At the end of 2012, most Soongsilians prepared to wrap up their activities. Some students, however, stayed late in school and busily practiced something. They were the students who were participating in the short global volunteering program during the winter vacation. ST joined the Cambodia team, among the four teams (India, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia teams), and covered the intramural global volunteering program.
Before the meeting
The Cambodia team was dispatched to Hosanna School in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Nineteen students were selected as team members through document screenings and interviews, and Lim Jong-hun (’07, Law) was appointed leader. The team’s name was “Agrina,” a pure Korean word meaning “We love one another.” Agrina organized English and computer (IT) education classes because it was the educational service team. The organization chart of Agrina’s education classes is shown on the right. ST interviewed the leader.
ST: Why did Agrina select English, IT, and Recreation and Art as subjects?
Leader Im: The people from Hosanna School told us that their students needed English and IT classes. We chose Recreation and Art classes as after-school programs because they are the subjects that the students are most interested in, and because we heard that there had been no art class in the school in the last three years.
ST: How were you able to get information about the students’ intellectual level or about the conditions of their learning environment?
Leader Im: Our guide, Dr. Jung Yong-hoon, and Missionary Jung Soon-young, the principal of Hosanna School, gave us advice. When Missionary Jung visited South Korea once, we met and had a talk. Our assistant manager, Kim Jin-soo, who has already had volunteer experience, helped us prepare everything.
During the two general meetings per week, each instruction team’s leader presented the progress of his/her team, and the other members gave feedback. After the meetings, the members of each team gathered to revise their curriculum and to make a list of the tools and supplies that they would need. The goods were provided by the Center for Volunteer Service Support. Before their departure, all the members received education on Cambodia’s language, culture, attention points, etc. several times. The loads were packed and were classified as either public or individual.
Meeting
[Accommodations] Agrina was originally scheduled to stay at Hosanna School’s dormitory, but the dormitory was still under construction. Agrina thus had to stay at another place, Vogor Village, located about 20 minutes from the school. As the water petered out almost every day, it took much time to take a shower.
[Works] Before the classes started, the Agrina members checked the goods for the classes. As the computers were in poor condition, the IT A team had to clean every main computer. The IT B team had no choice but to use notebooks because of the lack of computers.
[Regular classes] Four classes were conducted in English in a day, and the class hours were an hour and a half. The education teams had to change their curriculum every day due to the students’ levels.
[Irregular classes] After each class, the students had to decide whether they would still participate in the next classes, and if they decided to do so, whether they would take art or recreation classes. Depending on the demand, there would be a material or student shortage. In the latter case, Agrina toured Phnom Penh City with the students.
[Break time] The students and volunteers romped around the playground and played the top-spinning game and tuho by throwing sticks into a barrel.
[Unexpected situation] The students lost their work because the power went out frequently. The IT A team fixed and installed computers during the classes as there were not enough computers. They also had to change the animation editing program from Vegas to Windows Movie Maker as the installation of Vegas failed due to computer viruses.
[The party on the last day] All the volunteers put the students’ works around the auditorium so that the students could see their own or the other students’ works. The Hosanna students entertained Agrina by performing a traditional Cambodian dance, rendering a Taekwondo exhibition, and playing band music. In return, Agrina also performed dances and sang songs. Especially, when Agrina danced to the tune of “Gangnam Style,” the Hosanna students laughed and then sang the chorus in a loud voice.
After the meeting
Volunteer Agrina members participated in Hosanna School’s student support system by giving support money for a student amounting to 2-30,000 won a month; a student who receives assistance can be given school supplies and uniforms by the school. Also, after returning from Cambodia, the Agrina members had to submit their journal of their experiences in Cambodia, and an outcome report.
Much preparation must be done for the global volunteering program, and this must be done during the semester. Thus, the students are hard pressed to combine their studies and their volunteer work. If you can handle the pressure well, you will have an invaluable experience. Some Agrina members are still moved to tears whenever they remember the Hosanna students. Giving love to foreigners who have a different skin color and who speak another language is not for just anyone but only for special people. If you’re debating with yourself on whether you will sign up as a global volunteer, ST recommends that you participate in the intramural global volunteering program. The program consists of summer and winter sessions. For more information regarding this program, contact the Center for Volunteer Service Support located in Vision Hall.
Yang Jee-hye (Photo Editor)
yangyang@ssu.ac.kr
