What makes someone special? What do you think is the most important quality that makes one person different from others?
Look at TV. So many successful people tell us that they are not like us. Some have talent. Some have wealthy families. Some have intelligence, and some have fortunes. Haven’t you ever thought: Why am I so ordinary? If you say yes, The Ajou Globe (AG) wants to give you the opportunity to ponder what “ordinary” really means.
Kim Su-gyeong is a student from the University of Suwon. More specifically, she is a freshman who majors in International Development Cooperation. It is the only specialized major related to that field at a Korean university. The theme for her is “effort,” which some might say is a cliché. However, she chooses this way to go forward on the road to becoming extraordinary.
Q. What is your major about?
A. It trains international experts who can provide professional assistance to nations and people.
Q. International aid workers are required in various fields. As your major has such a broad aim, you must have to study a range of subjects quite comprehensively.
A. Since I am a freshman, I am still in the preliminary stages. When I become a sophomore, I will begin to study the overall field.
Q. What, in your life, has influenced you to choose this major?
A. I experienced a family trouble when I was in middle school. It made me feel like the least happy person in the whole world. But while I was having a hard time, there were people suffering from the earthquake in Haiti. They were a lot more unfortunate than I was. It actually was an incomparable disaster. Seeing so many children who had suddenly lost their homes, parents, and the hope of having happy lives, I felt that I had a lot to be grateful for. I realized that many people suddenly fall victim to something against their will, and that it happens quite often. So I thought if there was someone in urgent need of help, I should become the one who gives support.
Q. What is your dream?
A. It is not something that people can easily give a name to, like a lawyer or a doctor. The role is often called: “International Solidarity Activist.” One day, I came across a book by an author who works for an international NGO. And it was the right job, the one I wanted to do.
Q. Why is that?
A. The cases they cover are related more to individuals and groups than to countries. Because they value protecting and improving the human rights of every single person in a miserable situation, they can rather be anti-government.
Q. In what way can they be anti-government?
A. For instance, they sometimes have to attack government policies. Such policies can be the main cause of disastrous situations. Or they can just be absurd.
Q. So, you want to be closer to the cause, don’t you?
A. Yes. I want to handle essential problems. While it is very important to assist at the scene in an emergency, as volunteers do, I think a more fundamental approach involves exploring all sides of the issue and solving internal problems. This is why I dream about working in the background of emergencies, rather than at the scene itself.
Q. What was the most unforgettable experience you encountered in the course of pursuing your dream?
A. I joined the Model UN club, where high school students learn how an international conference is conducted among each nation’s representatives. There was no such club in Gyeongsangbuk-do at that time, so I created one with my friend.
Q. You organized it yourselves, right?
A. Yes. We ran the club for a year. Usually 3–5 people take one specific country but ours was a small group, so each person took a country and studied its national issues and crises. After that, we gathered to discuss how to solve all of the problems in different countries. It was helpful for me, in that I was able to give shape to my dream and to share it with others. After our group, many similar ones followed. I have heard that they are now very active.
Q. You prepared for your future dream in high school and succeeded in taking the course you had dreamed of. How about another dream? Every high school student dreams about campus life. Now, as a freshman, you are really experiencing it. How is it?
A. I was disappointed. It is less free than I expected. It seemed like the start of another round of daily routines. Moreover, I am leaning economics now and it is quite hard for me. But meanwhile, there are also many things that make me hopeful.
Q. What are they?
A. As my major is specialized, I can easily meet people who sympathize with my dream; we share it together. There will also be valuable opportunities to meet many experts. And setting aside my major, during my university years, I look forward to learning about how the people I come to know live their lives.
Q. Finally, what would you say to the AG readers?
A. I believe there may be some students in Ajou University who are also interested in international development. I want to introduce “4U day” to them. 4U is an international development study group. It is held every Saturday and gives a special lecture once a month. Lectures are open to all university students who want to listen. We have a Facebook homepage (www.facebook.com/the4u2010), so you can check event details. I think it would be a good chance to meet and exchange views with other interesting students!
joohi@ajou.ac.kr