Two upper-level English major students, Kim Hye Min and Park Kyung Jin, participated in the 2013 ASEAN Youth Camp at Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin in Thailand. The aim of the camp was to build friendships by cultivating a better understanding and appreciation of various cultures. Students participated in many educational, cultural, social, and environmental activities. Some of Kim Hye Min’s thoughts on the program have been translated below.
Thirty students from nine Asian countries participated in this camp. We began our experience by attending lectures on Leadership, Public Speaking and an Introduction to the ASEAN Mission. These were given by leading Thai professors. We also visited a lot of tourist attractions, including many famous Buddhist temples. The temples in Thailand are very sparkly compared to those here in Korea. On our excursions we tasted authentic Thai cuisine from the local markets. This really helped prepare us for our Thai cooking classes back at the university.
One highlight of the camp was that every evening we would gather with other students at RMUTR to share our perceptions of Thailand. The participants also took turns talking about their native country’s culture, including its traditional dances. These cultural exchanges were incredibly interesting to me.
These two weeks of my life just flew by like a dream! When it was time to say goodbye, we cried with both sorrow and joy. We were sad about having to say goodbye, but we were also happy about having created so many fond memories with a lot of amazing people. We parted with the promise of meeting again in our future.