(25-Sep-2016)
I used to live a life which is normal and common.
I was born and have grown up in typical traditional family, and have never lived in foreign countries.
I studied hard just like others on school days and finally entered university at the age of 18.
What makes me shocked at first after I entered university is that there were a lot of students who got various background .
Compared to my hometown, Seoul was a city coloured grey and it was difficult for me to find the true relationship.
Nobody knows me and I felt that I was isolated.
I had a hard time on my first year in university, and tired hard to find myself.
Right after I finished my 3rd semester, I made a future plan for my resting life in university.
I decided to join the Army on the following year to complete my duty as a citizen and I planned to go to the UK with the YMS visa to broaden my perspective after 2 years of service.
There were three brief reasons why I wanted to go to the UK.
1. Experience different culture in foreign country and broaden my perspective.
2. Financially, mentally independent from my parents to make myself physically separated from my hometown.
3. Improve communication skills.
Two years have passed in the Army leaving the values of LOYALTY, DUTY, RESPECT, SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOUR, INTEGRITY, PERSONAL COURAGE, and it was a real time for me to make a realistic decision whether I would go to the UK or go back to school.
One thing that made me hesitated was it was not easy to measure the benefits between going back to school and going to the UK.
If I would go back to school, everything is simple. I can simply learn and get some credits.
If I would go to the UK, I believed that I could make a lot of experience.
However, the word “experience” was so vague.
Every single seconds in life can be called “experience”, but I was not confident on how worthy the experience in the UK would be.
I have seen most of the people who go to the UK with YMS visa usually do part-time job at the cafe like Starbucks.
Of course, they can make friends and make a lot of various experience by doing their job.
But I thought that it was not worthy enough for me.
I would rather find the internship to improve myself but there was no assurance that I could get an internship in foreign country without any reference.
Right after I discharged from the Army, I saw the job post of Hyundai Motor India from my school webpage and I got confidence that this was the right opportunity.
With the internship in India, still I can experience different culture in foreign country and meet various people, still I can financially independent from my parents, still I can improve my English communication skills.
Furthermore, by working and learning at the global company in emerging market, it could be called as a real worthy “experience”.
Even though I thought I was too young and not well prepared compared to other candidates, I simply applied for the position.
to be continued..