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Experiences 경험담 gyeongheomdam
Here's what students had to say about their experiences at Auburn University.
Young hun
Young hun is working on his Master’s in mechanical engineering. Auburn was he only option for studying abroad. He has been in Auburn for a year and feels like he is living the country life. South Korea is a small country so he is used to being able to go anywhere in a short distance so Auburn feels familiar in that way. Transportation is totally different for him. Korea has comfortable transportation like a bus whereas in Auburn most people have their own car.
He usually doesn’t come home until nighttime because he stays on campus for long hours. He said that we he gets home he collapses and says “Today is finally over.” While he has long days sometimes he feels bored because there are few places that he goes besides school or home. He always feels welcome in America and thinks people are very kind and nice to him. He hasn’t joined any clubs yet because he has been so busy but he is definitely interesting in joining one and even helping tutor students with their Korean.
He plays soccer at the Rec center every week and has met many people from different majors there and at the Korean center. He is pretty shy around new people so he likes it when they approach him first. He says that it also has to do with cultural differences and that Americans are more extroverted than South Koreans. He said that he would like to experience all the various environments Auburn has. He thinks that Auburn is a great university and has many companies around that are good for future jobs. He said that his parents are very proud of him because studying abroad is hard to do in South Korea.
Daniel
He moved to Alabama from South Korea when he was in elementary school. His family was one of the only Asian families in his town so it was hard having to adjust. School wasn’t easy for him because he had to learn English and since he was Asian he was seen as different to all the other kids. He said that he still gets looks from people sometimes just because he is Asian. This is why people need to be educated on other cultures because he is a very kind and well-mannered person who doesn’t deserve that.
He said that as kids Asians are taught how to respect others and have good behavior. That doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to be goofy and act like every other young adult. He likes photography, kids, and calm music and even some kpop. He is going back to South Korea by himself for the summer for what he calls a “photography vacation”. He is very friendly and considers himself an extrovert which he thinks is out of character for the stereotypes that claim otherwise. He actually went to the kpop party and decided to join the KLC because of it. He was surprised that so many non-Korean students knew about kpop and were interested in the Korean culture.
Bill
Bill says that his experience at Auburn has been good so far and he has been getting familiar with new school, housing, and environment. He has made friends who are super nice and helpful. He has got involved with some events like the International Buddy Program’s formal, retreat programs, and events at church. He likes American food because he never ate it much back home and he likes that he can take it to class with him. He says that he used to pay for most of his food with cash back home so now having a card is a lot easier. He has allergies and says that the air is cleaner here so he doesn’t have to worry about getting sick as much. The streets here are bigger and not as busy which makes getting around easier.
He feels very comfortable and at peace living here. When comparing his schooling and here he says the biggest difference is the learning method. Back home students have less opportunity to participate in class activities and form their own opinions or ask questions. Most students won’t ask the teacher questions because asking the teacher to explain something again is like implying that the teacher has failed to get the information across and it’s seen as disrespectful. Bill says that in the U.S. students have to form their own ideas and are able to actively learn and research to gain knowledge that isn’t provided in class. The main purpose of the method is to teach students to challenge themselves.
He thinks that people at Auburn are friendly and he has joined activities for global students to get to know new people. He was definitely excited to make American friends and likes that we are more extroverted. He decided to come to Auburn because one of his friends in a recruiter who introduced him to the university. He researched Auburn’s background and found that it matched his education requirements and personal interests. He thinks Auburn is a small town that’s not too busy and that makes an ideal place for him study. His parents supported his decision to study abroad because they know it is good for him to study in the U.S. where he can have access to the latest technology, meet new people, and learn a new culture.
Autumn
Autumn is a student who recently graduated with a Literature degree. She works on campus and heard about the KLC and wanted to join. She wanted to learn more about Korean culture and language and meet global students to make new friends. One of her friends introduced her to kpop and Korean dramas and that got her curious about all things Korean. She ended up taking a Korean language class so that she could better communicate with the Korean students on campus. She has met many Korean students through joining the club and considers them to be super nice and add diversity to campus which gives more opportunity to learn about the culture from them personally.