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What makes Korea beautiful …

Yeungnam University — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:13:43 +0000

My thoughts on the Chunma International Studies Program
By Xuan Pham, University of Nebraska, Omaha

This is the start of my third week in Korea and I am having a wonderful time. All of the people I have met have been more than kind. They have made me feel so at home and loved. I want to thank everyone in this program because they really have been my family during this stay.

I feel so blessed to have this chance to come here and meet great people. The lifestyle and food of Korea are awesome! I learnt so much about the culture and language just by going out and hanging with friends. I can say that drinking here is taken very seriously. I was never an alcoholic until now! I love all the activities that we do, even the lack of sleep … I love it all!!

This experience has been so amazing. I’m so grateful to be here and to have such great mentors and friends. I think everyone needs to experience something like this. It is life changing in so many ways. What makes Korea beautiful is the balance between the old and the new.

HOMESTAY EXPERIENCE FOR CISS STUDENTS

Yeungnam University — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:56:01 +0000

Andrew Taylor, University of Nebraska, Omaha

Homestay. This word and event creates many emotions and thoughts when it comes to mind. What will the family do? What will they think? Am I doing this right? These are just a sample of the thoughts that ran through my head during my homestay experience. These were the things I was afraid of and most nervous about when meeting my homestay family. And they were the thoughts that, eventually, I had no need to fear or be nervous about.

My homestay family consisted of a father, a mother, a daughter, and a son. Upon entering the house, I was greeted by the mother, who was the sweetest older Korean woman I have met. She tried her best to make me comfortable and even provided me with some comfort foods from America. The next day, I met the father of the family. He loves to play golf and plays golf quite often. On the final day of the trip, the family treated me to many different treats and even a public bath experience!

Lee Hyun Seok, Yeungnam University

As a medical student, I don’t get much chance to study or experience diverse things. Usually I just go backpacking during the vacation, for example, Africa, Middle East, Himalayas, but this summer, my holiday is only 4 weeks. I couldn’t plan any other travel activity. And then I found the Global Economic Issues class and other activities in the International Summer School.

At the first meeting for the homestay program, I was a bit worried because, to be honest, I had a little prejudice against Americans from experiences I had in other places. However, the people I met on this program were – are – so generous and humorous.

During my homestay, Andrew Taylor appeared very excited, regardless of what he really felt. We went to the Public Bath on our last day and all the Korean guys looked at him with a weird view. That was very funny to me but I hope Andrew wasn’t embarrassed!

Jay Jung, Yeungnam University

I really enjoyed the homestay program. It was very nice to invite an overseas friend to my home. Before going to my house, my American friend and I first went downtown together with other homestay members. It was really fun because there were lots and lots of people.

Staying in my home and hanging around with my family was a lovely experience.

Vic Chan, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology:

During the first two weeks of my stay in Daegu and YU, many functions were arranged for us by the international school and the international office. One was the Korean homestay. It was a very special function. I lived in the traditional Korean family for one weekend.

My honestay buddy’s name is Kwak. He is studying Chemical Engineering in YU. He picked me up with his own car. I was nervous when I met his father and mother. Kwak’s mother is nice. She cooked many traditional food and played some traditional games with me at night. Although Kwak’s father didn’t talk to me very much, he was kind. I think that is the culture in Korea.

It was my first time to stay in a Korean home. Korean housing is larger than Hong Kong’s. It is very comfortable and relaxing.

I love this program. We do many cultural things and I really like the GEI course. It is because I can know more international news and listen to different people’s ideas in group discussions that are arranged by our nice teacher, Wendy. Nice!!!

A few thoughts on globalization

Yeungnam University — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:39:11 +0000

CISS GLOBAL ECONOMIC ISSUES – CLASS BLOG

How is globalization beneficial?

Jay Jung, Yeungnam University:
Globalization gives a lot of beneficial things to modern people. It has made our lives wealthier and more comfortable. For example, we can do lots of things by the internet these days. The internet is the symbol of globalization. We can order products from other countries without physically visiting them, and we can read and hear the whole world’s news any time we want. In case of travelling, we can go to other countries very easily and very fast – better than it used to be. We can also run companies and factories more efficiently because of globalization. How? We can use cheaper labor, like in China; cheaper resources from Africa; and high tech products from the US. All these things make companies more competitive.

Andrew Taylor, University of Nebraska, Omaha:
Globalization is beneficial because it allows governments and companies the ability to move their products around the globe. It also promotes the movement of information around the globe through the media and the internet. Groups of people can meet and exchange ideas with anyone regardless of distance. The exchange of information is one of the most important things than makes globalization beneficial. The ability to exchange information easily has contributions and consequences in trade, diplomacy, and even in the every day life of the modern man and woman.

Ashley Goff, Old Dominion University:
Globalization allows countries to trade more quickly and more easily, as well as expanding culture in general. It has helped promote travel and the building of economies through international trade. It has also helped speed the process of developing technology with the sharing of information. Additionally, it allows for countries to concentrate on developing what they are best at, whether that be cars, technology or food stuffs.

Vic Chan, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology:
Because of globalization, there are many different products from different countries traded around the world. People can enjoy this. It means that their quality of life has increased. Also, people can get different information from other parts of the world quickly, which helps to broaden their horizon. In business, there are many business opportunities. It is helpful for the country development. The government’s income will be increased by the exports, taxes, and trade agreements with other countries. In culture and art, new culture and are created. Designers have access to more ideas and inspiration because of globalization.

Why do some people view globalization with hostility and fear?

Heeya Son, Yeungnam University:
The thing some people are concerned about is that all the world could be subordinated by big powerful western countries. For some countries, they are not competitive enough to come over this big flow of globalization which is controlled by big companies from developed countries. It means that the rich countries get richer and the poor countries get poorer. As the interdependence between the world nations become stronger, there could be a greater ripple effect of economic problems. The Global Crisis in 2008 is a good example of that.

Chris Ho, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology:
Some people believe that globalization brings everyone in the world into a global-scale competition. In terms of business, buyers will choose the goods at lower costs but same quality. There will be no more boundaries between nations. When it comes to such global-scale competition, people with less advantages will be knocked out, especially the people working in the agricultural business in developing countries. These can result in the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer.

Welcome to Global Economic Issues

Yeungnam University — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:08:24 +0000

June 28 to July 23rd Sees YU’s first Chunma International Summer School.
Let’s meet the students of Wendy’s GLOBAL ECONOMIC ISSUES class.

Andrew – US

I am Andrew Taylor. I am 21 years old (Korean age, 23) and a senior at the University of Nebraska – Omaha. My major is Economics and it is a subject which I enjoy quite a bit. I really enjoy helping people and making them smile. In the future, I would like to live somewhere that is comfortable and run my own coffee shop where I can talk economics and football (soccer), my real passion. Go Liverpool FC! “You’ll Never Walk Alone!”

Ashley – US

My name is Ashley Goff. I am a 19 year old senior who is still figuring out my thoughts, hopes and dreams. I was home schooled from 2nd grade all the way through high school. My father is in the American Navy and so I have lived in many different states, as well as in Italy. I have visited the majority of western European countries but I was very young so, unfortunately, I do not remember much of it. I am currently an Economics student in Old Dominion University. I love learning but soon I will have to grow up and live my life making decisions about my life and future.

Chris - Hong Kong

Hi, this is Chris, Ho Chi Yui, a Hong Kong student studying Mechanical Engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. How does an engineering student get interested in economic issues? The key is to relate them to your daily life. If something has effects on you, it matters. This is how I feel about this class. I enjoy the time when people talk to each other, exchanging information. I think it is the best way of learning and I know I will learn a lot from this course. Also, being an exchange student, what I like the most is the chance to have many cultural experiences. Nice!

Heeya – Korea

Hi, I’m Son Yeon Hee. My friends call me Heeya. I’m an International Trade major at Yeugnam University. I am so glad I got the chance to take this wonderful class with Wendy. Not only from our professor but from my new friends I am learning many different points of view. I can see first hand what “global” means and have realized that I am in the flow of “globalization” here at Yeungnam University.

Hye Jin – Korea

Hi. I’m Lee Hye Jin and I am majoring in International Economics and Business at Yeungnam University. This is such a great program for me to understand what globalization really is and how it works. It is really good to listen to other people’s opinions on various topics. American students, Hong Kong students, Korean students - totally different opinions on many topics from what I expected to hear! It is really interesting and helps me broaden my view.

Hyun Seok – Korea

My name is Lee Hyun Seok. My friends in this class call me Dr Lee because I’m in medical school. However, my real dream is to be an author. Which is why I really like to travel the world and meet strangers. Also, I’m fond of medicine which can help people physically. Money talks everywhere but I don’t care about making money with medical skill. I just want to be a vagabond who has a pen and paper in one hand and a medical pack in the other.

Jay – Korea

Hello, my name is Jay Jung. I’m a second year Management student at Yeungnam University. When I was young, I went to New Zealand for one year. I love hanging out with others, especially people from overseas. I love listening to them talk about their culture, life. I really love this program. I can feel my English is getting better day by day. Every day I spend my whole day with my foreign friends. It’s like traveling! I am really happy and I can feel my thinking is getting bigger. I used to just want to be a company man but now I want to be someone, a global person.

Je Min – Korea

Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Park Je Min and I attend Yeungnam University. My majors are Law and English Translation. I want to work in an international field someday, and to protect the rights of the weak. My hobbies are singing, and playing the piano. This economic issues class is great. I can meet international friends and hear their perspective on global issues. I think it is a win-win system for both foreign and Korean students. I am also surprised how many things foreign our students know about Korea! I’m getting more patriotic!

Josh – US

My name is Josh Campbell and I’m a 22 year old student from Yeungnam University’s new exchange partner, the University of Nebraska, Omaha. I am pursuing an undergraduate degree, majoring in International Studies (East Asia, Global Strategic Studies, International Non-Profit Management) and Political Science. Having studied Japanese, Spanish, Arabic and Korean, and having studied abroad in Japan for one year, I have and will continue to have a passion for learning about and experiencing new people and places.

Sung Hun - Korea

My name is Kim Sung Hun and I am 23 years old, but other people say to me “You look like a 20 year old boy!” I love to meet people and make friends. I want to speak English very well. I think this class is so good for me because I can learn English and also talk about economic issues. More and more I earn pride in this class. I am proud of myself and that makes me more motivated. Now I know that “impossible is nothing”. Someday, I want to be a CEO, so I will be a millionaire like Mr Lee, the President of Samsung!

Vic – Hong Kong

Hello, I am Vic. I come from Hong Kong and I am 24 years old. My hobbies are football and playing guitar. I am studying Electronic Engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. There are not many opportunities for me to learn economics so this course gives me an unforgettable experience. I love to travel; I like making friends with people from other countries; and I like to try everything that I have not tried. This is my first time to Korea. It is totally different from Hong Kong, especially the food. It is very spicy. Although I don’t really like spicy food, I am enjoying it!

Xuan – US

Hi, I’m Xuan (Sue) Pham. I’m Vietnamese-American. My family and I moved to the States in 1997. My majors at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, are Art History and Studio Art. I love to paint – that’s when I feel most myself. When painting, I don’t have a care in the world. I like playing tennis but I’m not any good. I spend most of my time in the studio making art work or thinking about the next project. If I am not in the gallery or the studio, I’m usually studying or learning Korean on my own.

Wendy – Australia

Hi, I’m Wendy and I’m an Assistant Professor at Yeungnam University. Before deciding to teach, I worked as an international policy advisor for the Australian Government in areas such as defence intelligence and strategic policy, the GATT, international education, ASEAN, and APEC. I have an undergraduate degree in international and development economics, and a masters in defence studies from the Australian Defence Force Academy. I love to travel, and enjoy being able to share my passion for knowledge and other cultures with my students.

Saipeks and Yeungnam University: Study and Internship

Yeungnam University — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:23:25 +0000

There are many reasons why I joined the SAIPEKS program, but the main reasons were to meet a completely new and different culture, making my life experience richer, and because the internship would give me the opportunity to get more familiar with the Korean workplace, Korean working habits and traditions.

The host company for my internship was Uhak Mentor. It is a company which provides professional services for students who want to study abroad. Uhak Mentor is cooperating with a lot of primary schools, high schools and Universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The main purpose of the company is providing opportunities for students to get new experiences overseas and learn foreign languages. Uhak Mentor opens the doors to the world and helps students become global persons.

My very first impression about the Korean business culture is that individual work is much more present than team work. Maybe this is just a case in smaller companies where every person has his/hers job/tasks, but the difference is that, in Europe, the co-workers meet almost every day to conclude what have they done, and discuss what they can do to improve and how to reach the maximum result by cooperating with each other and through team work. Working hours in Korea are much different than European work hours and people spend almost the whole day in their workplace.

During my work with Uhak Mentor and Yeungnam University, I also learned what an official business Korean dinner looks like. It’s a little bit less formal than European-style, with a lot of alcohol drinking, but still with a lot of behavioral rules, especially the way of communicating with older persons. I think it’s a great experience for me in terms of knowing how to communicate and behave on a business lunch with Korean partners in the future.

Special thanks to all my coworkers who were willing to help me every time I needed their help.

Vuchkovski Davor

Economics Major

University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

SAIPEKS (Study Abroad and Internship Programme for European and Korean Students) offers students the chance to combine overseas study with an internship during a regular semester for full academic credit.

Learning English in an International Immersion Class

Yeungnam University — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:05:30 +0000

CHUNMA INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL: GLOBAL ECONOMIC ISSUES CLASS BLOG

This class is so different to my usual university classes. It’s so fantastic and a new experience for me. I can learn so many things like language and culture and other people’s thinking.

One of the best things about this class is that it’s friendly. In Korea, classes are usually really big. About 60-70 people enroll. In this class, there are only 12 students so I can talk to all of the students and we can know each other well. Also, the samgyeopsal party and coffee with the professor was so special!

This program makes me more comfortable and I can speak English more proudly. Debating with each other is the best way because we have many different opinions on each topic. I can’t always explain all of my feelings but I am satisfied because my foreign friends always listen and wait for me to finish speaking.

On the first day, I was so scared to discuss and debate with the foreigners and only in English, but now I feel comfortable and I have more confidence. Even if I say something incorrect in English it doesn’t matter. I try to say my thoughts anyway and it makes my skills better. This class is perfect and I love it!

Kim Sung Hun
Student, Business Administration
Yeungnam University

My Korean Experience

Yeungnam University — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:39:47 +0000

CHUNMA INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL: GLOBAL ECONOMIC ISSUES CLASS BLOG

My Korean experience at Yeungnam University has been the best part of my entire college career. It has been enough of an immersion into the culture that I am learning the language and the culture and making Korean friends while, at the same time, not feeling overwhelmed by culture shock.

The students here are so friendly and helpful, and they do their best to make you feel at home while still endeavoring to teach you about their culture and language.

The one month study program has been very rewarding for me so far. I have been introduced to many Korean friends and so much of the incredible culture. From food to nightlife to shopping to the language to traditional Korea. I have eaten samgyeopsal, been to a singing room, made pottery, and have many other experiences to look forward to in my final weeks here.

Ashley Goff
Old Dominion University

Class Blog: Global Economic Issues, Chunma International Summer School

Yeungnam University — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 05:43:36 +0000

There’s a very old saying: “If you enjoy what you do, you will never work another day in your life.” Well, that is pretty much how I feel about teaching. Hi. My name is Wendy Worthington and I currently run classes in Global Economic Issues on behalf of Yeungnam University’s School of International Studies.

In spring semester this year, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach (and learn from) students from China, France, Germany, the Philippines, Poland, and Slovenia. Now, as part of YU’s first Chunma International Summer School, it is an honor to be able to share my days and my classroom with visitors from Hong Kong and the United States. It is especially rewarding for me to have YU students participate in these classes. It is an incredible opportunity for our Korean students to learn and share opinions with our international guests, as well as showcase their wonderful culture.

Over the course of the next two weeks, students from my Global Economic Issues classes will be sharing their cultural experiences with readers of ASIANCORRESPONDENT, along with some of their thoughts and ideas on issues ranging from globalization to conflict diamonds. I hope you enjoy their journey.

2010 Chunma International Summer School

Yeungnam University — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:48:05 +0000

Yeungnam University launched its first Chunma International Summer School on June 28, 2010.

The program, which will run until July 25, will give international students the opportunity to experience Korean culture while undertaking intensive study for credit toward their undergraduate degrees. The program also offers Korean students the chance to study and mingle with international students.

As part of this inaugural summer school, participants will study Korean language, Korean culture, and Global Economic Issues. Extra-curricula activities include Yeungnam University’s “Buddy” and Home Stay Programs, as well as pottery and kimchi making classes, “Templestay”, and field trips to nearby towns such as Gyeongju and Jeonju.

Yeungnam University extends a very warm welcome to our participants from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Old Dominion University, and the University of Nebraska, Omaha – and, of course, to our very own, wonderful Korean students.

Yeungnam University Offers Co-Major Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies

Yeungnam University — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:20:34 +0000

THE START OF “INBOUND GLOBALIZATION”

Semester 1 at Yeungnam University saw the establishment of the School of International Studies and, with it, the introduction of a variety of international courses conducted entirely in English.

As Dr. Joo Sang-woo, Vice-President of the Office of International Programs, explains: “We aim at attracting outstanding students from abroad actively and creating an environment where domestic students can improve their English skills and have a global perspective without necessarily having to go study abroad.”

Nine courses were offered in first semester: Understanding of the Korean and Key Capital Markets, Korean History and Culture, Environment and Practices of Business in Asia and Korea, Korean Currency Policies and Financial System, International Relations in East Asia, Understanding of Current Korean Economy, Global Economic Issues, Korea in East Asia, and Everyday Practical Korean Language. Lectures were conducted by Byeon Jong-guk, Lee Jae-hoon, and Jeon In, School of Business; Shim Sang-min, Department of Korean Language and Literature; Park Chu-hwa and Lee Byeong-wan, School of Economics and Finance; Jung Jun-pyo and Lee Yoo-shin, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy; and Thomas Duvernay and Wendy Worthington, School of General Education.

Students who, in addition to their primary degree, complete 42 credit units in courses offered by the School of International Studies, will also receive a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies upon graduation.