Korean Expat Community for National Disasters

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Hello everyone!

For this month's story, I would like to talk about the importance of maintaining meaningful relationships. As a foreign student, there are a lot of challenges that we have to face to be successful in our chosen paths. The decision to apply for my PhD studies in South Korea required thorough deliberation on my part, knowing that pursuing graduate studies will require me to live away from my family and friends in the Philippines. Perhaps it is the reason why I delayed getting my graduate degree all these years. I graduated from my Master's degree in Geography in 2016 and it took me six (6) years to take the leap and apply to Hallym University. 

In this post I would like to highlight communities of care, without which, I would not be able to cope relatively well, as a 38-year old student in a new country. I would first like to mention how fortunate I am to have had the support of my adviser, who continuously helped me undergo the convoluted process of applying to the program and even applying for my student visa. Without his guidance, the entire process would have been a lot harder, if not downright impossible. I also commend and thank the staff of the Hallym University Global Engagement Center, who provided me with vital useful information about arriving in Korea (complete with guides and maps from Incheon International Airport) and guides to help me settle in. My classmates were also very helpful and caring and their presence made classes enjoyable and productive. I also met a lot of friends from another program, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) scholars in the Climate Change program who provided me with such meaningful memories and life experiences. Even after their graduation last semester, I am still in touch with some of them and I am grateful to have found life-long friendships that were formed in the university. I am also very grateful to meet a fellow alumna from my alma mater in the Philippines and she served as my tour guide, translator, and companion to the KPop concerts that I attended in the past few months. This semester, I recently joined an international student organization of Filipinos in South Korea called "Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea"/Filipino Scholars in Korea (PIKO). It was nice to know that one of my former students in the Philippines is an officer in this organization. They help provide important information about events for Filipino students and I think that it is such a helpful resource especially for Filipinos who have just moved here and are still adjusting to life in Korea. 

I believe that it became possible for me to thrive here in Chuncheon because of these friendships and I strongly encourage the new batch of international students to forge relationships here throughout your stay in the program. Maintaining a vibrant social life ensures that you are emotionally and mentally healthy to cope with the challenges of being a graduate student in Korea. Cheers!

P.S. I am attaching a photo of the last time I bonded with my friends in my favorite café here in Chuncheon. I will make a community post about it soon!