▲ Group pictures of STISS members after having Korean traditional seal activity, mud flat tour, Korean Folk Village field trip, and Taekwondo class



 

The 2022 STISS (SeoulTech International Summer School) was held from July 11 to July 22. STISS is a program designed to support practical interaction between SeoulTech and universities abroad and to spread the information and educational processes of SeoulTech to international students.

This year is the 15th year of the STISS program, and it was the first offline STISS since the beginning of the pandemic. Students from all over the world including Asia and Europe gathered and had various Korean cultural experiences with selected volunteers from SeoulTech students.

From the campus tour to Korean cuisine class, participants and volunteers had various activities which reflected Korean culture.

 

Ice Breaking

STISS started with greeting games and a campus tour. While playing Korean traditional games such as Ttakji and the Dalgona candy game, participants were able to explore the main buildings and sites of SeoulTech and become close to each other at the same time. After the games, participants received prizes such as Korean traditional snacks and props.

 

Korean Language Lecture

One of the main events of the STISS after the ice breaking was a Korean language lecture.

The lesson covered Korean phonics and basic grammar so that students could read and use some Korean. Many of the participants were interested in Korean language before the program, and most of the participants said that their Korean ability improved during the program. Some commented that frequent interaction with volunteers was also helpful for them to improve their Korean as they could practice their Korean speaking. With the growth of their Korean abilities, they could use Korean letters for activities such as seal making.

 

Cultural Experiences

There were several cultural experiences in which participants learned about Korean life and culture. The mud flat tour was one of the most impressive activities. The participants showed shocked and curious reactions about the living creatures they can found in the mud, and they had fun at the mud flat by throwing the mud to each other. Although their clothes got dirty, they experienced memorable moments.

The field trip to Korean Folk Village was also one of the most unforgettable activites. It is the place where we can see old Korean features including buildings, items, and even reenactments of people. STISS members walked around the folk village wearing a Hanbok, a form of traditional Korean clothing. They also watched traditional dance and musical performances, had fan making, had water fighting, and imitated ancient Korean torture for fun.

 

Special Lecture

STISS participants learned Taekwondo and K-pop dance as special lectures. Taekwondo class got an especially strong response from the participants. They learned some basic moves for self defense and attack. They were able to gain healthy energy by learning Korean traditional martial arts.

In addition to regular activities that were scheduled, volunteers led extra activities like tours, games, and group dinners. After the program, the STISS members had to say farewell while promising to see each other soon. As they had memorable time, the participants, not to mention volunteers and staffs, shed tears and had warm hugs. According to the participant survey, 2022 STISS had a very high satisfaction level regarding activities and volunteers. There were about 20 participants, which is a small number compare to the number of past STISS participants. As they had less people, affection between members grew quickly and it was easier for volunteers and staffs to offer the best care to each participant. For the interview that STISS members had after the program, both participants and volunteers said that they'll miss each other a lot and that they want to see each other again. Some participants showed their willingness to take exchange student courses to develop their learning skills.

 

This program was evaluated to be a very successful journey that provided a great opportunity for international students to learn about Korean culture through experiencing it directly. Also, they could interact with local students and build deep relationships.



 

Reporter,

Eunkyeul Kim kyeul@g.seoultech.ac.kr