VSA1902-1 Banana camp

How to overcome fear 

‘Peace Village-Banana Camp’      1-14 Feb. 19

I'm a child with a lot of fear. I had to overcome many fears to go abroad. From now on, let me introduce my fears.

First of all, fear of communication

I am not good in English. So there was fear of having to talk to people of various nationalities. I was afraid I wouldn't understand what I was saying.

Second, the fear of meeting new people.

I was afraid that they would feel bad about the image of the whole nation by my misrepresentation or behavior.

Third, fear of life in a strange country.

Before coming to Thailand, I heard the news of volunteers who died because they were not vaccinated. We were very scared. And we were vaccinated to avoid the disease and took mosquito repellent.

There were more fears, but from the first day we spent in Hat Yai after arriving in Thailand, we were able to meet friendly Thais. A little worry is gone, but it is not yet completely gone.

When I met the volunteers to serve together after I arrived at the learning home for service, I realized that my fear was an excessive concern for me.

They were all kind. They did not forget to explain for me who is not good at English, so I got a variety of knowledge and got to know interesting games.

Especially, Buddy program in TSU made me happy.

The friends I met here were very interested in Korea. We ate delicious lunch together and did various activities together, and went to the sea to do volunteer work and became close friends. I have no choice but to maintain our friendship by contacting them until now after the service is over, but I think meeting them and being close are one of the best things in my life.

I think it's all hard at first time. If we don't fear the first time, we can overcome all our fears. Just like I did. Just like my volunteer friends did.

Cultural exchange in Thailand 

‘Peace Village-Banana Camp’      1-14 Feb. 19

By KIM AHYUN

I have been doing volunteer work in Thailand through the work camp. It was my first volunteer activity and my first time out of Korea. My main activities were teaching English at school and farm work. 

My English was not much different from the elementary school students. So I was worried that I was making a mistake and what if no one took a class. But when I went to school, the students enjoyed my class. The children were very active and took the class hard. Thanks to that, I could have a fun class where I can enjoy and sing and play games together. 

Farm work was as fun as class. Even now, what I remember is the farmer's cooking skills and their kindness. 

Thailand farm was new to me who had never worked on a farm in Korea. First of all, the owner of the farm was incredibly big as a single-managed farm. Also, many animals were free to live, including cows, chickens, ducks and pig. Cows and chickens were trapped in a cage in my grandmother's house that I saw, and it was a totally different landscape. I worked to make and distribute the animals' food. He also made biogas out of cow's stomach. The farm was alive with the sounds of animals, and I could not find myself surrounded all day by electronic devices such as computers and television. 

Through these activities, I was able to learn about Thailand, about the people of Thailand, foreigners and other countries. Especially, my friends who met in Thai university gave me a lot of interest in Korean culture and my country. I also learned about each other by constantly trying to communicate even though I felt difficult in the communication process. Thanks to that, I could inform about my country and know about Thailand naturally. 

Farm owners allowed them to live comfortably as if it were their own homes, and also gave them the experience of doing Thai yoga and looking around nearby tourist attractions. 

Not only Thai people but also foreign friends who did volunteer work together were good people. My friend who started volunteer work before me explained to me kindly, from living to volunteering like a teacher. The hardest thing in my life was that I had a hard time talking to you because of my poor English skills. This friend always explained and informed me so that I could finish all my activities well. As it was my first trip abroad, I was very nervous and scared, but I was lucky to meet good people and eat good food and come back with good memories. Thanks to the students, teachers, and friends I met, I remember happy memories when I thought of Thailand. I felt familiar with Thailand and I made a promise to come again later.