[ Kookmin Review - Monday, March 19, 2012 ]
What Korea Has Showed Me
- 12.03.27 / 이영선
Our experiences bring us happiness, laughter, joy or regrets and at the same time shape our views of the world. These experiences help us to gain insights and become better people. When I look back on my experiences, I remember many of them with laughter and joy. I love to share my experiences with people as these stories often cheer them up and have a good laugh together. So, here goes my story:
As a newcomer to Korea, I was very excited and everything was appealing. I had the feeling to go out and explore this new world where I would be staying for the next few years. With the same enthusiasm, I wanted to walk around the campus of Kookmin University. This was my second day in Korea and I just wanted to be on my own, trying new things and getting to know the places. After I got out of the dormitory, I walked towards the main gate. I wanted to go to the mountain behind the campus where I can see the whole campus. On my way, I met three Korean girls who came up to me and started speaking in Korean. First, I didn’t know how to respond, and I thought it would be rude to interrupt them as well. It took about three minutes until they finally stopped and waited for my response. Not knowing what to say at first, “I don’t know Korean” rushed through my mind as they kept staring at me. As I finally let out these words, they said, “Where are you from? You look Korean.”
“I am from Kyrgyzstan,” I told them as they looked at me surprised.
After a few seconds, one of the girls says: “Where?”
“Kyrgyzstan! It’s next to Kazakhstan.”
Few seconds later, one of the girls nodded and shouted “Oh, I know where that is. It is in Europe!”
Astonished, I tried to explain where my country was, but they kept talking in Korean on their own and nodding at me as they spoke to each other. After that, they left with smiles.
As I watched those three girls faded away and walked towards the huge building, I was thinking about the encounter and began to laugh on my own. Since then, every time someone asks me where I am from, I take out my phone and show my country on the map. That little experience taught me to never assume people know what you know.
Bermet Kanybekova(Sophomore, KMU International School)
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[ Kookmin Review - Monday, March 19, 2012 ] What Korea Has Showed Me |
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Our experiences bring us happiness, laughter, joy or regrets and at the same time shape our views of the world. These experiences help us to gain insights and become better people. When I look back on my experiences, I remember many of them with laughter and joy. I love to share my experiences with people as these stories often cheer them up and have a good laugh together. So, here goes my story: As a newcomer to Korea, I was very excited and everything was appealing. I had the feeling to go out and explore this new world where I would be staying for the next few years. With the same enthusiasm, I wanted to walk around the campus of Kookmin University. This was my second day in Korea and I just wanted to be on my own, trying new things and getting to know the places. After I got out of the dormitory, I walked towards the main gate. I wanted to go to the mountain behind the campus where I can see the whole campus. On my way, I met three Korean girls who came up to me and started speaking in Korean. First, I didn’t know how to respond, and I thought it would be rude to interrupt them as well. It took about three minutes until they finally stopped and waited for my response. Not knowing what to say at first, “I don’t know Korean” rushed through my mind as they kept staring at me. As I finally let out these words, they said, “Where are you from? You look Korean.” “I am from Kyrgyzstan,” I told them as they looked at me surprised. After a few seconds, one of the girls says: “Where?” “Kyrgyzstan! It’s next to Kazakhstan.” Few seconds later, one of the girls nodded and shouted “Oh, I know where that is. It is in Europe!” Astonished, I tried to explain where my country was, but they kept talking in Korean on their own and nodding at me as they spoke to each other. After that, they left with smiles. As I watched those three girls faded away and walked towards the huge building, I was thinking about the encounter and began to laugh on my own. Since then, every time someone asks me where I am from, I take out my phone and show my country on the map. That little experience taught me to never assume people know what you know. Bermet Kanybekova(Sophomore, KMU International School) |
