When I came to Korea, a multitude of things happened simultaneously. It was exciting and challenging. During the first few weeks, I had to face a language barrier but fortunately, there is a Korean Buddy System provided by Chonnam National University (CNU). I was assigned to a helpful and friendly Korean buddy. She helped me a lot when I had registered for courses and submitted a dormitory registration. The orientation program held by the university was fun and filled with many international students. All the procedures including alien card registration were well instructed by the staff of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and the university provided a very comfortable room for students with unlimited Internet access.
     CNU has various class scheduling modules and its members are very friendly to foreign students. Many courses are conducted in English so that international students have a variety of course choices. I chose three courses including Korean Language and Culture. I found that teachers were very responsible, helpful and responsive to students. At the same time, they were very professional with high standards. Korean language courses were arduous in the beginning but it helped me to read Korean words as well as to communicate with Korean people on a daily basis and in simple conversation. Besides that, I enjoyed the time of learning Korean culture in another subject which is Korean Folklore. In this course, international students were required to deliver a presentation on cultural differences and similarities between their own country and Korea. Preparing for my presentation and from classmates’ presentations, I learned about other countries' cultures and have a better understanding about Korean culture.
    I would like to mention about the intensive Korean language course provided for exchange students, just how thoughtful the university was, this course gave me an opportunity to learn the Korean language fast and enables us to experience the country in a more wholesome way. Furthermore, my classmates chosen from around the world were smart and also very friendly and helpful. During our studies together and doing homework in groups, I was motivated from their positive and professional attitude.
     The OIA, were very warm and helpful, and they were always organizing different activities such as festivals, trips and parties. I joined the International Food Festival and enjoyed so much with this participation. It was great for me to promote my country's culture and food to Koreans and foreigners. We, the Malaysian Team, were voted as one of the most favourable teams during the festival. In addition, I have joined several trips organized by the university. It was a wonderful experience as I had an opportunity to visit many places in Korea with Korean tour guides. Now, I have a better understanding about the background and history of the places in Korea. Through the four months of my stay in Korea, I was amazed everyday at the hospitality and friendliness of the Korean people.
     To conclude, my exchange student life at CNU in Korea has broadened my mind. It has allowed me to see that there is another world out there besides the world I have lived in. I established friendships, gained academic skills, developed my personal capabilities, and explored a different culture and language. It equipped me with more knowledge and experiences and made me become more confident and independent.
 

By Tan Wan Qing, Exchange Student, Malaysia