Before leaving for Hong Kong, I had a strong prejudice that Hong Kong is famous for only shopping and international business. But Hong Kong people have something serious in their mind as they suffered from the transition of national identity from the colony under the Britain to mainland China. The thoughts in their mind give the foreigners the opportunity to think about the relationship between their nationalities and the whole world. Especially because the histories of Hong Kong and Korea have in common that both had experienced the harsh colonization in the past, Hong Kong people and Koreans feel some connection, and in Hong Kong, Koreans may feel the friendship by the kind treatments from Hong Kong people.
Hong Kong Institute of Education is a new-born Institute for training professional teachers all over the Hong Kong region. This institute is well-known and well-established for producing teachers that some Chinese from mainland China enter this institute to work as teachers, a stable and professional career in Hong Kong. Even though the institute does not have a very long history, it is trying to broaden the world-wide opportunities for their students to study or to get the teaching practice abroad. International exchange programs with foreign universities is the key point among all universities in Hong Kong. To keep up with this situation, the institute is making an effort to make a solid connection with the exchange students from other countries in the field. The officers, professors and students all open their mind to foreign students.
This period of six months was a turning point in my whole life. This is not an exaggeration at all. Thanks to this experience, I had enough time to learn myself. I remember the phrase that studying and developing myself need my whole life. Living in other countries for certain time, I confronted many differences between my values from my life and foreigners’ values from their own culture and background. Even though there are disagreements between people, with my mature mind and thoughts stable but open, all people from the world can be friends. Also, I got the courage to go forward with a cooperative mind with people around me.
* Lee Sung-min (Electronic Engineering, 3) studied at Hong Kong Institute of Education in Hong Kong.