Hello, L.L.F. readers! I come back bringing a new interview. This time I interviewed a foreign student. Did you notice nowadays that more foreign students are walking around Daegu University campus with us compared to last year? I noticed that from this term I could see them easily in and around my dormitory, Sinae 5. It is because Daegu University has been running the Korean language classes with the Korean Education Office since this year. Haven't you wondered about a foreign student's story? Ok, now let's listen to one of their stories.

 

Hye-rim: Hello! Nice to meet you.

Wang wei-wha: Hello! Nice to meet you, too.

 

Hye-rim: First, introduce yourself please.

Miss. Wang: Hello! My name is 'Wang Wei-wha'. I am Taiwanese.

 

Hye-rim: Do you attend Daegu University on an exchange scholarship? What is your major?

Miss. Wang: No, I am not an exchange student. I already graduated from a university in Taiwan. I am here to study Korean language for 1 year. My major is 'Speech Communication'. As far as I know, this major does not exist in Korea.

 

Hye-rim: What made you so interested in learning the Korean language?

Miss. Wang: I like to listen to K-pop music, so I started to study Korean language by myself in Taiwan.

Nowadays, a lot of people in Taiwan not only like K-pop, but also Korean dramas and entertainment shows such as 'Running Man'. Therefore, there are many people who study and try to learn the Korean language in Taiwan.

 

Hye-rim: Is it the first time you have visited Korea?

Miss. Wang: No. I visited Korea 2 years ago for the first time, when I was an exchange student for one semester at Sungkyunkwan University.

 

Hye-rim: How did you come to Daegu University in Korea?

Miss. Wang: As you know, the Taiwanese Education Office set up a sisterhood relationship with the Korean Education Office. The Taiwanese Education Office recruits students who want to study Korean language in Korea every year. I applied to this project through my university in Taiwan. I took a test and had an interview at the Taiwanese Education Office. I was selected and assigned to Daegu University according to my scores.

 

Hye-rim: Where do you take your Korean language classes in Daegu University? How long do you take your Korean language classes?

Miss. Wang: I take the Korean language classes in Art and Design Building 5. The Korean language classes start at 9a.m and finish at 1p.m. From 1p.m, the students who learn the Korean language don't have any classes so we enjoy our free time.

 

Hye-rim: Where are your classmates from?

Miss. Wang: They are from Australia, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Finland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Uzbekistan, Romania and so on. They are all here to learn the Korean language.

 

Hye-rim: What do you usually do in your free time?

Miss. Wang: I usually study Korean or stay in my dormitory room. Sometimes I go to the guitar club, CML on campus. I tend to do my own thing.

 

Hye-rim: Which dormitory do you live in at Daegu University?

Miss. Wang: I live in International Dormitory 2. International Dormitory 1 is mostly used by overseas students and foreign professors. And International Dormitory 2 is used by overseas students, research assistants, and graduate students.

Rooms in the International Dormitory 2 for students are shared. There is one bathroom is in each room as well as a washing machine, but in each room but it does not have a desk. When I study in my room, it is inconvenient.

 

Hye-rim: Which facility in the dormitory inconveniences you the most?

Miss. Wang: The kitchen. The International Dormitory 2 students rooms do not have any kitchen for common use. In fact, in each room we have a kitchen but we can not use a fire. This means we can't cook any food. I heard that the International Dormitory 1 has a kitchen for common use, but it is very dirty so no one uses it. The foreign students want to cook and eat their country's food, but we can not because of the kitchen problem.

 

Hye-rim: What is your favorite Korean food?

Miss. Wang: I like 'Korean Sausage Rice Soup' and 'Pork and Rice Soup' the most. In Taiwan there is something similar looking but the taste is very different.

 

Hye-rim: Do you know about the 'Buddy-Buddy' program in Daegu University?

Miss. Wang: Yes, I know about that program. I applied for it but I failed.

 

Hye-rim: Huh? Don't all foreign students participate in the program?

Miss. Wang: No. The foreign students who want to participate have to apply to that program, and they have to be chosen. Not everyone can participate in that program.

When I was at Sungkyunkwan University, it had a similar program. The difference is in Sungkyunkwan University all of the foreign students have a Korean buddy. Sungkyunkwan University matched three or four foreign students per one Korean student.

I think this 'Buddy-Buddy' program in Daegu University is good because from the foreign students' angle, we can practice the Korean language, experience many Korean cultures, and know lots of information about the university. From the Korean students' angle, they can practice English or their buddy's native language. Unfortunately I feel the limitation of foreign students participating is a pity, so I hope that this point can be improved in the future.

 

Hye-rim: Which do you like better, being at Sungkyunkwan University or Daegu University?

Miss. Wang: Being at Sungkyunkwan University is better because the facilities in the dormitory at Sungkyunkwan University are better than Daegu University's. Transportation is also more convenient around Sungkyunkwan University compared to Daegu University. The teachers who teach Korean language in Sungkyunkwan University know more interesting programs, so we could learn Korean language via many different kinds of ways.

However, Daegu University has some advantages. Daegu University has fresh air and beautiful sights, and it is closer to Busan and Jeonju, so that is good.

 

Hye-rim: Do you receive any scholarship from Daegu University?

Miss. Wang: No I haven't received a scholarship from Daegu University, but I received a scholarship from KGSP. It pays a tuition fee and a dormitory fee. I also receive living expenses.

 

Hye-rim: Is the living expenses which you receive from KGSP enough to live in Korea?

Miss. Wang: No, it is not enough to live in Korea. In Korea, the food costs at student restaurants on campus are expensive. For example, how much money you spend at most to eat lunch at a Daegu University student restaurant? Maybe between 3,000won to 3,500won, but at least 2,800won, right? In Taiwan, we can eat lunch barely spending 1,800won at a student restaurant.

 

Hye-rim: A lot of Korean people nowadays often travel abroad to Taiwan. Which area in Taiwan do you recommend to Korean travelers as a native Taiwanese?

Miss. Wang: I want to recommend the eastern area of Taiwan. The eastern area has poor transportation service so many travelers tend to avoid traveling in this area, but it also has a lot of places of scenic beauty. It has very fresh air like Daegu University. If you have a chance to go to Taiwan, visiting the eastern area would be a wonderful experience.

 

Hye-rim: What would you like to be doing or be after you go back to Taiwan?

Miss. Wang: Umm.... I would just like to work while using the Korean language.

 

Hye-rim: Thank you Miss. Wang.

Miss. Wang: You're welcome.

 

  Did you enjoy this interview? I was interested while interviewing her because I discovered many new things about the International Dormitory and our 'Buddy-Buddy' program. I hope that you can find a lot of new information by reading this article like me.

 

  Though I interviewed her using the Korean language, she understood it very well. Her Korean pronunciation was nearly perfect. I felt comfortable, as if I was talking with my Korean friend. Thank you so much Miss. Wang for taking the time to do the interview. When I interviewed her, L.L.F reporter Yu-gyeong Cheon helped me write the interview questions and Miss. Wang's answers. Thank you, Yu-gyeong.

 

  When you want to share something with L.L.F readers or L.L.F reporters please contact this address(akshshsh3@naver.com). See you next time.

 

L.L.F reporter Hye-Rim Lee

 

이혜림  akshshsh3@naver.com