this semester. I took an economics class because of my minor and took a Korean class because I’ve never learned Korean before. I also took a Shakespeare class as a part of English literature course. Among them, the “modern Korean history” class was the most memorable to me. I’ve never learned about Korea before and I am very happy that I got the chance to learn about Korean history and culture through this opportunity.

 

- Did you have any difficulties in taking the classes?

 

Not really. All the classes were in English and I think listening to the lectures in English at my university in the U.S. helped a lot.

 

- Are there any differences between Italian and Korean universities?

 

Actually, I’ve never attended an Italian university. So, I guess I can talk about an American university instead. Unlike the Korean universities that have fixed exam dates, we can choose the date we want to take the exams in the U.S. And re-examinations are also available. But, it isn’t an exam system that I especially like. Oh, exams that enable interaction with professors are preferred in Italy, but it is also a system that I don’t prefer.

 

- I’m sure there were some cultural differences between Korea and Italy. Was this the case for you?

 

Yes, there were so many differences. For example, taking off my shoes when entering a room was very shocking. When I asked a friend, he told me it was a form of etiquette and to keep clean. I found the subway lines and accurate estimated time of arrival very convenient. Unlike what most people think, the transportation in Italy is very congested. Also, 24-hour convenient stores were very nice. I felt it was a very convenient service because I can use it at any time. I think I’m really going to miss it when I go back to Italy.

 

- Can you tell us about any special episodes you’ve experienced during your stay in Korea?

 

Above all, I am very thankful for all the opportunities of cultural experiences that were provided by the Sookmyung Women’s University. Once, I was able to wear hanbok and walk around like a king. I also visited the Raccoon Cafe twice and I was so happy to see the cute raccoons. Oh, and I also took a trip to Jejudo recently.

 

- Did you experience any difficulties in Korea?

 

I think doing things alone in an unfamiliar place was the most difficult aspect. There were difficulties such as making a student ID, using a Korean website, and paying entrance fee when I visit some place, but I am glad I was able to do them all eventually. The food was spicier than I had imagined, but I learned to like it a lot.

 

- Can you tell us about your future plans?

 

First, I’m going back to Italy and will be returning to my former university. There is a place where I can continue to learn Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture, and I plan to study more about Korean and Korean culture there. I haven’t thought about what I’ll be doing after graduation in detail yet. I have things only planned, but I haven’t thought about things that I am certain on.

 

- What would you like to say to the Sookmyungians?

 

First, I think I received a lot of help in Korea through URI such as buying things I need for the dormitory and chances to participate in Korean culture. I am very grateful and I would also like to thank the professors. I had difficulty speaking up in class because of my shy personality, but taking the classes boosted my confidence as well as my logical thinking and critical thinking skills. I am very grateful that I got to experience so many things thanks to Sookmyung Women’s University. I always felt like I was in a garden when I sat under a tree, and I think I’m really going to miss the unique library as well.