ออกมาแล้วสำหรับรายละเอียด ใบสมัครของ “ทุนรัฐบาลเกาหลี ระดับชั้นปริญญาตรี (Undergraduate)” หรือ Global Korea Scholarship Program for Undergraduate (GKS)(ชื่อเดิม KGSP) ให้ทุกคนได้เข้าไปศึกษาและผู้ที่สนใจสามารถดาวน์โหลดและเอกสารใบสมัครได้
Nine years ago, there was not much information about Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) or studying overseas on the internet. At that time, Pang Ornjira Suriyanonrin was the first student who received the Korean Government Scholarship from Triam Udom Suksa School. But how? What inspired and brought her to this journey in South Korea?…
From Interest in Languages to Studying in South Korea
Back then I was studying in English-French program at Triam Udom Suksa School. High school is the time where people discover who they are. The same goes to me, I realized that I have an interest in languages and thought that only second language isn’t enough so I began to think about the “Third Language.” That was when I found “Korean.” While I was searching information about studying abroad, I came to know about this “Korean Government Scholarship Program” There was not much information about the scholarship at that time but I kept searching as much as I could. After that, I began to prepare documents and went to the Consular to get the notarization. I prepared everything by myself, application form, self introduction, recommendation letter, all in a very short time because by the time I found this scholarship, it was already near the deadline. My friend from the English class also helped me with the documents. So it was my own intention and help from a friend that helped me get this opportunity to study in Korea.
First student to receive Korean Government Scholarship from Triam Udom Suksa School
As I was preparing documents to apply for this scholarship, I found out that I was the first student from Triam Udom Suksa School that got KGSP for Undergraduate. The time from application to result announcement did fly so fast. That year, Thailand had a quota of 7 people but one friend had to decline the scholarship so only 6 people went to Korea. We paired up and went to study Korean at a different language institute in the first year.
South Korea in 2009 VS South Korea in 2018
The first year, I studied Korean at Konkuk University Language Institute. Actually that friend who declined the scholarship was supposed to study here with me but she didn’t come so it was only me studying and doing everything alone. I didn’t have a buddy like other people. Luckily I found a Chinese friend who didn’t quite speak English. That’s how we learned Korean together. If we couldn’t understand each other or didn’t know how to say, we’d just look up in a dictionary. That was the time when my Korean improved the fastest. In 2009, I felt that Korean people didn’t really speak English and when I tried to speak Korean with them, it was broken Korean. Some people stepped back and wouldn’t talk to me so I felt like I had to speak Korean better and learn faster. I envied people who had Korean idols as their inspiration because it made them learn the language more easily and quickly. I didn’t like any idol or star in particular so I only relied on my interest in languages to push myself to learn Korean to the level where I could communicate with others in Korean with no problem.
Studying at University in South Korea
That time, international students had to pass Korean Language Proficiency Test (KLPT) in order to study at a university in South Korea. There are 6 levels, from level 1 (beginning) to level 6 (advanced). Each university had their own criteria. Since I was interested in teaching Korean, I decided to choose Korean Studies, Faculty of Humanities, majoring in Teaching Korean as a foreign language at Keimyung University in Daegu. Despite warning from my teacher that it was going to be hard, even Korean people say it’s hard, I applied for this course.
Next step to Master’s degree and Korean language teacher
After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from Keimyung University, I wanted to further my studies but each university has a different specialization. For example, at Yonsei, they’re famous for grammar while Ewha is well-known for their teaching course. At the end, I decided to apply for a scholarship at Ewha Womans University. It’s called IES-F2, a full scholarship for international students who apply for graduate program that covers all tuition fee for 2 years. I dedicated myself to studying and dissertation and finally my dream came true, I completed my Master’s degree. It’s always been my dream to teach Korean and write textbooks about Korean that everyone can easily learn by themselves because I feel that the ones we have in Thailand at the moment are still not good enough.
Life experience starts from workplace(s)
I started working when I was a student. I was an interpreter and liaison with other 3-4 friends when Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya visited an event in Busan. I volunteered to teach English at the education center in university with other Korean friends. I taught Thai for Korean people who were going to work in Thailand. Teaching experience makes me realize that “When you teach students in a group, each student comes from a different level and has their own learning pace. It is challenging. You need to have good lesson plans.”
When I studied a Master’s Degree in Seoul, I had an opportunity to work as a business interpreter for import-export agents in many Expos. I got experience from every work I had done. I taught Thai for Korean volunteer teachers that were going to teach Korean in Thailand which is a project of KOICA. Teaching tones in Thai is probably the hardest thing but it is a requisite for learning other Thai grammars.
After I completed my Master’s Degree, I worked at the Head Office of Thai Samsung Electronics (Thai Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd) in Chonburi as an Executive Assistant in Production department. That time I got to learn the organizational culture of a big company. Everyone was nice. I could feel their hard work and attention in every detail. There’s a variety of responsibilities in the company. Every week, I had to do a weekly report.
After that, I worked at LINE Thailand. This place has a different work atmosphere. I was a Korean translator. I worked with both Korean and Thai. Apart from that, I also did a simultaneous interpretation which is another challenging work in the language-related field.
Recently I became a freelancer. I translated books. It requires quite some time to do and research. I tried a clothing business and I also interpreted for seminars. Many kinds of work that I did and places that I went all give me experience and it allows me to see lots of thing. I feel that you should seize an opportunity when the door is opening for you.
Present
I’m personally an active person so I like to keep myself busy all the time. My senior who lives in Australia suggested learning in Australia so I came here to study language for 3 months. It’s the thing I wanted to do too. Now, I can be a student again.
Anything else?
There’re many reasons to learn Korean. It can be because of your favorite idols, life partner or personal interest but whatever it is “When you have the opportunity to come to study in Korea, get the most out of it.” Open your heart to new culture, try to understand people from a different culture. You already get the chance to come to Korea, go out and explore the world. “Everything you see and every step you take are good for you.”
จ่ายไปขนาดนี้ ในเว็บ (หน้า Korean programs) เค้าก็เขียนบอกอีกว่า…
* Sogang Korean Language Education Center provides group health insurance to students for free. * Students who register for KLEC programs do not have to buy insurance in home country separately.
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