These days, it is frequently seen that many university students come and go abroad without hesitation. Traveling on the European continent continues to be an object of adoration for university students and will probably continue to be so with future generations of students as well. In this era of globalization, accelerated by the development of information & transportation technology, opportunities to visit other countries have taken on greater significance. In fact they are one of the things most highly recommended to university students.
    CNU students are no exception to this phenomenon. University authorities have strongly promoted the expansion of overseas exchange. Simultaneously, the perception of foreign countries among CNU students has become more and more favorable. Actually overseas language training before graduation is regarded as a natural rite of passage to enter society.
    At this point, recently released statistics by the Bank of Korea (BOK) deserve critical consideration. According to the statistics, the total amount of travel expenditure during the first half of this year was recorded at more than 8.5 billion US dollars. Of it, 2.4 billion dollars were spent by university students just studying the English language. This figure is pinpointed as the pain cause of the current account deficit. So, it is time for university students including those at CNU to consider economically the desirability of going abroad just for language study.
    The money being spent on an opportunity to learn something new is not an object of blame in this argument. However, the extent of what one gets from the experience should be debated. Surely, going abroad itself gives students unique experience and broadens their horizon in the global context. CNU authorities do seem to focus on this point. However, attention should also be paid to the undeniable maxim that the more you know, the better you can see. It means that before going abroad, one should completely prepare from A to Z. Basic preparations such as how and what to pack, how to book a flight, and what to do on arrival, etc. as well as essential preparation for study abroad such as each country’s tradition, history and culture, etc. are all crucial to making the experience more valuable. Otherwise, it will be more difficult to receive the optimum outcome from traveling abroad.
    In this respect, there is one recent instance of going abroad which deserves mention. The Asian Coastal Disaster Human School (ACDHS), composed of 12 CNU students went to Indonesia for two weeks, from July 2nd last. To help the victims of the terrible earthquake, these volunteers prepared educational material and recreational programs over several months. They even bore some of the financial costs involved in the projects themselves. After they returned to Korea, they reported their activities at the Gwangju International Concert for Indonesian victims held on July 30th last. While they couldn’t do major things such as reconstructing demolished buildings or homes for the victims they could provide them with a friend, a sister or a brother. During their stay in Indonesia, they had the opportunity to reconsider the meaning of voluntary service and ultimately they were able to learn a valuable lesson that they had never expected.
    Chonnam Tribune hopes that CNU students gain variable experiences in foreign countries not only pleasing ears & eyes but also broadening their hearts.
 

[#272 Desk Column]