A Team from CNU Was Selected to be an Excellent Team of World Friends Korea Volunteers What do you think of volunteer work? The dictionary definition of volunteer work is moving your body to act for a nation or society without gaining anything for yourself. However, voluntary service is sometimes regarded as a means for a career, not just for volunteer work. What remains for us if we do volunteer work just for finding a position and graduation? Here are real educational service activities that a team of one professor and three students from CNU has done.

 

*What Happened?

 
   There is a team that consists of Yoon Ki-Kwan, who is a professor in the Department of Commerce and Trade and 3 CNU students (Kim Dae-U, Kim Dong-Chul and Yoon Ji-su). Professor Yoon Ki-Kwan has taught Korean and Korean culture to students. Kim Dae-U and Kim Dong-Chul, who have computer certificates, have taken charge of IT education. And, Yoon Ji-su, who is a female student, is in charge of interpretation. The team called “"Together with Us”" was chosen as an outstanding team for the World Friends IT Volunteer sponsored by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and Korea International Cooperation Agency. They were rewarded at “"A Homecoming Report Meeting of 2014 World Friends IT Volunteer”" on 30 December, 2014.

 
 

1. What Kind of Work DId World Friends IT Volunteer Do?
   The World Friends IT Volunteer has contributed to resolve the informational gap between countries by dispatching university students. IT experts of our country, and conducting various volunteer work like IT education, promotional ITKorea, etc. A team composed of one CNU professor and 3 students was sent to do this volunteer work at Daffodil International University (DIU), Bangladesh for a month in July, 2014. They taught basics knowledge of computers and Korean Language and Korean Culture by dividing 50 students in the department of computer science into two groups. Two undergraduate students from CNU taught the basics of computers in A class. At the same time, Professor Yoon Ki-Kwan taught Korean and Korean Culture in B class. In his class, he taught entertainingly in Hangul, the songs of Arirang, the Saemaeul campaign, Korean food like gimbap, and they also taught how to draw Korean flag, the Taegeukgi.

2. How Did They Make The Team “"Together With Us”"?
   They didn’'t know each other before preparing for the World Friends IT Volunteer program. To be selected as a Korean representative of World Friends, they had to gather their specialties because it required various background knowledge and a certificate of computer, abilities of foreign language (English, French, Spanish, and so on), and education of Korean and Korean Culture. Professor Yoon Ki-Kwan says, "If you divide and save your talent and time and then give them to others who needs a help, capacity of those men will grow more ever than before.” So, they named "Together With Us" in English as the team name. It just means “"Join us!”" They experienced much pleasure by watching how the other persons have grown materially and socially by their small service and careful concern.

 

3. What Kind of Life Did They Have in Bangladesh?
   First, they stayed at a shabby hotel located right next to the school to save money. It costs 20 dollars a day on living, but it was a lodging house where salamanders sometimes appeared. They had some money for getting a better lodging house because of the financial support of the Korean Government, but they saved that money to create scholarships for the Bangladeshi students. They donated 600,000 won (500,000 taka in local currency) as a scholarship for students. It is equivalent of a flight charge that transfers twice to Korea.
   Second, the team “"Together With Us”" visited one orphanage located in Bangladesh with two boxes of clothes that had they brought from Daejeon. They ate Bangladeshi food with them as a part of their culture. They had no problem because they treated local people politely.
   Third, this team had an unusual passion for volunteer work. They didn’'t go there for pleasure, but for introducing the Republic of Korea. So, they always attached the national flag of Korea on their backpacks. On the other hand, they prepared lessons in the teacher’'s room as they went to work at 9 a.m., even though they had class at 1 p.m. They shared individual information of trainees. They taught the students with their utmost sincerity by calling their student’'s personal names during the class.

4. What Happens to Them After Volunteer Work?
   An international student named Iqbal Bhuyan came to Republic of Korea from Bangladesh to study in November 27, 2014. Of course, he passed graduate school entrance examination and he is studying Korean Language hard in the Korean Language Center now. It could be possible because of their efforts such as the scholarship. Professor Yoon Ki-Kwan asked the university president to recommend a young professor who doesn’'t have yet a doctoral degree in their university. Professor Yoon promised that he would educate the professor selected and then let the professor go back to Bangladesh for the development of DIU and Bangladesh. And the young professor who is chosen came to Republic of Korea by using 500,000 taka as flight charge to Korea that team “"Together With Us”" donated to school. Also, <Asian- African scholarship committee> donated some money for this international professor. Its operation method is recruiting member as 30,000 won every month.

5. What Advice Do They Give for CNU’'s Students?
   First, they encourage CNU students to conduct backpacking more than once while they are at college. How about making an elaborate plan and go abroad for 1 month? Everest Base Camp in Nepal (EBC) and Annapruna base camp (ABC) are good places for backpacking. In professor Yoon’'s case, he came back to Korea from Nepal in early December.
   Second, they encourage CNU students to experience by going abroad as a volunteer group in Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin American country in July-August, 2015. It can make you mature more than ever before in mentally. And lectures about international development and cooperation in CNU will be useful for students interested in volunteer works.

 

*Information about World Friends IT Volunteer

 
   The Korea Information Agency (KIA) selects about 600 people (1 team: 4 people) and sent them to Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin American countries in July- August every year. In 2014, last year, 24 country, 114 team, and 552 people were dispatched. KIA posts a notice around May and will evaluate applicants in three times. Then service members will be dispatched in July (1 month), August (1 month), or July-August (2 month). The team is composed of 4 members, who are in charge of IT, interpretation, and Korean Language and Korean Culture.

 

Ha Ye-ji | By CP reporter

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