There is a saying that you unconsciously become a "fervent patriot" abroad. It shows how lonesome and difficult it is to live on foreign land. People with stories that will arouse sympathy among those who lived abroad for a long time are also here on Kookmin Univ. campus. Those people are "Kookmin Univ. international students." School life is especially more difficult for freshmen students. We met Zandraabal Gantuya (Business '10) from Mongolia and listened to her Kookmin Univ. life.

People usually go through "five steps" of emotion in living abroad for a long period of time. Everything is new and interesting at step 1. One or two disadvantages start to pop up at step 2. And then at step 3 one becomes used to foreign life but feels intense homesickness. At step 4, the longing gets deeper and one feels like giving up everything and returning to his/her motherland. Finally, at step 5, one becomes perfectly assimilated to foreign life just the way it is.
We asked Gantuya, who has lived nearly two years in Korea, which step she seems to be standing on. After giving it a deep thought, she answered, "Step 5." Now a veteran in Korea life.


Gantuya as a Kookmin Univ. International Student

However, as an international student, there are many difficulties Gantuya has to face in living in Korea. As other Mongolian students studying at Kookmin Univ. would probably agree, Gantuya spoke of her difficulties in class. "Taking classes is so difficult. With my short understanding compared to Korean students, the class moves on to the next discussion even before I fully understand. It's so difficult to catch up." Gantuya also added that it would be very helpful if textbooks are written in an easier manner. One other thing we learned while interviewing Gantuya is the fact that the tuition in Mongolia is only about a million won. Gantuya, who thus far felt burdened by the school tuition, will receive a scholarship next semester. She expressed gratitude remarking that the scholarship was possible thanks to Kookmin Univ.'s scholarship criteria that is not so strict on international students.

If you actually run into Gantuya on campus, you will probably find it difficult to tell whether she is Korean or Mongolian. 90% of Koreans and Mongolians have Mongolian spot and the two are known to be the closest on the genetic chromosome map. Also, the Mongolian language is similar to the Korean language in word order and structure of consonants and vowels. Thus, Koreans and Mongolians are quick in learning each other's language. Gantuya remarked that her secret in quickly adapting to Korean life and learning the Korean language was the fact that Korea and Mongolia is much more similar than we think.



Gantuya's Dream

"As I keep on studying in Korea, I feel my shortages. After graduating, I hope to further study English and receive my Master's or Ph.D. degree in Europe. And then I will go back to Mongolia and start a business combining culture and advanced education that I would have learned until then." Gantuya, who looked bright and somewhat naïve, was actually quite an academic and ambitious student with her future systematically planned. She also spoke of her aspiration to further introduce Mongolia to Korea believing that exchanges between the two countries are still not so active.

Kind students and considerate professors of Kookmin Univ. were big help to Gantuya while she went through tough times in Korea. In fact, Gantuya became close with professors and classmates through twitter sharing ideas on her classes. She was able to easily adapt to Kookmin Univ. life thanks to those classmates who came up to her first. They started conversations with her and helped her out with difficult matters. Think about it. Don't you feel most glad when somebody comes up to talk to you when you are all alone in an unfamiliar situation? This is probably how all international students feel studying away from home. What about going up to an international student eating alone? Or why don't you lend a helping hand to an international student dozing off in class unable to understand the coursework? You will be able to practice how to understand and care others. And it will be a great experience to meet foreign friends and learn of their culture and language.