What do you tell people who have just arrived in Korea?

Another university semester begins amidst the pouring rain and scorching heat of a Korean summer that refuses to give way to autumn. Thousands of international students have made their way here: some coming with long-held dreams of studying in the land they grew up watching in K-dramas and music videos; others simply taking the opportunity to come to the other side of the world and try something new. They come from Vietnam, Mexico, France, the United States, China, Taiwan, Germany, and, recently, more and more from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. This last group of students often have Kim as their surname and striking Korean features yet bring a distinctly different energy shaped by their post-Soviet upbringing. I teach Korean Studies and have 9 (nine!) different lectures across two universities again this semester, so I encounter hundreds of these students every day. I try to listen to their stories, learn their interests, and get a feel for where the culture is. I’m also curious as to how people see Korea after only being here for a week. Of course the answers varyWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times