Handong Column 1
"What's your name?"
"I'm Josh."
"What's your major? Where you from?"
"I study history. I go to LeTourneau University in Texas."
My new acquaintance raises an eyebrow. "What are you doing at Handong?"
That's the beginning of a few dozen conversations I've had with students of Handong Global University, a growing Christian college on the eastern coast of South Korea. In many respects, the school is very Western, with some classes in English, an English-speaking campus church and an American-style graduate law school.
Many of the students at Handong have traveled extensively, often to the United States, so they find it curious that an American student would come to Korea.
It's a similarity this college has with LeTourneau University. I've heard, deep from the recesses of Thomas Hall, complaints about Longview or the unpredictable Texas weather. Handong students complain just as often about Pohang and the constant wind. "It's not really Korea," they say. It brings up an interesting point: cultures are sometimes more ingrained than people think.
****************************
I arrived in Korea on March 5. It almost seems that Korea began in San Francisco, because of so many Asian passengers flying with me. At the airport in Pohang, I quite literally bumped into the other American exchange student that I know of, a guy named Jordan from Cedarville University. We rode to campus, and the next day, classes began.
Handong Global University has about 3200 students, and, as I'm sure many LETU readers are interested in knowing, a 3/2 guy/girl ratio. The largest academic department on campus is the English and international studies department. Most of the professors in that department are foreign, with an especially large number from Canada and the United States.
Korean students are generally required to learn English in addition to their Korean classes beginning in middle school, but many choose to continue business, English or international studies through college.
I've been able to interact with the department by becoming an English discussion group tutor. Native English speakers and especially Americans are in high demand to teach English. As of this writing, the classes are still being signed up, but soon I look forward to this sort of informal teaching.
I came to Handong expecting most students to speak English quite well. That's a slight exaggeration. Many do, but there are many others who speak it quite poorly. I showed up at the auditions meeting for the campus' rock club, and decided not to come again, despite my interest, because the only English I heard from the club was one student's rendition of "One Last Breath" by Creed.
Another comical example is that I've heard more than one Korean student describe themselves as "unique." I've had to stifle a laugh at their pronunciation: "I am a eunuch person."
Beyond speech mistakes, there are naturally a few other cultural differences. Forks are non-existent in the cafeteria, so my chopstick skills have come a long way, having to pick up rice.
The most difficult food to pick up with chopsticks is a mixture of seaweed and carrots. It's very slimy and wants to slip right off the chopsticks. Kimchi, a traditional Korean food of pickled and spiced cabbages, accompanies essentially every meal, including Domino's pizza.
Shoes are not to be worn in the dormitory. A series of cabinets are provided to store your shoes when coming inside.
Handong has some similarities to our school. Like LETU, students enjoy eating together and absolutely will not permit a foreigner like myself to eat alone. The International House, where I stay, is the newest dormitory, and like LETU's Davis Hall, houses men and women on different floors.
Classes usually begin with a devotional, but are not required to do so as at LETU. A typical class load is 18-21 hours, with 18 hours being the required minimum. Compared with American schools, that is a heavy load, but Handong students still seem to have plenty of time for fun.
My roommates enjoy watching movies and playing sports. One them, a sophomore from the Dem. Republic of Congo, enjoys his favorite show "24" and plays soccer every weekend. My other roommate, an ex-medic for the Korean army, plays tennis and the Korean version of Counter Strike, called "Sudden Attack!"
Students wear western clothes, but I was interested to note the little differences. For guys, pink is the fashion color for spring. Actually, my Korean roommate has pink shirts, pink blankets in his bed and a pink scooter that he drives around campus. Needless to say, Jordan and I won't stop kidding him for that. Girls seems to like high heels or boots.
****************************
Handong's surrounding landscape is beautiful. It's mountainous, with towns or farmland filling the few flat areas. The land is covered in short pines, so even in winter the hills are evergreen. Campus is just a few miles from the ocean, which I see on the occasional bus ride into town.
Pohang is a town of a few hundred thousand, packed very tightly into numerous small houses or apartment buildings. The country's largest, world-famous steel factory POSCO is almost its own city: a massive complex of pipes, smoke stacks and huge buildings near the ocean.
Pohang has lots of neon signs at night, with tiny shops and alleys leading into areas with small street vendors. Road traffic is very heavy, but broad sidewalks and well-maintained street signals keep the pedestrians safe.
English class selection at the university is rather limited, but I managed to find 16 hours that will transfer. My favorite class is Korean history, which many students find dry. I can understand their reasoning, since talk of Wiman Choson or the Three Kingdoms simply doesn't excite most people, but for me, the teacher makes all the difference.
Prof. Duvernay is an American who has lived in Korea for many years. He married a Korean and many local students say he is more Korean than they. His excitement and understanding of students are infectious; when he sensed students becoming bored with lectures he mixed up the class to have "tedious Tuesdays" for lecturing and "fabulous Fridays" for more interesting activities.
This last Friday, Prof. Duvernay took us to a sparsely used side of campus to demonstrate one of his favorite hobbies: traditional Korean archery. In practice, it is not so different from the archery I practiced at Boy Scout camp, but I did get to fire a homemade bamboo bow.
Prof. Duvernay, of course, put any of the archery students to shame by popping arrows through the target with a 50-pound-draw bow. I am, of course, interested in what he intends for the future fabulousness of Fridays.
It is tempting to say that life in a new place is fun and easy all the time, but honesty compels me to say that is not true. Coming alone is hard. I've met many people, but remembering so many unfamiliar names is difficult.
People routinely greet me by name and I grin with a “Hello!” in response, but I think, "I have no idea who you are." Or, when I do remember a face, I think, "I know who you are, and I care about you!" but that seems to lack sincerity if you don't remember the name.
****************************
On the other hand, the novelty and freshness of Handong is exciting. This is a new university, still building, growing and finding its place in South Korea. Professors come from across the world to teach here, not because the pay is wonderful (in fact, professors had to work without pay a few years ago, during a short financial crisis) but because they genuinely care.
I can see in the attitudes and styles of a few of my professors that they do not look out at a classroom of students and see another day at work. They see a mission field, and that added factor lends earnestness to their teaching.
My other American teacher, Prof. DeVries, teaches American Society from Historical Perspective. He grew up in a tiny town in South Dakota, and with a few other details about his background, I was interested in what had brought him to Handong. The university's motto is “Why not change the world?” and rather than shrugging at that, Prof. DeVries does it.
I was especially struck by a moment in our last class, when he spoke, clutching five large volumes on societal issues, with a basic timeline of western civilization on the board behind him.
I'm sure he never planned that pose, but I was impressed by the image of this man speaking with obvious passion about the roots of American society in western civilization. “He cares,” I thought, “About bringing this to Korean students who haven't heard much of it before.” He was there to make a difference.
So why am I at Handong? I came, at least initially, for the cultural experience, and though that is a worthy enough goal, it seems very self-centered. God has a way of changing us and our expectations, either in new situations near home or across an ocean.
Perhaps in this new foreign exchange agreement and others like it, God intends to change our schools into more globally-minded, and Christ-centered, institutions.
If you would like to see more pictures of the campus and the surrounding landscape, please visit the "flickr" link off of my blog at http://ludwhig.blogspot.com/.
"I'm Josh."
"What's your major? Where you from?"
"I study history. I go to LeTourneau University in Texas."
My new acquaintance raises an eyebrow. "What are you doing at Handong?"
That's the beginning of a few dozen conversations I've had with students of Handong Global University, a growing Christian college on the eastern coast of South Korea. In many respects, the school is very Western, with some classes in English, an English-speaking campus church and an American-style graduate law school.
Many of the students at Handong have traveled extensively, often to the United States, so they find it curious that an American student would come to Korea.
It's a similarity this college has with LeTourneau University. I've heard, deep from the recesses of Thomas Hall, complaints about Longview or the unpredictable Texas weather. Handong students complain just as often about Pohang and the constant wind. "It's not really Korea," they say. It brings up an interesting point: cultures are sometimes more ingrained than people think.
****************************
I arrived in Korea on March 5. It almost seems that Korea began in San Francisco, because of so many Asian passengers flying with me. At the airport in Pohang, I quite literally bumped into the other American exchange student that I know of, a guy named Jordan from Cedarville University. We rode to campus, and the next day, classes began.
Handong Global University has about 3200 students, and, as I'm sure many LETU readers are interested in knowing, a 3/2 guy/girl ratio. The largest academic department on campus is the English and international studies department. Most of the professors in that department are foreign, with an especially large number from Canada and the United States.
Korean students are generally required to learn English in addition to their Korean classes beginning in middle school, but many choose to continue business, English or international studies through college.
I've been able to interact with the department by becoming an English discussion group tutor. Native English speakers and especially Americans are in high demand to teach English. As of this writing, the classes are still being signed up, but soon I look forward to this sort of informal teaching.
I came to Handong expecting most students to speak English quite well. That's a slight exaggeration. Many do, but there are many others who speak it quite poorly. I showed up at the auditions meeting for the campus' rock club, and decided not to come again, despite my interest, because the only English I heard from the club was one student's rendition of "One Last Breath" by Creed.
Another comical example is that I've heard more than one Korean student describe themselves as "unique." I've had to stifle a laugh at their pronunciation: "I am a eunuch person."
Beyond speech mistakes, there are naturally a few other cultural differences. Forks are non-existent in the cafeteria, so my chopstick skills have come a long way, having to pick up rice.
The most difficult food to pick up with chopsticks is a mixture of seaweed and carrots. It's very slimy and wants to slip right off the chopsticks. Kimchi, a traditional Korean food of pickled and spiced cabbages, accompanies essentially every meal, including Domino's pizza.
Shoes are not to be worn in the dormitory. A series of cabinets are provided to store your shoes when coming inside.
Handong has some similarities to our school. Like LETU, students enjoy eating together and absolutely will not permit a foreigner like myself to eat alone. The International House, where I stay, is the newest dormitory, and like LETU's Davis Hall, houses men and women on different floors.
Classes usually begin with a devotional, but are not required to do so as at LETU. A typical class load is 18-21 hours, with 18 hours being the required minimum. Compared with American schools, that is a heavy load, but Handong students still seem to have plenty of time for fun.
My roommates enjoy watching movies and playing sports. One them, a sophomore from the Dem. Republic of Congo, enjoys his favorite show "24" and plays soccer every weekend. My other roommate, an ex-medic for the Korean army, plays tennis and the Korean version of Counter Strike, called "Sudden Attack!"
Students wear western clothes, but I was interested to note the little differences. For guys, pink is the fashion color for spring. Actually, my Korean roommate has pink shirts, pink blankets in his bed and a pink scooter that he drives around campus. Needless to say, Jordan and I won't stop kidding him for that. Girls seems to like high heels or boots.
****************************
Handong's surrounding landscape is beautiful. It's mountainous, with towns or farmland filling the few flat areas. The land is covered in short pines, so even in winter the hills are evergreen. Campus is just a few miles from the ocean, which I see on the occasional bus ride into town.
Pohang is a town of a few hundred thousand, packed very tightly into numerous small houses or apartment buildings. The country's largest, world-famous steel factory POSCO is almost its own city: a massive complex of pipes, smoke stacks and huge buildings near the ocean.
Pohang has lots of neon signs at night, with tiny shops and alleys leading into areas with small street vendors. Road traffic is very heavy, but broad sidewalks and well-maintained street signals keep the pedestrians safe.
English class selection at the university is rather limited, but I managed to find 16 hours that will transfer. My favorite class is Korean history, which many students find dry. I can understand their reasoning, since talk of Wiman Choson or the Three Kingdoms simply doesn't excite most people, but for me, the teacher makes all the difference.
Prof. Duvernay is an American who has lived in Korea for many years. He married a Korean and many local students say he is more Korean than they. His excitement and understanding of students are infectious; when he sensed students becoming bored with lectures he mixed up the class to have "tedious Tuesdays" for lecturing and "fabulous Fridays" for more interesting activities.
This last Friday, Prof. Duvernay took us to a sparsely used side of campus to demonstrate one of his favorite hobbies: traditional Korean archery. In practice, it is not so different from the archery I practiced at Boy Scout camp, but I did get to fire a homemade bamboo bow.
Prof. Duvernay, of course, put any of the archery students to shame by popping arrows through the target with a 50-pound-draw bow. I am, of course, interested in what he intends for the future fabulousness of Fridays.
It is tempting to say that life in a new place is fun and easy all the time, but honesty compels me to say that is not true. Coming alone is hard. I've met many people, but remembering so many unfamiliar names is difficult.
People routinely greet me by name and I grin with a “Hello!” in response, but I think, "I have no idea who you are." Or, when I do remember a face, I think, "I know who you are, and I care about you!" but that seems to lack sincerity if you don't remember the name.
****************************
On the other hand, the novelty and freshness of Handong is exciting. This is a new university, still building, growing and finding its place in South Korea. Professors come from across the world to teach here, not because the pay is wonderful (in fact, professors had to work without pay a few years ago, during a short financial crisis) but because they genuinely care.
I can see in the attitudes and styles of a few of my professors that they do not look out at a classroom of students and see another day at work. They see a mission field, and that added factor lends earnestness to their teaching.
My other American teacher, Prof. DeVries, teaches American Society from Historical Perspective. He grew up in a tiny town in South Dakota, and with a few other details about his background, I was interested in what had brought him to Handong. The university's motto is “Why not change the world?” and rather than shrugging at that, Prof. DeVries does it.
I was especially struck by a moment in our last class, when he spoke, clutching five large volumes on societal issues, with a basic timeline of western civilization on the board behind him.
I'm sure he never planned that pose, but I was impressed by the image of this man speaking with obvious passion about the roots of American society in western civilization. “He cares,” I thought, “About bringing this to Korean students who haven't heard much of it before.” He was there to make a difference.
So why am I at Handong? I came, at least initially, for the cultural experience, and though that is a worthy enough goal, it seems very self-centered. God has a way of changing us and our expectations, either in new situations near home or across an ocean.
Perhaps in this new foreign exchange agreement and others like it, God intends to change our schools into more globally-minded, and Christ-centered, institutions.
If you would like to see more pictures of the campus and the surrounding landscape, please visit the "flickr" link off of my blog at http://ludwhig.blogspot.com/.
