“Why do I want to go (to the United States)?” This is the question that was echoing in my head while I was on the airplane headed to the U.S. Even though I prepared a lot in order to become one of participants of this program, it was really hard to find a definitive answer to this question. The decision to be in any foreign country for more than 1 year requires quite a big commitment from anyone. So, I struggled to make my final decision but in the end, I concluded that I should go. Whenever I start to miss my home and family, I try to remember the reasons why I chose to come here. My decision was based on two things: I want to see more of the world, and in particular, I want to gain strength by overcoming global challenges. This latter goal was the thing that really helped me decide about going on this journey in the Global Program. So, what I’d like to emphasize to others who are thinking about participating in a global program is the need to ask yourself if you have a definite goal in mind. Hopefully the answer will be yes. Then my next recommendation is for you to ask yourself what that goal or goals are specifically. Is that goal (or goals) strong enough to help you survive in a foreign country by yourself? If you don’t have answers to these questions, it’s okay, just relax and try to think about your answers and yourself more.
Since I constantly tried to keep in mind the goals I want to achieve here, I was able to form a plan while studying at the international language institute I was at. For people who are participants of the WEST program, we have to study English in a language school for four months, before we can start our internship related to the field we are interested in. It is actually very easy and tempting to just relax during these four months, but I didn’t want to be lazy and instead, make use of every moment I am here in the U.S. So, I found some things that I could do after school to keep me busy. For instance, I found several forums held in Washington D.C., and made a reservation to attend one of the events as a ‘Korea Government Program Participant’. I was able to hear numerous lectures and discussion by amazing experts, and develop connections with awesome people who work for prominent think-tanks, NGOs, and the U.S. Congress. For students majoring in Politics or Policy Science like me, these sorts of forums are very interesting to attend. I not only attended international forums but I also learned about directing at a drama school in Washington D.C. I did this simply because I wanted to do things I can’t do in Korea. Moreover, I went to various events held in Washington D.C. Because of its location and being the nation’s capital, I even had the chance to see President Obama give a speech. I was right in front of him! These are some of the reasons why I am enjoying my life in the U.S. When some people ask me, “What do you like most about being in the U.S.?” I reply, “I can do so many things that I can’t imagine I can do in Korea!”
I am currently working at a prominent international broadcasting bureau called Voice of America, which is part of the famous Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) located in Washington D.C. I have learned how to develop articles, do voice announcing, and even professional reporting. As a result, I’ve decided that I’d like to be an international broadcast journalist. To achieve this goal, I will do my best to perform as well as I can at my current job, while trying to learn as much as I can. Even though there are times when I feel like the challenges I am facing are too hard to overcome, I tell myself that there are lots of things I can learn even while struggling. I believe these experiences will make me stronger and motivate me not to give up. I will enjoy every challenge I face while I’m here in the United States.
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