Q. Why did you participate in activities run by Gwangju International Center (GIC)?
A. I major in non-governmental studies; hence, working at a non-governmental organization (NGO) like GIC is beneficial for me, allowing me to explore how an NGO works. Besides, when moving to Gwangju, I barely had friends at first, which made me feel lonely and isolated. Then, I decided to join GIC to make new acquaintances and gain new experiences.

Q. What have you done at GIC?
A. I've attended several activities at GIC. For language exchange activities, I received education in professional translation between English and Korean. Regarding volunteer activities, I went to different regional universities to discover and promote learning programs offered by universities for their international students. My favorite activity was volunteering at elementary and middle schools, where I gave presentations about my country. My home country, Senegal, is in West Africa and does not get the spotlight on the world map, so they were extremely eager to pay attention to what I shared.

Q. Did the activities live up to your expectations?
A. Absolutely, yes. I learned new things and had lots of fun. Communicating in Korea was challenging for me, yet it helped me to come out of my comfort zone and make good connections for my future career path. Moreover, I am grateful that my co-workers and managers have continuously supported me until now.

By Hoang Thi Le Tra, Reporter