Registering for courses is the most important thing that students have to do before the semester starts because it affects the whole upcoming semester. Therefore, I have been always nervous when I sign up for courses. Moreover, when I enrolled in classes at the University of South Bohemia (USB) in the Czech Republic which I attended last semester as an exchange student, I was much more nervous and spent so much time considering which classes to take since it was the first time being an exchange student in another country for me.

Taking an International Understanding Class
    While I was considering course registration, my friends recommended that I take Intercultural Understanding for exchange students. It was the class for intercultural understanding. I decided to take this course since I like courses related to cultures and I thought it would be helpful for me to make many good international friends. As a result, what I thought was right and taking the course was the best choice for me.
    During the classes that were usually about various cultures, we usually had some conversations and discussions about cultures and we also played some games to learn, experience and understand them better. As a pair work project, we made an oral presentation for comparing cultures. My team members included me, a Spanish girl named Nerea and a Japanese girl named Yukino. We compared our food, traditional clothes, music and traditional holidays. It was a great time since I could introduce Korean culture to international friends and I also could learn about the other countries’ cultures.

Gaining Valuable Experiences through the Class
    I was able to participate in USB’s international food festival because of this class. I prepared about seven or eight packs of Chapagetti which is a Korean famous jajang ramen for the festival. It was quite a big amount since the very big pot was full of it. I was worried about leftovers, but it ran out first since it was so popular among the international people. I was not only proud of myself and Korea but also regretted not making more food. It remains with me as a very precious memory.
    I also made a presentation about being an exchange student at USB. Professor Vera who made an Intercultural Understanding class asked me to do a presentation about it when the other international universities’ faculty members came to USB. I was very nervous when I was asked to do it since it was an important chance to introduce USB to other international universities. Therefore, I prepared hard for it with my friends and I could finish it successfully with my friends’ help, fortunately.

Why Was It the Best Choice?
    Taking the ‘Intercultural Understanding’ course was the best choice for me. There are some reasons why I think that. At first, I could learn about various cultures vividly. It was possible since I could experience and understand them directly from local friends who took the class with me. Secondly, not only could I learn about other cultures, but also I could introduce and present proud Korean culture to my international friends. Lastly, the happiest thing about the class is that I made precious international friends. I could learn that we can be real friends regardless of our nationalities because of this class.
 

By Park Seon-ah, Senior, Dept. of English Language and Literature