Growing through the KF’s Korean Language Training Fellowship
SIP Daro
Korean Language Instructor at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Center
1. Please briefly introduce yourself.
Greetings, I am Daro, a Cambodian instructor of Korean. After graduating from the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s (RUPP) Department of Korean Language, I have been teaching Korean at RUPP’s Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Center (CKCC). The CKCC was established with the support of the Korean government. I applied for the KF’s Korean Language Training Fellowship in July 2022 and was selected as a recipient in December of the same year. I am currently levelling up my Korean at the Sogang University Korean Language Education Center in Seoul.
2. How did you feel when you were chosen for the KF Fellowship?
In mid-November, I received an email notifying me that I had passed the first round of screening, the document review. However, I was so busy with my classes that I could not confirm the mail on time. The KF official in charge of the program personally called me to share the good news and also contacted my office and the professor who had written up a recommendation for my application. After confirming the email, I could go on to have the interview for the final selection. Were it not for the KF official who went out of their way to contact me, I may have missed the interview. Upon receiving the final email that said I had been selected for the fellowship, I was extremely happy. I felt that it was the greatest gift of 2022, a reward for my hectic life that year.
3. How has your Korean language training been in Korea? What is the most memorable thing about your stay in Korea?
I used to teach Korean in Cambodia but experienced conversational difficulties, as I was rarely able to meet and communicate with Koreans. After a semester of Korean language training on the KF Fellowship, I noticed that my command of Korean has improved remarkably. I cannot say that I speak Korean as well as a native speaker, but I am sure that my skills have grown tremendously. Now, I can freely converse with my Korean friends and teachers without feeling uncomfortable or tense.
The most memorable thing about my sojourn in Korea so far are the visits to places I have longed to see for some time—Jeju Island and Busan. There, I could experience aspects of Korean culture that differ from the comparatively well-known culture of Seoul. Another wonderful thing is befriending fellows from other countries. Some of them have since returned home after completing their training here, but I miss them and keep in touch, with the hopes of continuing our friendship. As I look forward to crossing paths again in the Korea-related field, I am doing my best to adapt to the Korean way of life, which differs vastly from that of my homeland Cambodia.
4. Are there any plans and goals you want to carry out after completing the KF Fellowship?
I have always longed to become an educator. After completing the KF Fellowship, I will return to Cambodia to continue working as a Korean language instructor. If possible, I would like to come back to Korea and further my studies with a master’s course at a Korean university. After acquiring a master’s degree in Korean language, I hope to go back to Cambodia and become a Korean language professor at a Cambodian university. Such goals may be hard to put into practice, but they have been on my mind for some time and I will make my utmost efforts to realize them.
5. Are there any merits of the KF’s Korean Language Training Fellowship that make you recommend the program to others?
Yes. First, you can develop your Korean language ability in a short period of time. Second, you can visit famous places in Korea and experience culture that you might never be able to experience back home. Third, you can study and get together with fellow students from around the world. Fourth, you can attend classes conducted by excellent, devoted teachers. Fifth, you can gain a deeper understanding of Korean culture and history, and thus develop your Korea-related interests and goals in a more focused manner. Because of these merits, I highly recommend the KF’s Korean Language Training Fellowship to those eager to improve their Korean language skills and experience life in Korea. I hope they will make the effort to look up the information concerned and apply for the fellowship. Thank you.
KOREA FOUNDATION
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