Mongolia is my second country

On right now’s version, I talked to Kim Joo Hwan, pupil of Worldwide Relations on the Nationwide College of Mongolia. He first got here to Mongolia in 2006 and needs to contribute to the growth of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and South Korea. At present, he works within the Division of Overseas Relations of Khan-Uul District Council. I talked to him about Mongolia and the Mongolian schooling system.

What was the explanation you got here to Mongolia for the primary time?

I first got here to Mongolia in 2006. My father was appointed as the pinnacle of the Mongolian department of the “Worldwide Youth of Korea” NGO, so I got here and settled in Mongolia with my household.

How did you think about Mongolia earlier than coming right here? What was your impression then whenever you got here to Mongolia?

Once I was a toddler, I used to be very blissful to go to for the primary time. I used to be very excited to inform my buddies that I get on the airplane. Once I first obtained off on the Chinggis Khaan Airport from Incheon Airport and took a taxi, I used to be stunned to see that there have been no high-rise buildings, ger space, and poor improvement. The factor that stunned me probably the most once I first got here was that there have been horses and camels on the highway. Additionally, at the moment, I couldn’t eat Mongolian meals, so it was very tough to eat. Now I like Mongolian meals, Tsuivan, khuushuur, buuz, and so forth.

You studied in South Korea till elementary faculty, proper?

In elementary faculty, I studied arithmetic, the Korean language, bodily schooling, and visible arts based on the South Korea schooling system. Courses began at 8 a.m. and ended at 3 or 4 p.m. In a South Korean household, the mother and father let boys take taekwondo classes and women to take piano classes. So, after faculty, I might go residence, have lunch, after which go to my taekwondo membership. Again then, there have been no pupil golf equipment in elementary faculty, solely center and highschool had after-school golf equipment, so I didn’t take part in after-school actions.

What was it like whenever you first got here to Mongolia and went to highschool? What issues did you face?

I didn’t go to highschool for the primary yr as a result of I didn’t know the Mongolian language. Then I studied at a South Korea faculty within the third khoroolol, however many of the youngsters had been overseas and the teachings had been largely in Korean and English, so my Mongolian language didn’t enhance. Then I informed my father that I wished to go to highschool in a Mongolian faculty and joined the “Erdmiin Undraa” complicated faculty. Because it was a morning class at the moment, courses began at 8 a.m. and ended at midday. Mongolian faculties had little or no examine time, so studying Mongolian appeared very simple. Additionally, as a result of I didn’t study Mongolian properly at the moment, the trainer of my class solely drew footage for me to attract in school. I used to be the one foreigner in my faculty, so the children took a whole lot of curiosity in me and bullied me, as properly. Perhaps they did that as a result of I couldn’t categorical myself properly. Then, to increase my circle and make buddies, I took half in a music membership at college.

What do you suppose is the distinction between South Korea’s faculty schooling system and Mongolia’s faculty schooling system?

South Korean college students examine exhausting. However, these are youngsters who’re struggling to outlive. Even good buddies put together individually after they examine and put together. As a result of, for instance, should you and I repeated the teachings collectively and obtained the identical 96 grade on the examination, you’ll be able to rank above me on the grade record relying in your relationship with the lecturers and the way a lot they such as you. In South Korean faculties, college students are all the time ranked by grades. However Mongolian faculty college students had been completely different. Youngsters assist one another quite a bit. Once I first entered Mongolian faculty, I used to be very dangerous at Mongolian script. It’s like drawing an image. Although it was tough to study the Mongolian language, I used to be very confused within the Mongolian script class. However at the moment, my classmates all the time helped me with exams. Mongolian highschool college students studied in the identical class for years with the identical trainer till commencement, which most likely gave the kids the chance to get shut to one another, make buddies, and assist one another. Since highschool in South Korea modified courses and lecturers yearly, I felt an environment and heat that I had by no means skilled earlier than when learning in Mongolia. I had been learning along with my classmates since fifth grade and once I graduated in eleventh grade, I felt like I used to be going to get separated from my household.

How do you see the schooling system in South Korea?

This follow of aggressive rating shouldn’t be a coverage issued by the South Korean Ministry of Training. One thing that has been created in time itself. In fact, there are benefits and drawbacks. The benefit is which you could focus extra in your research and achieve extra data. The drawback is that folks in South Korea put a whole lot of strain on their youngsters, or the kids themselves. In life, South Korean folks have a aggressive mentality and begin evaluating their work lives with others.

Why did you determine to check on the Nationwide College of Mongolia (NUM)? Can you get high quality schooling at NUM?

After ending highschool in 2014, I entered the Division of Worldwide Relations on the NUM. After passing the final entrance examination, I used to be admitted to the college, so I paid Mongolian pupil charges. The standard of the course relies upon quite a bit on the trainer. To be sincere, some lecturers train some topics poorly. Within the seminar class, the lecturers give the scholars a subject to speak about, whereas within the lecture class, they simply make a presentation of the data we will get from the Web after which find yourself speaking. It’s good if the trainer mentions many sources within the lecture, gives educational data, assigns homework on attention-grabbing matters, divides the kids into teams and debates in an attention-grabbing means on the seminar. However evidently some lecturers in our college train on this means. I believe that if NUM invitations the scholars of the majors as soon as every week or as soon as a month to speak on sure matters with high-ranking professors and lecturers from overseas universities, it would enhance college students’ want to study and love their majors.

Inform me about the truth that you went to South Korea as an trade pupil in 2015?

I studied the Mongolian language at Hankuk College of Overseas Research. At the moment, I realized that it was the precise choice to get an schooling at NUM. In Hankuk College, the extent of the Mongolian language was poor among the many college students who had been learning the Mongolian language. It’s most likely the precise alternative to check the Mongolian language and tradition in Mongolia.

Just lately, Mongolian youth have turn out to be very keen to go overseas to check, dwell, and calm down. How do you see it?

I requested my buddies in Mongolia, “What are you going to do after graduating from college? Will you do one thing that may contribute to the event of Mongolia?” Most of them simply say, “I’m going to dwell overseas.” Dwelling in Mongolia has issues equivalent to infrastructure, politics, corruption, and visitors, but when the Mongolian youth don’t develop Mongolia by residing in a foreign country, who else will? First, Mongolians ought to take into consideration easy methods to dwell properly in Mongolia. There have been occasions when South Korea was going by tough occasions. There was a time when it was even poorer than Mongolia. First, we had been beneath the Japanese colonism. Then there was the North-South Korean Warfare. However there was religion within the hearts of the folks that the nation would develop the nation. Translated into Mongolian, there’s a phrase known as “Touching the Coronary heart” or “Maeumui gamdong” in South Korean. As a result of South Koreans had this consciousness, they took initiative of their nation, and the start of right now’s South Korea was created. It’s tough to work in Mongolia now, however I need to consider sooner or later. I additionally need to contribute to diplomatic relations between Mongolia and South Korea after graduating from college, so I ought to strive.

Have you ever ever been pleased with residing in Mongolia?

Navy service in South Korea is for 3 years and served mandatorily, so in 2018, I served in South Korea within the “66th Infantry Division”. At the moment, I couldn’t converse South Korean as a result of I had lived in Mongolia for a few years. The elders had been stunned and requested the place I got here from, and everybody was stunned once I informed them that I got here from Mongolia. I used to be referred to as “Mongolian Kim” in my army unit. Even generals got here to me and requested, “What sort of nation is Mongolia? What’s the language and tradition? How is the financial improvement?” They requested a whole lot of questions. Since I used to be the one one who got here from Mongolia and was associated to Mongolia, I talked in regards to the good issues and exquisite issues about Mongolia. That’s once I thought that Mongolia is my second nation.