Don’t Be Afraid!
Be a Cosmopolitan Person!
Ahn Jong-Hyun, Sophomore, Department of Business Administration
Mungunkhuu Munkhorgil, Sophomore, Department of Business Administration
Have you ever been to foreign friend’s home? Maybe most people would say no, but, if you have, it’ll be an invaluable experience. So Chungdae Post reporters (CP) met two students who have had that experience. One is Ahn Jong-Hyun from Korea and the other is Mungunkhuu Munkhorgil from Mongolia. Let’s listen to their story!
1. How Did They Meet?
Munkhorgil came to Korea about 3 years ago. When he first came to Korea, it was just for a trip, but later he came again to Korea to study. Last year, Jong-Hyun and Munkhorgil met each other in a club. After that, they met again in a class! So they always ate lunch together after that class and they became aware that they have similar interests.
2. How Did They Become Friends?
“It was a trip,” they both said. Jong-Hyun visited Mongolia alone this winter vacation. But while there he met up with Munkhorgil, so they spent a lot of time together. Through that trip, they got to know each other more deeply. Of course, during the trip there were several conflicts resulting from cultural differences. Mongolian people tend to be a little bit spontaneous and relaxed, so sometimes it made Jong-Hyun feel embarrassed. Despite this, they became closer by understanding those differences.
3. Which Culture Do You Want to Introduce?
Munkhorgil – “I want to show him how to build a “Ger” in summers which is a portable, bent dwelling structure traditionally used by Mongols. Also, I want to climb up Mongolia’s mountains together. Mongolia’s mountains are different from that of Korea’s. Korean mountains are overgrown with trees, but Mongolia’s mountains are covered with grassland. So if you climb up a Mongolian’s mountain, you can see the plains extended far and wide.”
Jong-Hyun – “Generally, Korean people live in a competitive society, and this culture is quite different from Mongolia. So I want to take him to do a temple-stay or walk Olle Gil in Je-ju Island, which can make him feel relaxed.”
4. What Do You Want to Do Together In the Future?
Jong-Hyun - “We are both interested in international social problems, so we want to participate in several contests which concern them. I’m especially good at planning and designing, and Munkhorgil has a wide knowledge about the world and fluent language skills. So I think if we work together, we can create a synergistic effect.”
5. Messages to CNU students
Munkhorgil – “I think some Korean people are afraid of meeting foreigners. Of course, they are usually very kind. But most of Koreans approach foreigners just for simple curiosity, not from the heart. So I want to say that they need to change their mind and become more global. Don’t be afraid. Be a cosmopolitan person!”