{"id":14273,"date":"2018-12-12T17:25:58","date_gmt":"2018-12-12T21:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/?p=14273"},"modified":"2018-12-12T17:46:59","modified_gmt":"2018-12-12T21:46:59","slug":"kimnawon18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/kimnawon18\/","title":{"rendered":"Nawon Kim: from\u00a0South\u00a0Korea to the Island of Enchantment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nawon\u00a0Kim,\u00a0a Natural Sciences student, is a living example of all the benefits and knowledge brought by cultural exchanges.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Jamil Pichardo Trinidad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

By Marla Figueroa Ramos<\/strong>
\nIntegrated\u00a0Communications<\/p>\n

If you’re South Korea bound from Puerto Rico, it might take you approximately\u00a019 hours\u00a0to\u00a0reach\u00a0the Asian\u00a0peninsula.\u00a0The\u00a0geographic distance\u00a0between\u00a0these\u00a0two\u00a0countries\u00a0is\u00a0so much\u00a0that their inhabitants might not have knowledge about both cultures.<\/p>\n

However, for\u00a0Nawon\u00a0Kim,\u00a0an exchange\u00a0student\u00a0from the University of New Mexico and originally from\u00a0South\u00a0Korea,\u00a0this\u00a0was\u00a0not\u00a0an\u00a0obstacle. She embarked on the adventure and took on the task of getting to know Puerto Rico in\u00a0one\u00a0of most enriching and brave ways: living\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0country.<\/p>\n

“I came\u00a0to Puerto Rico\u00a0attracted\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0beauty\u00a0of\u00a0its\u00a0beaches and\u00a0tropical\u00a0surroundings,\u00a0but\u00a0during\u00a0my stay I\u00a0discovered\u00a0that it is\u00a0such a friendly and welcoming country.\u00a0Sagrado received\u00a0me\u00a0with so much\u00a0joy;\u00a0I have\u00a0met\u00a0so many\u00a0people and\u00a0discovered\u00a0their\u00a0traditions,” said\u00a0Nawon,\u00a0who\u00a0graduates\u00a0next\u00a0year from Pre-\u00a0Pharmacy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She\u00a0says\u00a0that\u00a0although\u00a0there exist many\u00a0differences\u00a0between\u00a0Puerto Ricans\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0Koreans\u00a0both\u00a0countries\u00a0share\u00a0something:\u00a0being family-oriented and\u00a0their love\u00a0for\u00a0gastronomy.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Jamil Pichardo Trinidad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“One of\u00a0the\u00a0things that impressed me the most was how united friends and family are in Puerto Rico, and how expressive everyone is in showing their affection. Also, here people love\u00a0food\u00a0like\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0country.\u00a0This is something\u00a0we have\u00a0in\u00a0common\u00a0regardless\u00a0of\u00a0how different are our\u00a0flavors,” said\u00a0the student who explained that one of her favorite Korean meals is\u00a0the\u00a0Bibimbap<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n

On the\u00a0other\u00a0hand,\u00a0inside\u00a0her experience\u00a0in\u00a0Puerto Rico,\u00a0Nawon\u00a0understands\u00a0that her biggest challenge\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0language barrier.\u00a0However,\u00a0with the\u00a0support\u00a0of\u00a0her friends\u00a0and\u00a0professors she\u00a0has\u00a0been able to communicate\u00a0and\u00a0successfully\u00a0complete\u00a0her\u00a0courses.<\/p>\n

“At\u00a0first it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0strange because\u00a0everyone talked\u00a0Spanish;\u00a0it was\u00a0a confusing\u00a0process but\u00a0I have\u00a0been able to manage.\u00a0I\u00a0used\u00a0a lot of\u00a0translators\u2019\u00a0apps, we\u00a0exchanged\u00a0phrases and words\u00a0or even\u00a0pointing.\u00a0Now\u00a0I know\u00a0the\u00a0basics\u00a0and I\u00a0can defend\u00a0myself in Spanish,” she\u00a0said,\u00a0laughing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"
Photo by Jamil Pichardo Trinidad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For\u00a0her\u00a0part,\u00a0 Professor Carmen Del Toro\u00a0Qui\u00f1ones,\u00a0who\u00a0teaches\u00a0Biology\u00a0109,\u00a0has\u00a0indicated\u00a0that\u00a0Nawon has changed the course\u2019s dynamic dramatically in an extraordinary and valuable way. She states that everyone is interested, and ask multiple questions about Biology in South Korea, thanks to their new international classmate.<\/p>\n

“In the beginning, the\u00a0students were\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0shy\u00a0and\u00a0told me \u2018Professor,\u00a0ask\u00a0Nawon\u00a0this\u00a0and\u00a0that’\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0answered\u00a0them\u00a0try\u00a0asking\u00a0yourself and if you need help, I\u2019ll be here. Now\u00a0they\u00a0do it themselves and in English! We\u00a0laugh\u00a0lot\u00a0and share\u00a0ideas that have made us enjoy\u00a0every\u00a0unit,\u00a0they\u00a0do\u00a0not\u00a0even\u00a0want\u00a0to leave.\u00a0In\u00a0our\u00a0classroom\u00a0prevails a a\u00a0deep\u00a0and\u00a0true\u00a0learning\u00a0environment\u00a0that all professors aspire\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0and we\u00a0owe this greatly to the\u00a0enthusiasm\u00a0and\u00a0participation\u00a0of\u00a0Nawon,” said Del Toro.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nawon, who\u00a0ends\u00a0this\u00a0exchange\u00a0during December,\u00a0takes with her a\u00a0lot\u00a0of\u00a0knowledge\u00a0that will not only\u00a0help her\u00a0in\u00a0her professional career,\u00a0but\u00a0also her\u00a0personal\u00a0growth.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Jamil Pichardo Trinidad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Since I was a little girl\u00a0my parents\u00a0have\u00a0driven\u00a0me to\u00a0expand\u00a0my\u00a0knowledge\u00a0on\u00a0others\u00a0countries\u00a0and\u00a0learn\u00a0about\u00a0different\u00a0places\u00a0and people.\u00a0My\u00a0classmates\u00a0have\u00a0been\u00a0very\u00a0receptive,\u00a0hospitable\u00a0and very curious\u00a0about\u00a0my\u00a0culture. It has\u00a0been\u00a0a learning process.\u00a0That’s\u00a0why\u00a0I am\u00a0convinced\u00a0that it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0very\u00a0good\u00a0decision\u00a0to choose Sagrado\u00a0and Puerto Rico to\u00a0have\u00a0is\u00a0experience,”\u00a0Nawon concluded.<\/p>\n

\n

Translated from Spanish by Nicole Ortiz<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nawon\u00a0Kim,\u00a0a Natural Sciences student, is a living example of all the benefits and knowledge brought by cultural exchanges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":14206,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"iawp_total_views":31,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3682,3680],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","category-health-sciences"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14273"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14276,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14273\/revisions\/14276"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14206"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insagrado.sagrado.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}