Most students plan to do their service in this country if they plan to volunteer. However, if you broaden your thoughts a bit, there are overseas service activities that can provide a different service experience at the same time as you travel. Kyonggi University runs a volunteer service program every vacation. There are many students who are interested in overseas volunteering. Though many students are interested in overseas services, students don’t have information about overseas services or students can’t try overseas services because students have a fear of going abroad. Therefore, the Pharos wants to provide information on the application route, service contents and so on.

Since 2012, the Student Services Department of Kyonggi University has been running the “Jin Sung Ae Overseas Volunteering Program.” There were volunteer activities in Mongolia and Cambodia this summer. In addition, overseas service to Laos is scheduled for this winter. The overseas service program is comprised of about 20 students from each country and usually consists of nine days and eight nights. Most of the volunteer work consists of educational services, but the overseas service to Cambodia was a little special. Along with the Suwon City Center for International Exchange, students carried out a housing project for low-income families in the village of Suwon, Cambodia. The Laos Overseas Volunteer Program, scheduled for this winter, will focus on educational services, and additional volunteer work will be conducted depending on local circumstances.

Students who participate in this program are selected through an application and an interview. Information about the “Jin Seong Ae Overseas Volunteering Program” can be obtained from the Kyonggi University homepage and school bulletin boards. In addition, separate guidance is provided to students taking community service courses and in volunteer groups in the school. In the past, students had to team up in a program contest. However, the Laos Overseas Volunteer Program, which will operate this winter, might be applied for individuals. Also, you have to take an interview to be selected for the program. In interviews, students are selected on the basis of their grades and experiences in domestic volunteer activities. The fact that selected students are eligible for some school support is one of the biggest benefits of the “Jin Sung Ae Overseas Volunteering Program.”

The information presented thus far about overseas volunteering was provided by, Lee Pil-bom, who is at the Social Services Center of the Student Assistance Office. However, the Pharos thought that it would be more vivid if students listened to the review of a participant, so the Pharos heard the story of Kim Tae-yeon, who went to Mongolia this summer vacation.

Q1) How long did you stay in the country?

I went to Mongolia for 7 nights and 8 days in this summer vacation. Specifically, the Henti region, known as Chingiz Khan's hometown, was my service location for eight days.

Q2) How was the expense of the overseas volunteering?

I relied on school support and my personal finances. I paid about 500,000 won myself, and I'm not sure how much support the school gave me.

Q3) What should we prepare for an overseas volunteering interview?

First, it is a program designed to support a large number of students in our school, so other overseas volunteering experiences do not seem to be a very positive factor. I think it's most important to find a way to express your passion during the interview. Also, I think it is important to demonstrate your strengths because they select students who have expertise in various areas required by the service activities.

Q4) What activities did you do during the volunteering?

First, the volunteer team consisted of three teams: the physical education and sanitation team, the culture and art team, and the education team. In the case of the physical and sanitation team that I was working on, we gave hygiene education to elementary school children, such as washing hands, proper brushing and sex education. Also, at the end of the day, I worked at the athletic meeting.

Were there any uncomfortable things that happened while volunteering? In Mongolia, the water supply was poor and the drain pipes were clogged, but there was not much inconvenience.

Q5) Tell me what you felt after the overseas volunteering was finished.

In fact, before volunteering I did not have much volunteer experience, either domestic or overseas experience. However, I was very interested in Mongolia, so I joined this program. At first, I thought, “What can I give to the children?,” but I think I got a lot from them. The most memorable thing was that I could communicate with many young children even though my language was not spoken. Through this program, I would like to go to a country where conditions are difficult.

If you participate in overseas volunteering, it will be an opportunity to experience the culture of foreign countries as well as the benefits of volunteering. Why don’t students who didn’t participate in the last overseas volunteering program participate in this vacation’s overseas volunteer program? Also, in these days of demanding multiple experiences in job interviews, participating in overseas volunteer programs could be a valuable part of your resume. Students who are interested in extracurricular activities as well as overseas volunteer programs can find out about the various programs by visiting the school’s website. The Pharos hopes that the various programs which run on campus will be promoted and that more students will participate.