미지센터의 청소년 국제교류이야기

 Moreover, the name Kimchi might seem rather childish at first, but Yu explains there is a special reason why they placed it at the core of their tour. “We cannot talk about Korean food without mentioning Kimchi, and it is also the most well known food outside Korea. It has unimaginable possibilities in cuisine, we will be combining Kimchi, as a representative Korean food, and other regional foods, like a fusion--resulting in Kimchi Taco, Kimchi Kebab, and Kimchi Paellasot—so that the natives can take in Korean food more easily.” Through the tour, Yu hopes to express the flexibility of Korean food: its ability to fulfill sweetness, spiciness, saltiness, and even bitterness, at the same time providing nutritious dishes.

However, their days have not always been easy. Since they were the only interested students when they first had the idea, some of their acquaintances were doubtful of their attempt. Moreover, still young and inexperienced, getting sponsors and supporters were challenging. Yu expresses the team’s last minute tension, “We are still very imperfect. This project is not an easy one so we feel pressure and always feel nervous and worried.” Fortunately, the big problems are all behind now, and they are at the stage of completing their contracts for financial support. Afterwards, they will start training for actual cooking. The Kimchi Bus is expected to set off during the mid September after Chusuk(Korean Thanks Giving). After an opening event in Korea, the bus will go oversea to Russia, cross Eurasia, Middle East, Europe, and finally, North America by July next year.

So, how did these men become such passionate cooks (Yu says that he is not a professional cook yet, but he will be one in just two months)? Shim says that he started to cook in high school. “I sometimes cooked at home just for fun. The food did not taste good, but cooking itself was just fun. Later, I took a professional path in cooking because I believed it was something I could really enjoy without getting restricted by money.” Yu, on the other hand, says that he naturally grew fond of cooking because his parents were busy, and he had to make his own meals.

 

Even though both had started cooking at a relatively early age, they both expressed the importance of other factors than technical skills. Yu says “Cooking is not only about technical skills. It is very scientific and complex. Thus, those hoping to become great chefs obviously need to have concrete foundations. Also, faith in oneself and what one is doing is the foremost important thing. ‘Do I really want to do this, and can I be good?’ When you can say yes to these questions, then you can persuade your parents, or else overcome their opposition.” Shim added to this, and said, “To cook properly, you also need to study hard generally. Studying hard will not only help you in learning professional cooking, but also help you in the long run. Illiterate cooks will cook mechanically, whereas literate cooks are more creative and gain more knowledge more quickly than those who are not.” Shim furthered his answer by briefly introducing Heston Bluemental, the world famous cook whom he respects the most. “Bluemental reinterpretates simple, ordinary foods with his highly advanced and scientific skills into something completely original and sophisticated. Moreover, rather than learning from famous chefs, he pulled his restaurant Fat Duck up to the second best restaurant in the world with his own genuine ideas. He’s an honest chef and scientist.”

Lastly, to the question of whether there are any bigger or personal goals in doing the Kimchi Bus project, Yu demonstrated great zest, “I suppose it’s also about challenging myself. How much can I achieve. After completing the 2006 trip with no money, I tasted the savour of accomplishing my goals and grew more confident about challenging myself.” Shim, in contrast, expressed hopes of promotion in his career.

In ending the interview, leader Yu closed by saying, “Many people ask what we are planning to do after the tour, but we have not gone that far yet. Right now, our mind and body are busy enough with Kimchi Bus, and we really cannot think about other things until it is over. After the trip, many changes will have occurred, and I suppose we will be acting according to those changes.”

 For more information about the Kimchi Bus, visit Kimchi Bus online page ‘www.kimchibus.com’ or Si-hyeong Yu’s blog ’www://optimist.crazytour.net/’. Also, for more information about Si-hyeong Yu’s 2006 No-money trip, read his book “26 Euro“.

 

Beijing’s struggle to spread its environmental spirit all over the world!

   From 7^th to 10^th of June, people from all over the world gathered in Beijing exhibition center. The world’s largest environmental exhibition was being held, and countless firms and government officials visited here to learn more about Beijing’s growing interest in the environment and its environmental market. CIEPEC (China International Exhibition Protection Exhibition and Conference) was an extraordinarily superb opportunities for a variety of people, including youth.

 In front of the entrance of CIEPEC's main hall, the place where visitors' loads were checked.

   Right after getting a free ticket, there was a quick monitor of my loads just like the one in the airport. After that, writing a register and getting a card were still required. After having finished passing through all those complex ‘entrance tests’, the world’s largest environmental exhibition center halls emerged in front of my eyes.

  Colossal main halls 1A and 1B exhibited Chinese local firms’ products, and the rest of the ten more halls exhibited the products and seminars from China, Korea, Japan, USA, Belgium, Italy, Canada, France, Hong Kong and so on. Hong Kong pavilion had a very lively and exotic atmosphere. “We dismantle computers into the pieces of components and extract useful materials from them or recycle them into another products,” said a representative of an electronic recycling company in Hong Kong, the Li Tong Group. “Our main environmental aim is to ‘reduce natural resources exploitation’. To tell you our standard operating procedures, firstly, we get goods and verify weight and quantify them. Secondly, we remove labels with customers’ intellectual properties. We dismantle, separate and sort the goods. Thirdly, we destroy them and weigh the materials. Lastly, weight verification and issue certification of destruction is carried on. An example for our company’s job can be extracting gold from electric chips and shred parts of computer components into ferrous. We wish to extract as much as we can to save one more useful raw materials and natural resources.”

 

   CIEPEC was a brisk and delightful exhibition. This time in 2011, CIEPEC had its 12^th exhibition in Beijing which started 24 years ago; It is held once in two years. Numerous firms revealed their environmentally friendly products at CIEPEC. Some of them had tanks which filtered polluted water into cleaner tap water, a newly-made flow meters and brand-new machines which measured the level of pollution in the air for 24 hours. Also, several seminars about their environmental strategies and policies were held at parts of each hall. The students interested in environment and environmental business as well as geography and science would be welcomed to visit CIEPEC, as they can attend seminars and wander around and listen to each pavilions’ representatives’ speeches and explanations.

   Now the CIEPEC is receiving more and more attention, as it is one of the international meetings in China, a new "star nation" which has growing markets in almost all fields. It is not a bad idea if one interested in environmental areas visit this extremely huge and enthusiastic ‘environmental festival’ with a Chinese friend beside him. CIEPEC is one of the revealers of China’s growing interest in environment, which rapidly mounted around the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 1993, China was refused to hold Olympic games in Beijing due to its environmental problems. Since then, Chinese government embarked on environmental plans and projects to appeal the world with the image of a better nature and environment.

 

CIEPEC seen from above. Numerous people from different countries filled up the exhibition center.

Beijing’s environmental condition in 2011!

 

As described above, Chinese government has struggled to raise the quality of China’s environment and to obtain more concerns and helps from all over the world; for example, through CIEPEC, China drew the world's attention on its environmental market. 

    “Breathe in, and feel the delicious chemicals in the air of Beijing!” My friend shouted out loud as we had just placed our sneakers on the land of Beijing international airport in 2008. Beijing was infamous for its environmental pollution and the areas rife with garbage due to the past’s rapid industrialization. However, Beijing in the year of 2011 is not the one like Beijing in the past anymore. China and its government is striving to be ‘greener’ right now.

 

When I just came to Beijing as a little student in 2006, I shivered in a tiny guilt for dropping glasses of juice, used tissues, torn and ripped plastic bags and unrecyclable wastes in the ‘same’ garbage bin. As a girl whom entirely got used to separate garbage collection system, I was shocked to see people throwing away garbage without any identification for the recyclable garbage in Beijing. However, by now, more and more Beijing citizens are taking ‘greener’ actions. Beijing in 2011 has the rubbish bins with ‘recyclable’ and ‘other wastes’ sections for the most of its streets.

 

Beijing’s street in the middle of June had relatively clean and neat figure. Street cleaners in orange uniform were sweeping the street and there was no rubbish on the street. “It seems there is not much garbage, but it’s because we all clean it up,” said a man, one of the street cleaners. “Several people still lack the awareness to put garbage in the rubbish bin. They attach posters and advertisements onto walls and throw garbage away at any place.” Unlike Beijing citizens’ answers that the street is free from much garbage than the past, the cleaners disapproved this. However, in some places, citizens were following the ‘green action’. “Well, we separately put garbage into the bins in our house!” Two local school children said with a definite tone. “I separately throw away wastes from the kitchen and the recyclable ones,” said a housewife in a village. There has been gradual change in the view on the recycle by Beijing citizens.

  However, it was a different case for the residents in a poor local village. On the grayish and dusty cement, piles of garbage were mingled into smelly balls, and almost everyone in the village did not separately dump rubbish. Also, there was no suitable trash can for such action. Though it started to show several advances in the Beijing streets to get rid of countless garbage, several poor villages still suffer from the garbage. It seemed there should be more emphasis of cleaning garbage by Chinese government for them to live in a much more neat and clean environment. My math teacher, a ChaoXianZu(ethnic Korean immigrants living in China) explained this situation. "Clearly, as Chinese government has strived to get better in its envrionment around 2008, although people still throw away garbage anywhere, the increased number of street cleaners these days clean up all the garabage in the street. Only those local villages still need more recognition of the importance of cleaning rubbish."

An untidy road in the rural area of Beijing (top). 
     Neat and clean road in the middle of city; a man is carrying blue recyclable bottles with his bicycle (bottom).

   API (Air Pollution Index) is the measurement of a certain place’s air pollution. 101 API shows unhealthy level, 201 a very unhealthy level, and 301 a very dangerous level. The air of Beijing usually has the API of between 60~90, 20~50 when favorable, and 100~120 when the air is heavily thick with dust and sand. Numerous people are interested in Beijing’ atmosphere, as most of them bet its poor quality. However, most of the Beijing citizens considered the air quality as satisfying and breathable. Some of them even said the quality improved after the 2008 Beijing Olympic game. Before the Olympic games, Beijing were made embarrassing as several athletes publicly announced that they were not participating in the Olympics due to the shoddy quality of Beijing’s air.

  By now, Beijing has much more sunny days with brighter and fresher air. The average API of Beijing from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2007 is known to be around 92.8, but the average API from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2011 is 63.4. There has been much change in the air quality before and after the Olympics. Since the average API from June 1^st to June 5^th in 2008, right before the Olympic game which was in August is around 57.6, it can be considered that Beijing Olympic games had served as a momentum for Beijing to endeavored to make a development its air quality; as what Beijing citizens exactly said. For example, as Beijing is always crowded, Chinese government aimed to reduce cars in China into 240,000 for the air with less chemicals and pollution.

Crowded Beijing full of cars and people; the air that day was a little foggy and stifling.

   These all show Chinese government's attempts for a higher quality of its nature, especially the one in its capital city, Beijing. Obviously, Beijing's environment has made a progress compared to the past, before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Even though several people criticize China for the  pollution in the air, rivers, oceans, forests, soil, food and so on, the fact that China and Beijing's land is too large for the total perfection evenly spread all over their land in the natural environment and the another fact that compared to speedy industrialization, Chinese government has made a great deal of efforts such as numbers of events, exhibitions like CIEPEC, prohibiting smoking inside public places, giving credits to environmentally-friendly companies, roof greening...etc cannot be ignored.

Now the world's eyes are on China, and some even expect it to be the world's most powerful country soon in the future. Its environmental issues will determine China's future of becoming a such country. Beijing's environment, will it make China number one or the last one?

 

 

Finding MoMA

The MoMA Building, fromthe opposite end of the MoMA building

Umwelt. Envrionnement. Ambiente. 環境. Environment. 환경.

These are six different languages to indicate ‘environment’. But they are the same: they all contain the meaning of ‘ring’, surrounding and making continuity with something else.

Likewise, environment is what connects everything in the world. Within that ring of connection, we receive comfort, astonishment, and learn true values of life. Paradoxically, we face environmental problems that make us uneasy. It does not hurt to say our whole life style is heavily dependent on the environment that surrounds us. While some are somewhat aware, many urban citizens, especially, minimize the environment’s scale to godforsaken rainforests. They keep on forgetting that our daily conducts on environment go once around the world and eventually come back to us, as it is a continuous ring.

 

Let us take a break from such a consequential matter.

            The opening ceremony of the 8th Green Film festival in Seoul in Yonsei University.
            Picture provided by Korea Green Foundation.


Who could not like a good movie? Its messages are sent via effective soundtracks, actors’ publicity, storylines, etc.

Red carpet, flashlights, spotlights, beautiful floor length dresses, celebrated celebrities are what take over the general image of any film festival. However, as this environment film festival became familiar to the public, the event turned out to be about pure love and respect for our surroundings.

From 2004, Green Film festival in Seoul (GFFIS) has been held by Korea Green Foundation. Since its inception, it has been screening environment-related movies and awarded them. It is one brilliant course of direction to approach such an ambiguous matter to the general public. Now, it has become the most well known green-film festival in Korea.

About 130 different films were shown in Sangam CGV in a week, which were from 30 different countries.  According to Greenfund, they open 'partial competition', and take in films theming environment, water, food, energy related films. Among them, Green fund selects outstanding films to award them. The entire festival's meaning can be found in its intention of trying to raise awareness about the issue. Also, it is focusing on monitoring ways to solve and mitigate the problem through an art called 'movie'.

On May 18^th, the opening ceremony for the 8^th GFFIS was held in Yonsei University. The opening movie was <I’m sorry, Thank you> directed by Yim Soon-Rye, Song Il-Gon, Park Heung-Sik and Oh Joum-Kyun.

 

            Directors, actors and actresses of the opening movie <I’m sorry, Thank you> in the opening ceremony.
            Picture provided by Korea Green Foundation.

 

‘Many of us make lame excuses that we do not go across environment very much in our crazy lives. But, when we look around, our pets bring the environment close, the closest we can get. This movie is to reemphasize the reality of pets living in concrete forest with human beings. The importance of living things as a whole and the meaning of co-existence can be recaptured in the movie.’ said in its program announcement sheet.  

 

Picture provided by Korea Green Foundation.

 

 Korea Green Foundation : A private foundation purely established for the environment and common interest. Its main project is ‘350’, that they hope to see a world below 350ppm of CO2 concentration, which is an internationally agreed rate of stable environment.

Korea Green Foundation - http://www.greenfund.org/

Korea Green Foundation - Climate Change Center : http://www.climatechangecenter.kr/

GFFIS - http://www.gffis.org/                      

 

 

2011 한-인도 포럼; “지속가능한 미래를 위한 운동화 그리기”

1. 참가 프로그램 내용        
● 2011 한-인도 포럼의 슬로건인 Feel SD(Sustainable Development), Act for SF(Sustainable Future) - 지속가능발전을 느끼고, 지속가능한 미래를 위해 행동하자'를 실천하기 위한 프로그램으로 지속가능발전교육 ESD(Education for Sustainable Development) 실행을 위해 기획되었습니다. 현재 미지센터에서 시행하고 있는 해외 빈곤 청소년들에게 희망의 메시지를 그린 운동화를 전달하는 ‘희망의 운동화 나눔 축제(Shoes of Hope)’와 결합된 프로그램입니다.
● ESD 개념에 대하여 쉽게 배우고, 운동화 그리기를 통하여 ESD를 행동으로 실천도 해볼 수 있어 국제리더로서의 발판을 마련하고, 에티오피아 친구들에게 자신이 그린 운동화를 전달할 수 있는 뜻 깊은 행사입니다.
● 인도와 한국의 포럼 참가자 각각 한 명과 초등학생 한 명이 한 팀을 이루어 영어와 한국어로 동시에 진행되며, 한국과 인도의 문화교류를 체험할 수 있는 자리입니다.

 2. 참가자격
● 서울시 거주 또는 소재의 초등학교에 재학 중인 만11세~12세 (초등학생인 경우 5~6학년)
● 타 문화에 대한 수용력이 뛰어나고 마음이 열려 있는 학생
● 인도인으로부터 인도의 문화에 대한 직접적인 소개를 듣고 싶은 학생
● 운동화에 주제와 관련된(Education for Sustainable Development) 메시지를 담아 그림을 그리고 그것을 전달함으로써 세계 평화와 우정, 희망을 실천하고 싶은 학생
● 영어실력과는 상관없이 영어로 대화하기를 두려워하지 않는 학생
● 한국과 인도의 형, 누나들과 함께 즐거운 시간을 보내고 싶은 학생

3. 프로그램 시간표           
● 실 행 일 자 : 7월 9일(토) 13:30~17:30
● 장      소 : 미지센터 나눔방

● 시  간  표 :

시간 ( 약 4 시간)	프로그램
13:30~13:40 (10분)	기획단 소개
13:40~13:50 (10분)	인도 참가자 소개
13:50~14:00 (10분)	인도 인사말 배우기
14:00~14:20 (20분)	“지속가능한 미래를 위한 운동화 그리기” 소개
14:20~14:30 (10분)	팀 구성 & 팀별 자기소개
14:30~14:40 (10분)	쉬는 시간
14:40~15:00 (20분)	운동화 그림 구상
15:00~16:30 (1시간 30분)	그림 그리기
16:30~17:00 (30분)	다과 및 소감 발표
17:00~:17:10 (10분)	설문지 및 마무리
17:10~17:30 (20분)	사진촬영시간 - 단체, 조별 및 기념품증정

4. 참가혜택 
● 행사 기념품 및 폴라로이드 사진 1인당 1매씩 제공
※ 기타 활동 증명서는 따로 발급하지 않습니다.

5. 참 가 비: 무료

6. 참가자 선발방법
● 미지센터 홈페이지(www.mizy.net)에 게시된 공고문 하단의 신청서를 다운로드 후 작성
● 신청서를 선착순으로 E-mail을 통해 접수, 선착순 15명 선발
● 접수 E-mail : brosis@mizy.net으로 송부
● 파일명을 'ESD참가지원서_학생이름'로 하여 보내주세요. ex) 'ESD참가지원서_신정섭‘
● 불참자가 생길 경우 차순위자에게 기회가 부여됩니다. 차순위자에게는 개별연락을 드립니다.

7. 참가자 선발일정
● 일   시: 6월 21일(화)~6월 26일(일) 18:00까지
●발   표: 6월 27일(월) 16:00 이후 개별연락
※ 참가자 모집이 조기마감 될 수 있습니다. 조기마감 될 경우 홈페이지 공고문에 표시.

8. 문   의
● 미지센터 교육문화사업팀 한-인도 포럼 신정섭
● Tel: 02-755-1024 (내선 110) / E-mail: brosis@mizy.net
● 미지센터 홈페이지: http://www.mizy.net/

On June 1, 2011, 'baby factory' in Nigeria was raided by the police.

32 pregnant girls were rescued. 

These teenage girls aged between 15 and 17 were locked up and used as a means of producing babies.
The babies were trafficked and they have been used for rituals or other purposes. 

 This is only part of the story of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is an act of recruiting, transporting, transfering, harbouring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them.
Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad.
The United Nation estimated that 12.3 million people are globally employed in sexual servitude or forced labor. The number of victims is more than at any point in human history according to 'Not For Sale'(NGO).  

Every country in the world is affected by trafficking.

As for South Korea, it has been regarded as a source and destination country for human trafficking.
The annual report on Trafficking in Persons(TIP), counducted by the U.S State Department, states that "South Korea is a source, transit, and destination country for men and women subjected totrafficking in persons, specifically forced labor, and women and girls in forced commercial sexual exploitation."

One of the most severe problems in South Korea is sexual exploitation.
Korean women are involved in prostitution in major cities in South Korea such as Seoul and Busan. Korean women are are forced into prositution not only in Korea, but also in foreign countries such as the U.S.,Canada, Japan, Australia.

Also,women and girls from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.), the Philippines, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries, are trafficked to become brides for South Korean men or to work in child sex tourism. Usually, destitute teenage girls and  women in other countries came to Korea in order to make a living. Traffickers deceive those women by making promises of better life.  
However, some people are trafficked against their will; they are sold by their family members and exchanged for goods or money.
Once traffickers extract victims from their home countries, they typically sell the children to slaveholders who run strip clubs, sex bars, brothels, karaoke clubs, or massage parlors.

Labor trafficking is another problem.

People work like slaves in factories without any payment.The most serious thing is that some employers possess the passports and wages of foreign workers, which means there is no way for victims to escape from their owners.
People are not aware  that the products they use in daily life have been produced through labor trafficking. A large number of conglomerates in South Korea have associated with traffickers and used labor trafficking for cheap labor. T-shirts and shoes you wear are made by victims' tears and sweats. Labor trafficking happens anywhere anytime and in you own backyard.

The South Korean Government has put a multitude of  efforts to put an end to human trafficking.
In response to increased sex trafficking of South Korean women to the United States, the South Korean police sent a delegation to the United States to improve joint cooperation in investigating  trans-Pacific trafficking in 2006. In addition, The 2004 Act on the Punishment of Intermediating in the Sex Trade and Associated Acts criminalizes commercial sexual exploitation.

However, despite the national efforts to alleviate the problem, human trafficking does not seem to be eliminated  in our society.
For instance, In April, 2011, four people were arrested for human trafficking and forcing 70 North Korean female defectors into prostitution.
On April 12, the Seoul Metropolitan Police revealed  that the group had forced femnale defectors into prostitution after buying them from Chinese brokers. 

Like this, human trafficking in South Korea is a huge problem that even the government can not easily rectify. So, people's great concern over this issue is very significant. However, unfortunately, not many teenagers in South Korea are well informed about human trafficking.

In order to know why the youth's participation is crucial, i interviewed David Quimby who is working with Not For Sale (NGO) as Student Abolitionist Movement manager.

(NOT FOR SALE is a non-governmental organization which equips and mobilizes Smart Activists to deploy innovative solutions to re-abolish slavery across the globe.)

 1.  Could you please introduce yourself?

Ans) My name is David Quimby and I am from Chicago, IL. I just got back from graduation at Olivet Nazarene University where I graduated with a degree in criminal justice and was part of the Criminal Justice Honor’s Society. I have been working with Not For Sale since January. I am taking part in the 6 month fellowship program that they offer. While with Not For Sale, my title has changed quite a bit. The least number of programs that I have juggled at one time are three and these are always changing. Right now, I am currently working as the Student Abolitionist Movement manager, Event planner, Investigator, and Free2work researcher.

My goal in life is to make a difference but I don’t want to be remembered for what I did, I want someone to be able to live their life that might not have had it without my efforts.

2.Do you think the youth’s participation can actually make a difference?

Ans) Students have been the major push behind the effort since it began. That is why we put so much emphasis on the Student Abolitionist Movement. Students have the skills necessary and the contacts needed to further the movement as well as get others in on the movement. One thing we can never have enough of is funding, being an NGO, we are always trying to create more avenues of funding so that we can further our mission. Students have been a major driving force for us with fundraisers, mission drives, and all kinds of other ideas.

 Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are at. Lives that we have touched because of their work might have been lost.

 3)  Is their anything else you would like to say to Korean students?

Ans) One problem we have is that people believe that human trafficking doesn’t happen in their neighborhood.
Human trafficking is all around us and when people realize that, they instantly want to make a change. One tool we have for this is called Slaverymap.org. If we are speaking with someone and they don’t think it happens in their area, then we can pull up this map that has plotted cases of human trafficking all around the world.

 

 

600,000 ~ 800,000 humans are trafficked internationally according to Not For Sale.
70 percent are female. 50 percent are children.
They are killed, abducted ,exploited, beaten, raped, deceived, starved, and threatened.
Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It does not just happen across the world.
It happens around us and victims are everywhere.

     In 1960s, Koreans went to Germany in a hope of financially stable-life. Men and Women worked as miners and nurses respectively. Their life was not juicy at all; in fact, miners had to work in 40 degrees hot and 3000m deep underground. However, their influence to Korean economy was massive – they earned 30% of Korea’s national export. 
     Despite Korea’s huge economic improvement, people still visit Germany. Some wish to achieve their goals, look for refreshment, and to challenge. While I was on my two-week long backpacking in Germany, I met three Korean ladies who visited Germany for different purposes. (Two of them were cousins of my travel roommates, and the other was random backpacking college student.)


Granny Nana in Kassel

     Nana (the second from the left in the image) first stepped on Germany at her age of 20 because she wanted to study industrial design at university in Kassel. When she arrived at Germany, she had only studied German during 3 years of her high school life. Despite the language barrier she decided to study in Germany to achieve her dream. (She commented she used to dream of becoming a world renowned designer.) According to her, she was the only Korean in the university. In other words, she had to be strong and independent to survive in foreign land. While attending the university she decided to open a small organic toy store for babies. She named her store Nanchen after her name. And her store which began as a flagship store now became successful toy company with forty years history.
      I asked two cliché questions to her: What does Germany and Korea means to you, respectively? She answered without a doubt. If Korea mentally supported her, Germany physically assisted her dream. Her family in Korea encouraged her, and people in Germany gave her an opportunity to challenge.
      She also commented, “I never regretted my coming to Germany. True. It was difficult to adjust to completely new environment alone. However even such hardships helped me achieve my goal. Never stop but challenge; then, there will be a way.”



Aunt Lina in Berlin

     Lina (the first from the left of upper image) has lived in Germany for three years. Before, she had lived and worked in Korea for about a decade. She used to work as music department marketer in S company. Though she was living financially successful and stable life at Korea, she was dissatisfied with her life. She found repetitive and routine office work tired. Thus she decided to come to Germany – since she majored German language at the university – and refresh her life. Until now, she seems to enjoy her life in Germany.
     I asked the same question as I did to Nana, and Lina’s reply was very different from Nana’s. Her answer was simple: “Korea is closed and Germany is open.” She believed despite much globalization, Korean society is still conservative and closed minded. She continued that average life of an adult is too busy to rest. “Koreans work for the company and family rather than themselves. I think they should know how to work and play just like Germans or any other Europeans.”
     During the weekends she practices piano which she have always wanted to learn. And she attends German class at the university nearby. She advised us not to spend time merely studying and working; she wanted us three to try what we like.



Anonymous Backpacking Student at ICE (IntetCity Express)

     While heading to Berlin by night train, I met Korean backpacker. She 23-year-old student was traveling Germany alone. According to her she had traveled Swiss and Austria with her friend, and they separated at Germany.
     She was taking time off university for a year and travel around Europe. I asked, “Why did you decide to travel for so long?” Just like previous two ladies, anonymous backpacker wanted some change. “Having lived as a typical Korean university student for few years, I forgot what I wanted to do. I cannot grasp what I would like to do in the future. I needed some time to meet people, get advices, and learn more about ‘life.’”
     She added, “I think traveling around Europe gives me a lot of time to ponder. Why do not you try imagining your future while traveling? It might give you an insight.”


     Traveling around Germany, I could not see many Koreans among Asians. Though short chats with three ladies gave me a lesson which I could not have learned from other travels: to try and challenge. Wish we continue questioning for our future.

/MIZY Youth Reporters Yeong-ran Ahn

 

      How does it feel like to work in a cubicle or an office? How is office-work different from schoolwork? How does a company manage its employees and future plans? All these questions are hardly possible to answer before one actually get to be employed by a certain company. However, it is not yet impossible.  Fortunately, Internship program allows one to explore a company or a job before the actual employment.

What is Internship?
   
    Wikipedia, web-based encyclopedia, defines internship “a system of on-the-job training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship.” Interns are mostly college or university students, but occasionally high school students are being accepted to participate in internship programs. Student internships provide opportunities for students to gain experience in their field, determine if they have an interest in a particular career. 

    For a long period of time, internship was considered exclusively for those who are enrolled or graduated university of higher academic institution. However, as the competition to enter university undergraduate program gets ever intensified, several organizations and institutions opened their doors for internship program to even high school students. With its international standing, Korea is also providing various internship opportunities for high school students. I suggest you to join in internship held in Korea, which can allow you explore both Internship and Korean culture.

    Even though many high school students are seeking internship opportunities, the reality is that the parents of those students who are willing to participate in internship program are organizing most of internship programs. Furthermore, many companies avoid internship program applicants attending high school due to high school students’ lack of professional knowledge on specific area of study that the internship program requires. However, still, there are several organizations or companies.

                                                                                                                                       
1. Smithsonian Institution
- Smithsonian Institution offers internship opportunities for both college and high school students. Applicants can apply to one of Smithsonian Institutions, while there are internship programs that directly aim for high school students. However, unfortunately, Smithsonian Institution accepts only applicants holding US citizenship.
(http://intern.si.edu/internship_types_all.html)

                                                                                                                                        
2. Youth Internship Center
- Youth Internship Center, which mainly aims for the provision of internship opportunities to high school students, provides various internship opportunities.
(http://www.yintern.or.kr/)

    Through internship programs either stated above or not will provide students opportunity to explore what their best interest is. As ones “specification” is being ever emphasized, it is important to learn what one is good at before the one actually rush into such path.

My Experience as Intern

    From May 23 to June 2, I was fortunately able to participate in school-sponsored internship program. With the help of my parents, I was given with an opportunity to explore the world of law firm, located in Korea. Through the internship experience, I wished to grow my ability of critical analysis, time-management and clear expression of my opinion, and also to observe the “legal” world inside.

      As an intern in a law firm, I was responsible for helping an attorney. I assisted an attorney who mainly advised intellectual property law. Since I did not have legal knowledge at all, I could not dive into the world of law directly. Therefore, I was only responsible for tasks that secretaries and office workers do in law firm; I was assigned to work on translation and organization of documents. Through the internship, I learned new skills. I could learn how hard it is to work for a company. Staying in office without proper break time was seriously difficult for me to manage. Furthermore, I could feel the heavy responsibility assigned to each members of the company. I wish those learning helps me when I actually get involved in the real companies.

      Overall, working for a law firm was a valuable experience since it allowed me to observe the system and circulation of law firm, which is hardly possible for a non-member of the law firm to explore. The experience was valuable, because I could develop my critical analysis skills by reading lots of legal materials, time-managing skill by completing works on time and observation of the Korean legal system by attending courts and prosecutors’ office. Unfortunately, this internship is my last internship in high school, so I believe this internship provided me with a valuable opportunity to explore what it is like to be a member of a company. Furthermore, I could see what I lack, which is clear and effective way of expressing my opinions. I believe this internship opportunity significantly helped me to broaden my perspective on my future choices of both majors and careers.

Tips for Future Interns

    Through internship program provided by law firm located in Korea, I was able to work as an intern for two weeks. Despite the brevity of time, I was able to learn what internship is like. And, here are few tips that may help you in the future.

1. Don’t Try to Challenge on Your First Day Lunch Time
- First day is time for you to adjust yourself and learn what the company is like. After a long time of work, you may wish to explore around the company and look for nice restaurants; however, I suggest you to have your lunch somewhere near the company, because there are many variables and it is unwise to be late on the first day.

2. Repeat the Name!
- Especially if you work in a non-Asian company, where people are usually refereed by their last or first name but not their title, it is crucial to remember people’s name. I suggest you to repeat their names when they introduce themselves. For example, if one introduces oneself “My name is John,” I recommend you to answer in form like “Nice to meet you John.” Repeating the name will help you to better remember.

3. Be on Time
- This cliché cannot be more emphasized. Be on Time. It can give good impressions to your employer, which means higher chance for you to get better recommendation from the employer.

4. Bring a Book or Homework
- Even though you will be given with assignments, most of the time, you will have free times. However, it is unwise to use the free time playing games or going outside. I highly recommend you to read a book or do homework when free time is given.

5. Don’t Bring Laptop or USB Unless Told to Do So
- Certain companies prohibit its employees to bring their own laptops to the company due to high-risk of credential information being leaked. Therefore, do not bring your laptop before you got permission from your supervisor.

6. Wear Appropriate Attire
- It is important to wear appropriate attire. However, appropriate attire does not mean fancy and overly formal suits. If you are working as a journalist, you will not be required to wear formal suits; however, if you are working in a law firm or governmental institution, you will be required to wear formal suits. I highly recommend you to overdress on the first day just in case.

7. Be Careful Using Company Laptop
- Company laptop is for work but not for chatting or web surfing. Furthermore, companies are sensitive about unauthorized downloads from webs, which can also download virus that can influence the entire company intranet. Therefore, I recommend you to use your laptop only to finish your assignments or simple mail checking or searching.

      Bearing these seven tips in your mind, you will be able to overcome all the obstacles you will face during the internship period.  And, internship will invite you to the world that you have never explored before.

 

밴쿠버에 온 지 3개월이 지난 지금, 현재 이곳의 모습은 지난 3개월간의 조용하고 평화로운 밴쿠버의 모습이 아니다. 바로 2010-2011 북미아이스하키리그 스탠리컵 결승전으로 밴쿠버 전체가 열광하고 있다. 밴쿠버와 보스턴의 결승 진출로 인해 스탠리컵은 캐나다 대 미국의 결승구도가 되어버렸다. 그렇기 때문에, 이번 결승전은 밴쿠버 시민을 비롯해 많은 캐나다인이 밴쿠버의 우승을 기원하고 있다. 40년 만에 밴쿠버의 스탠리컵 우승이 눈앞에 다가오자 텔레비전, 라디오, 신문 모두가 헤드라인 뉴스로 결승전을 다루고 있고, 심지어 길거리만 지나가도 이번 스탠리컵 결승전의 열기를 바로 느낄 수 있다. 사람들은 자동차에 2개에서 많으면 8개까지 밴쿠버 카넉스 (밴쿠버 하키팀 정식 이름) 깃발을 꼽고 다니며 밴쿠버 카넉스 유니폼, 응원 티셔츠 등을 누구나 입고 다닌다. 이러한 장면을 보며 외국인인 나도 밴쿠버 카넉스 팀에 순식간에 매료되어 버렸으며 스탠리컵 2차 결승전에는 직접 다운타운에서 사람들과 함께 거리 응원을 해보았다. 

 

5시 경기 시작 전 비교적 이른 시간에 도착했는데도 다운타운에는 수많은 사람들이 이미 거리 응원을 하고 있었다. 밴쿠버 카넉스 유니폼은 기본이며, 큰 응원 깃발을 들고 다니며 ‘Go Canucks Go!’ 를 외쳤다. 이 날 밴쿠버는 ‘남’이라는 개념이 없었고 모두가 ‘친구’이며 ‘동료’였다. 행길을 건너며 눈만 마주쳐도 ‘Go Canucks Go!’를 외쳤으며, 스스럼없이 옆 사람들과 이야기를 나누었다. 이러한 분위기에 나 또한 그들과 하나가 되어 밴쿠버 카넉스를 더욱 신나게 응원할 수 있었다. 

이 날 사람들은 10 명중 7-8명은 밴쿠버 카넉스를 응원하는 티셔츠, 유니폼을 입고 있었다. 밴쿠버 다운타운의 가장 번화한 거리에서 큰 스크린을 보면서 모두가 밴쿠버 카넉스를 열렬히 응원했다. 우리나라가 붉은 옷을 입고 서울 시청 앞에서 축구대표팀을 응원하듯 밴쿠버 사람들은 온통 파란 물결로 다운타운을 뒤덮었다. 

캐나다 매니토바(Manitoba)에서 밴쿠버 카넉스를 응원하러 왔다는 한 팬은 나에게 밴쿠버에 온 지 얼마나 되었냐고 물어보았다. 3개월 정도 되었다고 대답하니, 그 분은 내가 매우 운이 좋은 시기에 밴쿠버에 왔다고 했다. 밴쿠버가 스탠리컵 결승전에 올라가 사람들이 이렇게 열광적으로 응원하는 것은 자신이 평생 이곳에 살았어도 몇 번 볼 수 없는 기회라고. 우리의 대화를 듣던 주변에 있던 밴쿠버 사람들도 모두 이 말에 동의하며 나보고 Lucky하다고 했다.
  

내가 응원을 갔던 결승 2차전 날에는 밴쿠버가 보스턴을 상대로 짜릿한 승리를 거두었다. 승리가 확정되자 사람들은 모두 환호성을 지르고 자동차에 타있던 사람들은 클락션을 마구 누르며 기쁨을 표했다. 남녀노소, 국적에 관계없이 모두가 친구처럼 주위 사람들과 승리를 즐겼다. 

밴쿠버와 보스턴의 결승이 확정되자 밴쿠버에 있던 보스턴 피자의 상표가 밴쿠버 피자로 바꿀 정도로 밴쿠버 사람들의 우승을 간절히 바라고 있다. 이러한 좋은 시기에 캐나다 사람들과 함께 ‘Go Canucks Go!'를 외칠 수 있어 매우 흥분되고 기뻤다. 스포츠라면 축구 밖에 모르던 나도 어느새 캐나다인들과 함께 밴쿠버 카넉스를 응원하고 있는 걸 보면, 하키가 매우 매력적이고 신나는 문화임에 틀림 없는 것 같다.
캐나다, 특히 밴쿠버에 올 계획이 있다면 하키 시즌에 방문하기를 추천한다. 캐나다인들과 스스럼없이 친해지고 캐나다 문화를 조금 더 깊숙이 체험해 볼 수 있는 좋은 경험이 될 것이다. 

국내외 신진작가와 청소년들의 예술 한마당

- 문화의 다양성을 예술로 담아 한 달간 공동예술작업, 오는 22일까지 참가자 모집 -

 

 서울시립청소년문화교류센터 “미지”(소장: 최형근, 이하 미지센터)의 ‘현대예술 워크샵 - 프로젝트 대기중 OOO’이 2011년 참가자 모집을 시작한다. 현대예술 워크샵 - 프로젝트 대기중 OOO(이하 워크샵)은 “다양성의 조화”라는 대주제 아래 국내·외 신진 작가 5인과 50명의 청소년 작가들이 소통과 교류를 통한 공동예술작업을 진행하여 오는 8월 17일 인사동 덕원갤러리에서 전시회를 개최한다. 청소년들이 문화적 차이를 넘어서 새로운 소통과 교류를 시도하고 문화다양성과 창의성을 증진시켜 향후 바람직한 문화생산자로 성장할 수 있도록 기획된 프로그램이다. 이번 프로그램을 주관하는 미지센터는 서울시가 설립하고 유네스코한국위원회에서 운영하는 청소년 국제교류 특화시설이며, 공동주관 기관인 루프(LOOP)는 신진예술가들을 발굴하고 실험적인 예술로 한국 미술계를 이끌어 가는 대안 공간이다.

 

획일화된 한국 미술교육의 대안으로 기획된 이번 프로그램에 참여할 청소년 작가들은 다양한 연령과 재능을 지닌 청소년들로 구성될 예정이다. 청소년 작가들은 워크샵 기간 동안 다양한 국가의 신진작가들과 주제에 대해 토론하고, 창의성을 발휘하여 하나의 예술작품을 만든다. 이러한 과정을 통해 세대, 성별, 문화 간의 시각차에서 비롯되는 다름을 이해하고, 반목이 아닌 이해와 공존으로 생각을 공유하는 방법을 경험하게 된다. 또한 청소년 작가들은 자신의 생각이 투영된 예술작품을 전시회를 통해 대중들에게 선보이는 기회를 얻고, 향후 다양한 저변활동을 통해 주체적인 문화생산자로서 성장할 것으로 기대된다.

 

2011년 워크샵에 참여하게 될 국내외 작가로는 한국의 설치미술가 이원호, 퍼포먼스 분야에서 활동하는 일본의 다케시 마로(Takeshi Maro), 방글라데시의 팔라쉬 바타차지(Palash Bhattacharjee), 건축디자인과 시각디자인 분야에서 활동하고 있는 미국의 조슈아 로버츠(Joshua Roberts), 호주의 리플렉션 아티스트 쟈일스 라이더(Giles Ryder) 총 5명이 선정되었다. 이들 신진 아티스트는 한국의 재능 있고 열정적인 청소년 참가자들과의 소통과 교류를 통해 다양한 장르의 현대예술을 보여줄 것으로 기대된다.

 

참가자들은 7월 16일(토) 오리엔테이션을 시작으로 약 한 달간의 공동예술작업을 거친 뒤 8월 17일(수)부터 8월 27일(토)까지 인사동 덕원갤러리에서 전시회를 개최할 예정이다. 국내·외 5명의 신진 작가와 50명의 청소년 작가들이 각각 1명의 작가와 10명의 청소년 작가로 팀을 이루어 공동예술작업에 참여하게 된다. 신진 작가와 청소년 참가자들은 자유로운 소통을 통하여 의견을 공유함으로써 문화 간, 세대 간의 조화를 이루며 개개인의 창의력을 증진시키고, 다양한 문화와 예술을 이해하게 된다. 또한 외국작가와의 원활한 의사소통을 돕기 위해 영어 및 외국작가의 해당 언어 능통자들이 통역 봉사자로 공동예술작업 활동에 참여하기 때문에 외국작가와의 의사소통에 대한 언어적인 부담은 최소로 하고 자유로운 소통을 통하여 청소년들이 예술창작에 몰입하게 된다. 예술작품을 만들기까지의 과정이 이번 워크샵에서 가장 강조하고자 하는 바이며 이러한 과정을 통해 예술을 전공하지 않는 청소년들에게도 미적 가치를 경험하는 기회와 다양한 시도를 통한 예술에 대한 폭넓은 이해와 경험을 할 수 있도록 한다.

 

이번 워크샵은 예술에 대한 열정을 가지고 다양한 문화를 경험하고 싶은 청소년 만 15세~24세 이하이면 누구나 참여할 수 있다. 참가자 모집은 22일(수)까지 약 2주간 이메일 접수를 통해 이루어질 예정이다. 자세한 사항은 미지센터 홈페이지 http://www.mizy.net 를 통해 알 수 있다.