Heaven Sent

Blessings! We receive blessings of different sorts everyday. Just waking up to face a new day for instance is already a blessing. For me, people that come to our lives  are the best blessings we can get, well of course more especially if they make our lives easier, more enjoyable and fruitful, and they help us become a better person.

Dr. Dong Sup Lee and Dr. Sung Ho Kim

I've been hearing about Dr. Dong Sup Lee (이동숩) for a long time. He usually visit the Philippines once a year and each time he will stay in our university.  He was, back then a professor at Sangju National University. I first met him in 2011 or was that in 2010, I'm not really sure. While having dinner he asked me, "Would you like to come study in my University?" Who in her right mind would answer "no", right? So I said "Yes Sir."  

When Dr. Lee visited the Philippines in July 2012, I was so surprised that he still remembered who I was, and in passing he again talked about me studying in Korea. This was also the time when I met Dr. Sung Ho Kim (김숭호), a colleague of Dr. Lee who became the president of Korea Forest Promotions Institute after retiring from the university.  I wasn't able to personally talk to him during that time because they were busy.  But after that we had constant communication because he was the one who looked for a scholarship for me.  In February 2013 he asked me to apply to the KGPA Scholarship Program and in March I received notification that I'm "nominated" to get the scholarship but that I have to apply to and be accepted by a university.  He helped me in a lot of other things after that. He "introduced" me to Professor Kim, answered my querries about the application process in the university, visa application, and even on how will I to get to Sangju once I arrive in Korea.

Professor Dong Geun Kim

One of the application forms for the scholarship has to be filled-up by a professor in Korea and this was accomplished by Professor Dong Geun Kim (김동근) of Kyungpook National University, probably due to persuasions coming from Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim. Still he did it even without meeting me or knowing who I was.  I just started sending him e-mails when the result of the scholarship application came out and so I had to apply to a university. I applied at KNU in May this time with the help of Professor Kim. He even paid the 60,000 원 application fee. And after a rather long wait I was accepted by July. (Oh, for those who have Boxbe, make sure you check the Boxbe waiting list folder if you're waiting for an important communication. I almost lost this opportunity because I thought there's no email yet, but all along it was just in the waiting list and I almost missed the deadline for confirmation.) I've pestered him with a lot of questions, especially when I was preparing for visa application. There might even been a time when I've sent him 3 e-mails in a day but he replied to each query even when he was on a business trip in Europe.

The three of them had and are such blessings to me until now.  One is my 아버지 (ahbeoji - father), he introduces me to other people as his "daughter from the Philippines"; the other my sponsor and the very first person to make me drink 소주 (soju) :-(; and the last one is my 교수님 (kyosunim - professor), a very caring and understanding mentor. They are the three pillars I hold on to.  I wouldn't be able to enjoy this opportunity without them.

Oh there's a fourth pillar, who's in the Philippines.

Lunch with Kwan Hee and Areum

Another person has been helping me a lot since I arrived in Korea. My laboratory Captain, Kwan Hee Lee (이관희).  He fetched me from the airport, brought me to Daejeon for the KGPA Scholarship Awarding Ceremony, accompanied me in Daegu for the orientation, helped me in applying for a bank account, an Alien Registration Card in Gumi, a hand phone, registering in my classes, and with a lot more things. At times, I think I've burdened him enough to last a lifetime but he's always there ever so willing to assist me, to be my representative, translator (I cause most of his headaches by forcing him to speak in English ^,^), and friend - even if here in Korea you can't say that you're friends with those younger or older than you. But since I'm a Filipino, I guess I'm exempted. He even sometimes tags me along and introduces me to his friends, who are always fun to be with. He has made my first months here in Korea a lot easier.

They are all heaven sent. I can only pray that blessings be poured upon them by the Almighty.

First Encounter

Awarding Ceremony

The day after I arrived in Korea, I had to attend a welcome ceremony for new scholars under the Korea Green Promotion Agency (KGPA) Scholarship Program in Daejon City.  The program included an orientation on what KGPA is and its scholarship program.  The scholars came from various countries. There were three in our batch, an Ethiopian, a Chinese, and me. During the program we presented our plan of study. I guess mine was the least detailed one, mostly because forestry is a new field for me. I've studied horticulture for my BS and MS so even if it is somewhat related, forestry or more specifically the application of GIS/RS in forestry is something I still have to learn.

KGPA Scholars at the Korea Forest Service

We visited the Korea Forest Service after lunch. We looked at an exhibit showing the status of forests and forestry in Korea. One of the things I've noticed while travelling from Incheon to Sangju the previous day are the mountains which are all covered with trees. It was so hard to believe that the same mountains were actually devoid of forests in the 1950s.  Photographs showing how the Korean Government was able to reforest their mountains gives hope to someone who comes from a country or a hometown where landslides has become a common sight because of deforestation.

KGPA Scholars and staff at the hanok village in Jeonju City

In the afternoon we traveled to the hanok village in Jeonju City. It was such a great experience because we got to stay in a traditional house, try doing one traditional art (paper fan making), and eat traditional food. It was as if I'm in a Korean Telenovela.

It was so great meeting the other scholars and the KGPA staff, especially Ms. Ri Yoo who has helped me a lot when I was still preparing to come to Korea.

An amazing experience! And to think it was just my 2nd day in Korea.

Adventures in Korea: 시작

This all started when I left the Philippines for South Korea. I never dreamed of coming here to study but I guess it is all because of fate or as the Koreans call it 운명 (unmyeong).

Someone once said that meeting people is all part of 운명. It is with the help of people who came to my life that I'm here.

Unexpected?

In a way, YES. I thought it was just a joke when my former boss told me that he asked a friend of his to look for a scholarship for me to study in Korea. But as days passed by, things started to fall into place: applying and being accepted in a scholarship program then to Kyungpook National University, getting a visa, and other things. Just like a puzzle which is slowly being formed, the hidden picture became clearer. So clear indeed that on August 25, 2013 I came to Korea to start a long adventure.

And I'm not going to waste this opportunity. I will definitely make the most out of it. My adventures in Kimchiland.