Best. Summer. Ever.
Hands down, the summer of 2023 has been the most fulfilling summer yet, and I can only thank Duke Engage Korea. I remember before applying that I wasn’t sure if I should, but I am so glad that I did. Being able to go to an urban area in another country is something I could not have imagined doing alone, and this opportunity was just that.
During the month of June, I really enjoyed teaching the students at Jiguchon School. Even though I felt a little lost in the beginning, I got the hang of things and was able to connect with the kids. Teaching at this school solidified that I enjoy working with children, and I just loved that I could make others happy even if it was only for a month. Even the older, more rebellious kids have a special place in my heart, a place that tolerates their shenanigans. The teachers at this school were also so kind and understanding, and I admire their resilience and patience. I seriously loved our time at Jiguchon and wish to visit this school some time in the future.
For July, we were at two different schools and had been split up into teams. I thought that my team’s schedule was much harder and tiring, but I understood the circumstances. Though I preferred Wooridle School to Sarang School, I still appreciated the opportunity to teach at both places. The students were my age and older, so connecting with them was a little easier. I loved being able to listen to everyone’s stories. There was one particular student named Eungyeong at Wooridle who inspired me. She is a 36-year-old North Korean refugee who lived in China for 13 years, then went to South Korea to make a living. Though she is much older than the other students and has a job, she still is dedicated to learning English despite having such a busy schedule. Overall, the two weeks teaching at these schools gave me a sense of hope and inspiration through hearing about the lives of such resilient people.
During the last week of our trip, we went to Jeju. Though I wished we could’ve explored the island a little more, I feel much more educated about Korean history after all of the museums and historical sites we visited. I do think it could’ve been scaled back a little because we were all very tired by the end, but I am grateful for the experience. One of the points I made in my application for this program happened to be about knowing the history of a culture and country besides just what the media shows, so I am glad I had the chance to meet that goal.
Of course while we were teaching and learning about the Korean War, I was also able to explore the city of Seoul. Up until then, the only taste of Seoul I had was through YouTube videos of Korean street food and cafe vlogs. Lucky for me, I could experience all of it first-hand. I shopped in Hongdae, cafe-hopped in Seongsu, cycled by the Han River, and ate popular snacks in Myeongdong. Everything I wanted to do before coming to Korea, I was able to do.
Moreover, I know so much more about Korea’s past through the weekly meetings and excursions. I’ve never felt this content about a program, and I know it’ll be hard for future summers to top this one. I want to share my thanks to Professor Kwon and Professor Kim, as well as my fellow crewmates. I could not have had such a wonderful experience without you, so thank you.
This was Angel, member of D3K.
