I am a Chinese foreign student who is doing a Master program at KMU. The past one and a half years has seemed so long and tough to me. Nonetheless, I am going to graduate in another half a year.

Entering the 4th semester has gradually painted my boring student life with colors, and so. I think that we foreigners need at least a year to adapt to the local life-style.

As I remember, my college life was almost like this: In the afternoon, I usually go to the laboratory to have lunch with my labmates. That is the best time for me to experience Korean culture. It is because Koreans prefer to share their actual life experiences over a meal or gathering for membership training. This kind of sharing usually never happens in normal circumstances.

In the evening, I work as a dormitory assistant. In the international students°Ø dormitory, there are students from all over the world. We have students from China, Japan, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Although we have different customs and cultures, we still can live peacefully under one roof. This has made our work load much lighter and easier.

Our dormitory has also organized some events. One of the notable ones is 'Foreign Student's Day'. On that special day, we invite students for a sightseeing tour or sports activities to bridge the cultural gap and build friendships between Korean and foreign students. These kinds of activities give foreigners a better understanding about Koreans and their traditional culture.

Compared to China, English is more common in Korea. There are many Chinese students who are not able to speak Korean well. They usually feel very helpless when they are in an unfamiliar place. They are afraid of getting lost outside and cannot recognize the way back to the university.

Recently, I am very enthusiastic about learning English. Whenever I meet English speakers, I try to practice with them. Although I am speaking one word at a time, I'm getting better. Another reason to learn English is because I hope to find a job in Korea. I found out that most large Korean companies prefer to hire people who are fluent in English. Therefore, I have to work hard to meet their demand.

KMU is surrounded by mountains, and that is one of the attractions of our university. If you feel tired or bored, you can walk into the mountains to breathe the fresh air, and at the same time, you can get a great view of our Seongbuk-gu town from the top. Unfortunately, due to the spread of the new influenza H1N1, students rarely hang out with friends, and the bustling campus has become quiet now.

Last week, I went to the hospital for a physical checkup because I was not feeling well. What surprised me was the examination fee which cost me more than 330,000won. Before this, I had heard about the overpriced medical care in Korean hospitals, but I never expected it to be that much! Fortunately, the examination result shows that I am healthy and tested negative against the virus, so I feel more relief after that. When I got back to the dorm, many friends came over to ask about my condition and send their warmest regards to me. Suddenly, I felt so warm and touched.

This incident has made me question. How do other students go to the hospital for a health check or communicate with the doctor if they do not speak Korean?

Studying is important, but if we do not have a healthy body, we cannot learn efficiently. I think that the precautions taken by our university are not sufficient to battle H1N1. I hope that KMU can pay more attention to these kinds of details and provide additional care for foreign students. I have never regretted entering this university to pursue my studies, but sometimes I feel disappointed with the lack of understanding. After all, KMU doesn’t have much experience handling international students.

I hope that international students do not give up their studies easily when they face problems and challenges. I hope everyone can graduate with flying colors and return to their country with some good memories.

THE KOOKMIN REVIEW No.214