• Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

I am Clara Dannepond a French intern at Vank, I am from Paris but I am studying at the university in Milan, Italy. My major is economics and I’ve always been very interested in foreign countries culture and history.

• How did you start interning at VANK?

I was very interested into Korean history and culture when I first came to Korea last year so coming back to Seoul this summer. I wanted to do something meaningful during my time here. I found VANK through the AIESEC portal, a worldwide student organisation providing internships abroad. As I was talking with Vank staff before starting the internship, Vank appealed to me as a peace fighter, and I wanted to be a part of this project.

• What were your duties as an intern?

My first job was to create the French website about Korean culture, history and issues. I also had to translate a lot of content form English to French or Italian, for exemple translating in Italian the Korean declaration of independence.

• What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

Entering at Vank was my first internship abroad, and I feel like I gained not only a lot of knowledge about Korean culture and history, but also I understood what it is truly to be Korean, the essence of Korean identity. I am now able to understand deeply an other culture which is not my own, so I am one step ahead of becoming global citizen.

• During your internship, what were your goals and what did you learn? Did you achieve those goals?

My goals were explained to me by the Vank staff from the beginning. However, they gave me a lot of free space and I could do almost whatever I was interested into. Setting goals at the beginning of the internship was a great way to know where to go and to focus on the most important things. Vank is very active and everything is moving very fast, so a lot of unexpected tasks were coming on a daily basis. It was very interesting work in such a great work environment and I learned a lot for the future. Even if I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do because of the lack of time (6 weeks goes very fast), I feel like I did the most I could and I will keep helping VANK in the future.

• What did you contribute to VANK’s goals?

Spreading rightful information about Korean culture and history around the world is one of the main goal of VANK. Creating the French website to rise awareness about Korean issues and tach about Korea is something that I hope will help VANK aim to create a peaceful and knowledgeable world.

• Any advice on promoting Korea, Dokdo, eastsea, jikji, etc?

As a foreigner, it is sometimes very complicated to identify to Koreans issues and history, as I wasn’t raised in Korea. However, comparing Korean thoughts and dreams to French dreams helped me a lot to catch the true essence of Korean feelings about Dokdo, the East Sea, Jikji.
Promoting these issues to the world by comparing them to other issues foreigners are familiar with is very helpful, as for exemple comparing the Rising Sun Flag and the Nazi Flag.

• Are there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

I would like to say that VANK, as an organisation that helps the world to be a better place, is doing a great job. The staff at VANK is very dedicated to the effort, and working in VANK makes me feel like I have an impact and a voice in this world. The goals of VANK are wide and VANK has big dreams, but all of their goals can be realised because VANK world hard, has great ideas and a lot of young Koreans believe in VANK, symbolizing the Korea of tomorrow.

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

My name is Jessica, and I am a senior at the University of Mississippi. I am majoring in psychology and sociology and hope to do my master’s degree work in sociology. I enjoy reading, writing, meeting new people, and playing video games. Since I was young, I have been interested in cultures around the world. In college, I was given the opportunity to study Korean as a modern language at my university. Through this course, I learned a lot about Korean culture, and my knowledge made me interested in other aspects of Korea.

2. How did you start interning at VANK?

My advisor at my university found out that I studied Korean before I changed my major to psychology and sociology, and being that she is from Korea, she really wanted me to see the country for myself. She urged me to sign up for the UM Experiential Learning in East Asia program, funded by the Freeman Foundation in Hawaii, so I could intern in Korea and live there for the summer. After signing up and being accepted for the program, I got in contact with a company called CRCC Asia, an internship provider company that sets students up for interviews with different companies based on their interests and/or major. I chose to work for an NGO since I am very interested in sociology, and one of the organizations they matched me with was VANK. I researched VANK before the interview, and I was very surprised to see what their goal was: to teach people about Korea and in the process, learn more about other countries to bring about peace in Asia. Facets of this goal have to do with the Dokdo and East Sea issues, which I learned more and more about while I was preparing for my interview. By the time I had an interview with my supervisor, I was very curious about these topics and wanted to know more.

3. What were your duties as an intern?

As an intern, my main duty was to write English articles about all types of Korean topics for the English VANK website. I also gave presentations in the office and at conferences, listened in on lectures given about current issues, and researched many topics for the articles that I wrote. I met many people in and out of the office, ranging from students to government workers and acquaintances of people at the office. The initial task of writing for the English website spread into me doing a lot of things, all of which helped me get a better grasp on Korean culture, history, and lifestyle for me to write about.

4. What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

I believe I have gained many things working here at VANK. I have gained knowledge about Korea that I initially did not have, friends and acquaintances that I hope will last into the future, and a better base knowledge of what working at an organization is like and how I can best assist the goals of the whole office.

5. During your internship, what were your goals and what did you learn? Did you achieve those goals?

My initial goals were very clear-cut. I wanted people in the United States to understand Korea the way they understood where they live. In the United States, it is not uncommon for people to keep a close eye on current happenings, especially when negative things are happening. It was hard for me to not see some of the things that were happening back home even while in Korea because all of my friends talked about these things. That type of open conversation was what I wanted to bring to the English website. I wanted, in the beginning, to show people that Korea can be understood in the same way we understand any other country: by looking at history, culture, and current events. Those were the main topics I wrote about. The Three Kingdoms Period, K-Pop, economic issues: they are all topics that I thought would be best to present to people to deepen their understanding of Korea as a country and the people. I researched these topics heavily and learned a wealth of knowledge in the process.

However, I now understand that simply knowing about something does not change how one feels about it. For issues like Dokdo and the East Sea, Korean people express strong feelings about these things, especially because they are tied to the Japanese Occupation Period in the early to middle 20th century. For these topics, I want people around the world to understand why Korean people feel the way they do about these topics and why correcting the incorrect information that has been displayed on maps and in books for years would be in the world’s best interest. Right now, both of these goals are ongoing, and I hope to continue writing for the English website even when I return home to the United States.

6. What did you contribute to VANK’s goals?

Besides writing articles, I think that me being a foreign intern from the United States has helped a lot. For instance, when we had conferences, many young Korean students would come up to Clara, an intern from France that was here at the same time I was, and I and tell us how proud they are that we, as foreigners, would be interested in telling people about different aspects of Korea. It was surprising but also reassuring that so many people supported what we were doing and wanted to speak to us about it. I think that after speaking with us, many students felt more determined because they were able to see firsthand that people from around the world want to help them as well.

I also think my English skills were a big help. On my last day as an intern, a fellow intern, Jiwon, had sent an email to a large corporation asking them to take down merchandise that depicted the Rising Sun Flag because of its imperialistic nature and what it stood for during the Occupation Period. She had been very professional in her email, yet the one she had received from customer service was rather short. Initially, everyone thought that the company was denying that they had any obligation to stop selling their products. After Hyeonjong, another intern, explained the situation to me, he brought me over to read the email. After reading it over multiple times to make sure that what I was thinking was correct, I said that the outcome was good and I explained that the person emailing meant that they would take the products down, and the reason that they were allowed to be sold in the first place was because they did not know of the symbolism of the flag. Language barriers can be very complicated and lead to misunderstandings, so I am glad that I cleared up the situation!

7. Any advice on promoting Korea, Dokdo, eastsea, jikji, etc?

I think that understanding the meaning and history behind these symbols is the best way to promote them. When you can actively tell people about why something means a lot to you or other people, it helps convey those feelings to someone else so they can understand. While talking about facts, I think Korean people being open about how they feel about the topics will also help.

8. Are there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

I would like to thank all of the people at the VANK office, all of the cyber diplomats, all of the government officials and every person I have met because I feel that they are a large part of why my experience in Korea has turned out to be unforgettable. I learned an immense amount of knowledge about Korea in just two months by living there and speaking and working with Korean people. I think that this experience has better prepared me for my future, regardless of where it takes me, and I would like to apply the skills that I have learned here in my future profession.

Lacey Bonner – USA

Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

My name is Lacey Bonner and I am an undergraduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I am a double major in Korean and Political Science and for my Korean major, I was a part of the Korean Flagship Program. I spent a year in Korea attending Korea University while taking part in an internship at VANK as part of my capstone.

How did you start interning at VANK?

Underneath the Flagship Program, each student must fulfill an internship and thus I joined VANK as I believed it was the best fit for me and my interests.

What were your duties as an intern?

As an intern, I got to fulfill many duties. One of my principle duties was undertaking the creation of English content for two websites launched the year I interned. I did research for and wrote content for the VANK “Bring USA to the Korean Classroom!” website as well the website featuring Korean independence activists that operated during Japanese occupation of Korea. I also did a lot of translation work from English-Korean and Korean-English as well as take part in lectures in Korean towards Korean youth on multiple occasions.

What was the best part of working at VANK?

The best part about working at VANK was definitely the people! I loved my coworkers and I got to get to know each and every one of them individually. They were open in sharing Korean culture as well as learning about my culture. Getting to travel with them to Pyeongchang for the Olympics and to Chicago for a NAKS event allowed my experience to transcend just the workplace environment and establish life-long friendships with the team at VANK and I will never forget them.

What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

As an intern, I’ve gained an increased understanding of Korea and Korean history. My Korean ability has also improved exponentially from when I first began. However, most important of all, I’ve been fortunate enough to expand my understanding of the world from being able to listen to and learn from other world views I would have never been able to access before.

Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

In short term, I plan to graduate in the spring of 2019 with my double major and to graduate with my Korean being the best it possibly can. My long term goal is to someday work in a position in which I can utilize what I’ve learned in Korea and Hawaii and use it to bridge the understanding between Korea and the United States. I also want to die with no regrets.

Are there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

Thank you so much for everything you have taught and given me. I will use it well in my life going forward and will never forget where I received it from. I was so lucky in my internship and with whom the people I was able to work alongside. I will miss you greatly but that makes all the more reason for me to come visit you in the future! Thank you and best wishes!

Yang Gae-La – China

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

Hello, my name is Yang Gae-La and I am from China. It has been 5 years since I’ve been in Korea and currently I am studying at WooSong University. Since I was young, I’ve been raised differently from others. Starting at the age of 6, I grew up reading “The Nine Chinese Classics”, learning liberal arts, politics, history, economics, business management, etc. of not only China but also other foreign countries. Then, I finally decided to study abroad in Korean after learning Taekwondo for about 5 years.

I think learning a foreign language is not just learning the language itself but also learning about the history and culture of the foreign country. That is why I decided to self-study in those areas. Last year, my friend recommended me to join VANK and that led me to participate in the 11^th Global Tourism and Culture Diplomat events and receive a reward. In the future, my dream is to become an analyst, but I want to use my skills for a better relationship between Korea and China.

2. How did you start interning at Vank?

At first, I thought Koreans introducing things about Korea and Chinese people introducing things about China was a given. However, after hearing Vank’s founder presentation and the activities that the young adults partake in, I changed my mind. Promoting Korea is not only a work for Koreans or democrats, but also something foreigners can do by learning about the culture and spreading the knowledge all across the world.

Especially, I don’t think Korean young adults are promoting Korea as the “#1 country”, but they are promoting Korea’s history and culture as challenging and emotional. To promote Korea myself, I studied a lot into Korea’s culture and I thought the Silla Dynasty was very interesting. Silla was the weakest of the 3 kingdoms but was still able to achieve unification between the 3 kingdoms. It is an emotional history where they made the impossible possible. Honestly, I went to visit Gwang-ju to see the area in person. Visiting a place with a history of over a thousand years made my heart race and became a very meaningful experience for myself who is promoting Korea.

3. How was your experience at VANK?

At first, I was introduced to VANK through a friend and I thought, “At a time where I should do things that would benefit me, should I work for a country where I am not from?” I had a lot of doubts. Wondering what I would do at VANK, I started to learn out of curiosity. Later, I met with the founder of VANK and became in love with the staff and the organization itself. I am not exaggerating that I fell in love at first sight and I developed an interest and love for the organization.

My duties in VANK are to find erroneous information about Korea through the Korean Culture and History Diplomat programs and to promote Korea. For VANK, I went to Thailand alone and I have also promoted Korea there. The supplemental materials that VANK provided me were useful. Additionally, I went back to China during Valentines’ Day and suggested to people to go to Korea while distributing roses. However, there was a dilemma. I also got the opportunity to use my Chinese on Chinese students and since I knew the stand point of Chinese people, I was able to communicate effectively and I received a lot of great responses.

Honestly, as a foreigner, promoting Korea was not an easy job. I am not too sure if this work is considered easy for Native Koreans, but as a person from China I thought it would be impossible. Especially, I was not adept at the language, culture, and history of Korea and I also had a personal issue. During middle school, I was diagnosed with a skin disorder so I received 4 surgeries on my face. Thereafter, my confidence fell and I eventually got caught into depression. I was not able to talk with people around. After coming to Korea and experiencing life in a foreign country, my confidence got a lot better but it was still difficult for me to promote Korea in front of people. However, overcoming this difficulty was a chance for me to improve myself so I worked with more confidence.

Honestly, I have always tried my best but I’ve never thought I would be rewarded as a Korean diplomat. Out of 300 people, being picked as top 50 was not an easy thing to do, especially for a foreigner. That is why I believe that if a person has the dedication then that person can do better than a person with a better skill set. It was a big life lesson for me. From this experience, I found out that I have no limits. It felt like I was born again.

4. What did you contribute to VANK’s goals?

I think VANK is an organization that inspires and help achieve dreams within young adults. However, seeing the negative information about VANK in the Chinese translation of Wikipedia, I was hurt to hear that a lot of people thought of VANK as an organization that was weird and had a too much pride on Korean supremacy. I corrected some information about VANK on a widely used Wikipedia-like site in China. Additionally, to change people’s opinions on VANK and their staff, I promoted VANK in a positive way through Weibo and many blogs. Furthermore, there are still many people who have negative opinions about VANK but I will respect their opinions while helping to build a better relationship between both countries.

5. During your internship, what were your goals and what did you learn? Did you achieve those goals?

It hurts to hear all these negative comments about VANK in China, so I went on 3 of the most visited online sites in China and promoted VANK and corrected information about Dokdo and the East Sea. Additionally, I decided to periodically post on Weibo and blogs about VANK. I feel like there are lots of Koreans who are experts on Japan and America, but not on China, so I set a goal to summarize information about Korea and Chinese historical figures in Chinese and Korean.

During my internship, I was able to achieve these goals. First of all, out of the 3 major sites in China, I was able to correct and upload information about VANK and the East Sea on 2 of the sites. However, I tried to correct information on Baidu and Wikipedia for 2 weeks but they did not approve of my request. It was to the point where Wikipedia told me they will blacklist my account. Secondly, I was able to promote Vank and Dokdo to netizens on Weibo and other blogs. Third, I uploaded some videos promoting Korea on online sites except one site which had problems with uploading the videos (the videos were still uploaded in parts). Lastly, I picked 4 historical figures for each China and Korea summarized about them in both languages so that people from China and Korea can learn each other’s history.

6. During your internship, what did you improve on?

I think the most difficult time for me was the Dokdo Camp. As a foreigner, it is difficult to give my opinion on topics like Dokdo so I was very worried during the camp. Haven’t nothing to do with my homeland, participating in the activities felt very awkward. On top of that, the weekend I went to Dokdo I coincidently saw a news article of my interview which they changed the title and content on their own which made me very furious. After many complaints, they took down the news article. There were information of THAAD, Korea-China relations, and territorial problems so I felt very bad that they had to take the article down. I felt very thankful to Park Gi-Tae who helped me through this situation.

Also, I’ve always did things according to a set plan but VANK taught me how to work in a different way which opened my imagination and creativity. With Korea being heavily influenced by the Confucianism culture in aspects such as age and work position, VANK was completely different.

7. Any feelings while working at VANK?

Don’t rely on others and don’t wait for the work to come to you. Instead, use your creativity to do what you have to do and do what you want to do. That is what I felt while interning at VANK. In other companies, you have to follow a certain curriculum or model but VANK is a great organization that trains young adults to be more imaginative and creative and offers them great opportunities.

8. Any advice for someone who wants to become a Korean Diplomat?

Through Vank’s activities, I wish you can overcome any personal difficulties you may have. A position in Vank is much better than a position as the president, am I right? Well, people might not agree but if you feel the confidence from VANK’s activities you may feel the pride of becoming a member. You can recover through any problems.

I feel like we aren’t enjoying life like westerners. From a young age, Korean students are pressured into intense studying and once they are in college, they have to prepare for a job. This way of life seems very mundane and there seems to be no real dreams. Just as you are continuously making an effort with VANK, you should also aim for your real dream.

9. Any advice on promoting Korea?

While learning about Korea’s History, it’s not about how successful you become or what job you got into, it’s the effort that matters the most. There are lots of difficulties that young adults face like unemployment. There are also Koreans who are ashamed of their own country because of all the current problems. However, as a foreigner, Korea seems like a dynamic country with a lot of potential. Hence, Korean young adults should have more pride in their country first.

When Koreans promote Korea, they only show the aspects that they want to or an aspect through the eyes of Koreans. Since I am a foreigner, I promote aspects from Korea’s perspective and also take China’s perspective into account. Additionally, using the vast 5,000 year history of Korea, start with a topic that the target audience would like and move from there to promoting Korea. Try to initiate the conversation with a broad subject like East Asia instead of starting with Korea. For example, while talking to people about General Yi Sun-Shin, try to talk about other historical figures from other countries during that time. To do this, it is imperative that we must be adept in other countries’ history. When I read articles that don’t have a stand with a single opinion, there were interesting things and many things to learn. Hence, I recommend reading books not only about Korea but also East Asian countries or even about countries on other continents so that you can promote Korea in a very friendly way.

10. What are your future plans?

Because of the recent THAAD deployment plans and conflicts between Korea and China in general, the relations between the two is very unstable. I want to prove to Korean young adults that Korea and China are not enemies but are friends.

I disagree with a lot of Vank’s statements on Balhae and Goguryeo’s history and China’s “Northeastern Project” opposition, etc. However I respect Vank’s position on Northeastern Peace and the unifying efforts between China, Korea, and Japan to play a bigger role in the world. That is how I became a Korean diplomat. That is why I will play a big role in promoting Korea and China when I go back to China. Furthermore, I will provide help for any situations where there are problems between the two countries that we can’t see.

11. Any last words for VANK and the staff?

Working at Vank was very difficult but it was the happiest period during my stay in Korea. While heading to Dokdo camp, I was uncomfortable and the company, students, and friends probably thought I was rude, considering relations in Korea. I want to thank the founder, Park Gi-Tae, for taking care of me and I want to apologize.

Since the beginning of my 5 year stay in Korea, I felt that my positive feelings of Korea have been diminishing over time. However, seeing everyone at VANK with friendly and open-minded personalities, I began to fall in love with Korea all over again. Not having many skills to offer, I am sorry that I couldn’t have met VANK’s expectations during the 2 months. However, if you need any help from me, I will always be willing to help.

Troy Chong – USA

Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

My name is Troy Chong and I am a senior in the Korean Language Flagship program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  I was born in Hawaii and have lived in Hawaii for my whole life. This past year, I completed my capstone abroad program for Korean Flagship and also worked as an intern for VANK during that time period.

How did you start interning at VANK?

The Korean Language Flagship has a requirement of doing an internship during the 1 year abroad capstone program. Thanks to this, I was able to intern with VANK and stay with them for about a year while learning more about Korean history and culture.

What were your duties as an intern?

As an intern, my main assignments were translation work and also monitoring and updating the VANK English website. I also assisted at VANK events as a member of the VANK staff.

What was the best part of working at VANK?

There were many perks to working with VANK, but the best experiences were probably when I was able to travel to different areas in Korea with the staff. I was able to see the countryside of Korea and also partake in the different cuisines that the different Korean regions had to offer. These experiences were one of a kind and I feel that they will stick with me for the rest of my life.

What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

From this internship, I was able to learn about how Korean history has been distorted over the years and learn more about the culture. Also, I was able to see how a successful NGO operated and the kinds of tasks that they did. Finally, I feel that this internship helped me to improve my language skills and become more task focused.

Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

My short-term goal is to graduate with a BBA in Finance and BA in Korean Flagship by the Spring semester. My long-term goal is to use my Korean language in supplementing in the field that I plan to work in and possibly spread the knowledge about the correct information of Korea, if anyone were to state wrong, distorted facts.

Are there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

I just wanted to express my gratitude and appreciation towards the entire VANK staff for taking care of me over the year. Even though there were some unfortunate events that prevented me from coming out in the beginning of the term, the staff still welcomed me with open arms and was very considerate to the situation I was in. I will never forget the time I spent at VANK and wish them well in their future endeavors.

 

Jai Kim – USA

Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

My name is Jai Eun Kim and I am currently a senior in the Korean Language Flagship program at University of Hawaii at Manoa. I was born in Korea and I immigrated to Hawaii at the age of six. Last year, I completed my study abroad capstone and also worked as an intern at VANK during my time in Korea.

 

How did you start interning at VANK?

The Korean Language Flagship Program includes a year studying abroad in Korea at Korea University and an internship of our choice. I was interested in interning at an NGO so the program coordinator suggested VANK to me. Before my interview at VANK I researched about VANK and learned how they correct distorted Korean history in the world and became interested.

 

What were your duties as an intern?

As an intern I did some translation work at times and assisted at VANK events. One of my main projects were to work on the VANK Story website. Some of the blogs that I uploaded were about Korean culture, issues regarding Dokdo and comfort women, and also about Korean history.

Another project that I did was to find information on Korean history through online websites. I would translate the content of that website into Korean and record information on that website. This project was to find out what kind of information there was about Korea in different websites.

 

Was your internship experience as you expected? Why or why not?

I started my internship worried about communicating solely in Korean, but as I worked at VANK that was not a problem at all. Everyone at VANK helped me to improve my Korean everyday as I worked there. If I had any questions they would spend time to explain things such as certain cultural differences. I didn’t expect anything when I started at VANK, but I left with experiencing a family-like environment rather than a work environment.

 

What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

From working as an intern at VANK I gained relationships with not only people who worked at VANK but also other students who interned at VANK. Everyone at VANK seemed like family and also treated me with the same kindness.

I also gained knowledge about things that could not be taught in the classroom such as issues surrounding Dokdo and comfort women. Also I learned that there are lots of distorted Korean history on the Internet. Some of the ones I found included the “Sea of Japan” instead of the corrected term “East Sea”.

 

Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

My short-term goal is to graduate with my BA next semester and start applying to a masters Korean program. My long-term goal is to continue to use Korean language in whatever field I go into. Also, I hope to find a job after graduating from my masters program to contribute back to NGO’s such as VANK that are promoting Korea globally.

 

Are there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

I don’t think I was able to express my gratitude towards the people at VANK during my last days of internship. I wanted to say I was grateful for the kindness they gave me during the year. I was able to comfortably work at VANK and get close to everyone because the people at VANK really do treat you like family. A year went by so quickly but I will cherish the moments I had with the VANK family. Thank you again for everything and I will always cheer on VANK in the future!

Mutiara Maknun –  Indonesia

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

Hello, I am Mutiara Maknun from Indonesia. I am currently studying International Management  in Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia.

 

2. How did you start interning at VANK?

It was the first time when I was offered by a friend who was working as the member of AIESEC Brawijaya at that time, and she offered me a program named Global Youth Ambassador which gives an opportunity to have a kind of internship program in overseas. As I search about VANK after applying to this program, I see that VANK has good aims in promoting Korean histories, places and people. Which are the things that I want to know more about South Korea.

3. What was the best part of working at VANK?

The best time working at VANK is the time when I am with the VANK’s team can make a great change in the work we do. As VANK working in promoting the Korean history, change or add additional information in Wikipedia and other important websites, I feel honour to be part of this organization. They like to help each other and treat each other like family.

4. What were your duties as an intern?

I have the task to find some similarities and difference between Korea and Indonesia. Even we born in the same Asian country, in some specific field, Korea and Indonesia has huge differences.  However, the culture and speaking manner are somehow the same. Beside that, I need to search about Indonesian websites which introduce about South Korea and correct some mistakes on the website. Furthermore, VANK has many websites and it is an honour to have a chance to translate them in Bahasa Indonesia.  As these days Indonesian citizen are really interested in South Korea’s culture, it will be nicer for them to know Korean more from all of the VANK’s websites.

Lastly, they also ask me to present about Indonesia and its history and culture to get a deeper understanding about it. They said that Indonesian people speak many different languages and live in diversity environment which makes it interesting.

5. What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

As it is the first experience for me to have an internship, I can have a chance to see how a working environment will be like in the future. I gain many new knowledge about Korean’s history and culture. Especially Dokdo that I never heard before and comfort women issues in Korea which is seem to be still going on, with the Wednesday protest in front of the Japan’s Embassy, while in Indonesia the issue is rarely to be discussed.

6. Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

My short term goal is I will go back to Indonesia to finish my last year in University. I only have one semester left to have my graduation next year hopefully and then I might have to start working soon.  The long term goal that I have for now is I will keep teaching Indonesia and Javanese language to my students as my hobby and part time job.

7. Before you came to Korea what was your impression of Korea?

The first thing that I know about Korea is that KPOP is really popular these days in my country and I heard the way Korean people work has high professionalism. They are as hard working as Japanese. Korean cosmetics are also globally well-known for their good quality and the plastic surgery is common.

8. What do you think about Korea, now that you have been here for 7 weeks?

Due to my departure in the summer time, I think simmer in Korea is so humid. But other than that, I really like Korean foods and the portion is really big. I like the way Korean likes to have a dessert such Bingsu after the main meal. And Korean people are nice and helpful even on the street. They give me some direction even some of them can’t speak English well.

Furthermore, I like the fact that Korean people appreciate their culture, and many museums and historical places are taken care really well.

9. What is your most memorable thing about Korea?

The most memorable thing is the time when VANK members and I go to Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was my second time I visited there, but the time when VANK’s members and I went there, we need to wear Korean Traditional Clothes, Hanbok,  to have such a Hanbok campaign for the high school students. I like that kind of cultural activities which let me explore more the Korean cultures.

10. Is there any last words you would like to say to VANK?

First of all, thank you for having me in this kind of wonderful family. Thank you for helping me a lot and being nice to me for the past weeks I have been working here. It was really nice to experience such a different culture even still rooted in the same Asian region. I appreciate all the effort that VANK’s member did here in order for me to feel more comfortable and let me learn and practice my Korean more. Unconsciously the time flies and I need to go back, but the memories remain and if another day we get another chance to meet again, I will happily say hello for the second time.

Atef Amri – France

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

My name is Atef I am 24, and I am from France, Paris. I am currently a Master’s student at the Neoneoma Business School in Paris.

2. How did you start interning at VANK?

I am a member of AIESEC in France. AIESEC is the world’s largest student run organization with 124 countries involved. It is an organization that provides internships around the world such as paid internships and volunteer internships and through this organization I found VANK. In my business school we are required to do an internship and as I found VANK’s mission statement I decided to apply. I was interested in Asia because I knew little about the culture and I didn’t want to stay only in Paris so that is how I started interning at VANK.

3. What was the best part of working at VANK?

The best part about working at VANK was being surrounded by passionate people. Since everyone here is passionate about their work it really inspires you to work harder. They become curious about your country and that’s how you start to become interested in them and their country. I know I won’t be able to find a place as special and unique as VANK.

4.What would you say is the most regrettable thing?

When I first started to learn about VANK the first thing that interested me was Dokdo. So the most regrettable thing was not having the chance to go to the Dokdo camp because it was held before I arrived.

5. What were your duties as an intern?

The first task I had as an intern at VANK was to do a presentation about France. This presentation made me learn that VANK has an open-minded view that allows them to be curious about other cultures. I started to understand why they were so curious about other countries. It was because in order to have peace within the world there must be an understanding of differences.

Other tasks that I did were to translate videos and also I had the opportunity to translate the entire website “May we speak”. The most important task that I had was to look for contents on the internet about Korea in French. I found mistakes about Sea of Japan instead of East Sea and also Takeshima instead of Dokdo. After I found these mistakes I made an excel document of the websites and then I started to email these websites and inform them of their mistakes. Currently, I have started to get some feedback from these websites saying they will change Sea of Japan to East Sea. I also got to analyze some similarities and differences of France and Korea which was interesting. Lastly, I had the opportunity of being interviewed on different occasions.

6. Was your internship experience as you expected? Why or why not.

My internship experience was better than I have expected. Before interning here I thought that the work would be repetitive, but the tasks at VANK were diverse and everyday was different for me. I was able to do my work a little every day. Also, I never got bored because in France internship is perceived to be difficult and long but at VANK they allowed me to have new experiences every day.

7.What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

There are two main things that I have gained from interning at VANK, leadership and better communication skills. As a business student I had many presentations but through VANK I had the opportunity of speaking at a conference and I also presented at Sugang University about my experiences in Korea.

8.Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

My short-term goal is to go back to school and to study hard. Also, I have to finish 2 more years of my masters program. My long-term goal is to have an international career. I have always been interested in different cultures and I want to travel to different countries, especially in Asia. I would love to start my international career in Asia and stay there for two years then travel to a different country.

On a side note my hobby is sailing, which I love. I want to sail around the world in the Clipper race which lasts for one year. After graduation and before my professional career life I would like to participate in this race.

9.Is there anything you would like to say to the future international interns?

I would like to tell them to not be lazy because time goes by fast. Since time is limited go out to see the city and learn to be curious. Always ask questions about the food and culture or about anything such as tasks. Enjoy your time here and don’t be scared to try new things.

10.Before you came to Korea what was your impression of Korea? 

Basically, all I knew about Korea was that it was a very far place. In France I knew nothing about Korea. French textbooks don’t have context about the different countries in Asia. I only knew the simple and basic things such as the country is divided; Samsung is Korean, and Kpop.

11. What do you think about Korea, now that you have been here for 7 weeks? 

Korea is the soul of Asia. It truly is a beautiful country and people here are all nice, welcoming, and warm. Even on the streets people are willing to help me find directions. Sometimes in Paris people are so busy with their lives that they often forget to help others. Seoul is definitely a city that never sleeps; it is so different from Paris because shops usually close early. However, in Seoul a lot of shops and stores are open late into the night. Also, the food is amazing. In Paris I ate Chinese food so I was not cautious about trying Korean food. I also really like spicy food so my favorite Korean food is army stew.

12.What is your most memorable thing about Korea? 

The most memorable thing about Korea is the architecture. How the old traditional houses beautifully blend in with nature. In Paris you cannot see buildings and nature together but, in Korea you can see the culture within the city. In Korea, tradition and modernization have a good balance.

13. After working here what kind of place do you think VANK is? 

To me VANK is home and family. My experience here has been greatly shaped by these amazing people. Everyone here is like family and I was honored to have been part of it.

14.Is there any last words you would like to say to VANK? 

I would like to say I will miss everyone here. Time went by too fast and I will always remember my time here. I’m sad to leave but I want to say I love you VANK family.

Chen zhijun (Rebecca) – China

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

I am Rebecca, a student in the University of International Business and Economy in China. My major is e-commerce. I am very interested in Korean history and culture. I am an intern in VANK during this winter holiday.

2. How did you start interning at VANK?

I’ve always wanted to know about Korea, but I thought traveling is a limited way. I tried to find another way as volunteering or interning in Korea. While I told Aiesecers about my thoughts, they introduced the VANK. I searched on the website and found it very interesting. That’s how I applied for the internship.

3. What are your duties as an intern?

The first was the cultural exchange between Korea and China. I would first learn about Korean culture and history and then, I’d like to introduce Chinese culture to Korean friends. I would also analyze the similarities and differences between Korea and China. Additionally, I would find information about what do Chinese think of Korea especially on the website. By the way, My everyday work is not only to watch videos from ‘Friendly Korean Community’ and submit video for each video, but also teach some Chinese characters.

4. Was your internship experience as you expected? Why or why not?

I think it is the internship experience I expected. I applied for VANK because VANK is an organization which includes history, culture and international relationship. On the VANK website,   I read many VANK stories and knew more about the work in VANK.  Now I am working here for two weeks and quickly used to working here. I think I can create some experience by myself to let the next intern be more easier.

5. What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

It is the first time I have been an intern in another country’s organization. There are too many things I need to learn. The first I need to learn how to express my thoughts about the whole team accurately. The second is to learn to think various perspectives of others. Sometimes I will meet some Korean people who don’t know the relationship about Taiwan and China. Although it is easy for me to know Taiwan belongs to China, I need to understand them and tell them the truth patiently.

6. Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

In the short term I want to know more about Korean culture. I wonder why Korea and China has these historial problems and figure out what I can do for relationship of Korea and China. I also want to analyze similarities and differences between Korea and China. In the long term, I want to introduce Korean culture to my Chinese friends and change the wrong opinions about Korea of my friends.

Agnieszka Michalczyk – Poland

1. Please give a brief introduction of yourself.

Hello, my name is Agnieszka. I’m from Poland and I’m studying Korean Language and Culture in Warsaw University.  I am very eager to get an experience here in VANK.

2. How did you start interning at VANK?

My friend from AIESEC introduced me a project with VANK. Since I really wanted to visit Korea, know about Korea more and in the same time not just travel but also do something I decided to apply. I read some articles and VANK’s webpage and felt it would be really interesting to work with VANK. I applied and got accepted so here I am J

3. What were your duties as an intern?

I am still doing my internship and my work is in progress. I was trying to find some similarities and differences between Poland and Korea. I have to say it’s a hard thing to do, especially to find similarities. I think European countries are really different from any part of Asia. But! It’s very interesting to compare Polish and Korean culture when they are so different and when I find something similar it’s such a surprise!

My second part is finding historical bond of sympathy between Korea and Poland. Poland has some similarities in history, especially about relations with Russia. I think it’s very similar to Korea and Japan. During long period of time we had very difficult relations with Russia. We lost our independence and got divided between three countries. Then during World War II we also had some issues with Russia. Now political relations are very difficult.

Third part of my work is checking Polish websites about Korea. Nowadays people are more and more interested in Korea and young people especially, are creating websites about Korean music, food, culture.

Also I have to write articles about me working in VANK once a week and everyday watch 3 videos and write about them. This part gives me a chance to learn about Korea.

4. Was your internship experience as you expected? Why or why not?

So far it’s more than I expected! I thought work would be tough and dull but it’s very interesting. People here are nice and helpful. I have a chance to experience Korea, learn and know more about not only culture but also history. I can’t say much now since I am on the internship only two weeks so far but I hope the work will be as interesting as it is now.

5. What have you gained from your experience as an intern?

I got to experience not only working in office but also attending lectures, speaking in front of camera. I learned about Korean history, culture, maybe I will get some idea for my future thesis. I’m still waiting for experience to gain here!

6. Describe some of your short-term and long-term goals.

My short-term goal would be finishing my studies in two years and getting a job, I hope in Korea. I hope to pass my exams which are in 5 weeks well and gain some confidence in speaking Korean.  Later, after getting my degree I plan to take a diplomacy course and maybe get a job in that area.

My long-term goals are very simple because I just dream about having family and being able to buy nice flat. So I will work hard to be able to start a family!