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Like… and let's get to know Korea!
Together, for an adventure to understand Korean culture
Multiculturalism encompasses various cultures coexisting within a framework of respect and tolerance. Interculturality implies the interaction of different cultures generating shared cultural experiences, in which cultural dialogue becomes essential and turns us into main players at the heart of history taking an active part in this process.
The invitation to take part in the Seminar as a member of the Team Like I y II, y vamos a conocer Corea. ¡Únete a la aventura Corea! opened in me a world of emotions—my first trip abroad by plane, a long journey, and at the same time a wonderful opportunity to experience the rich culture, the millenary history, and the exciting lifestyle of this great nation in a very special way.
The possibility of traveling to Korea came true through the International Affairs Centre of the Academy of Korean Studies through the Understanding Korea Program, funding projects that promote the objectives of the abovementioned program in several countries around the world. The meeting, held within the framework of the Educational Cooperation Program for educators and textbook experts in Latin America on the topic Korea in Latin American education and its development management, brought together professionals from different Latin American countries in a Seminar renowned for its high technical and academic levels and included the following activities: Presentation of experiences developed in the Latin American regions; Conference on Korean History featuring cultural heritages and Korean Food; and Guided visit to the cities of Suwon, Paju, Seoul including palaces, museums, theater, gastronomy, and long tours, which I will treasure as unique memories stirring many emotions.
From the very first day, their hospitality and excellent organization, taking care of all the details in relation to the meeting, were remarkable. In this presentation, I am proud to say that being part of the Team ¡Like I y II, y vamos a conocer Corea! under the direction of an outstanding professional and outstanding leader, Lic. Roxana Duarte Milichi de Báez, and the coordinator, Dr. Teresa Dejesús Oviedo, a national educational consultant, has given me the opportunity to know and experience Korea, share with AKS leaders and other colleagues the successful experience of the project in its two versions—in 2021 and 2022—with the main objective of understanding Korean culture with the help of Paraguayan education professionals, and at the same time raise interest in various aspects of the cultural world of Korea through experiential, dynamic, playful, artistic, audiovisual pedagogical proposals involving Paraguayan collaborators such as education professionals (directors and teachers of public schools), historians, university students, and fans of Korean culture who took part in all the activities involved in the project.
The opportunity offered to professionals from different countries to experience significant moments and deepen their knowledge of this ancient nation leaves an unforgettable impact on the lives of each and every one of them, making it a valuable contribution to the program developed by the Centre for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies through its project “Understanding Korea.”
The achievements of the Republic of Korea in positioning itself in the globalized world as a dynamic, fast-developing country with an economy that has grown exponentially to become a world power and a model country are irrefutable. Even more remarkable is the nation, where the people have understood that freedom, equality, and coexistence of humanity are universal—permanent and immutable values that, after more than 5,000 years of history, still remain in time as well as the memory of its people.
A very significant moment was meeting with the president of AKS, Mr. Byung Woo, Ahn, who welcomed the shared moment and the achievements made through the program, understanding that education is the engine of development including the importance of continuing to work together in order to promote peace and values, strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation, as well as the remarks of the director, Mrs. Nan Hee, Ku, as to how it is crucial to design open opportunities that will allow us to look beyond to meet others.
Within the framework of the activities carried out in the different cities of Korea, all the days were full of emotions, representing a real source of knowledge acquired to deepen our understanding of Korean culture and highlighting it throughout the excellent planning and organization of each visit with descriptions full of valuable information and learning reflected to every meal tasted, every landscape visited, and every contact with the people.
On a personal level, the days spent in Korea with wonderful people, sharing with very experienced colleagues, have been some of the most meaningful days of my life. At the end of the meeting, I had to return and the farewell full of melancholy marked the end of a wonderful experience; hugging was the right way to say goodbye and take the flight back home, leaving a trail of mixed feelings, wishing this experience to be repeated soon and filling me with immense gratitude to the organizers.
South Korea: a dream come true on the other side of the sun
A few decades ago, my memories of Korea were mostly of the shopkeepers in my neighborhood or those who walked the streets offering different kinds of clothes in every house—practices that definitely transformed the way of life in my country, Paraguay. How distant I considered it all back then! Today, with an enchanted child's eyes, in the streets of the mythical nation of South Korea, I am the one walking dazzled observing the hectic daily life, full of traditional cultural features harmonized with the modern, the diversity of cultures reflected to the plurality of the population with a significant number of foreigners, the city full of color, life, light, and movement, which make it unique and vibrant.The invitation to take part in the Seminar as a member of the Team Like I y II, y vamos a conocer Corea. ¡Únete a la aventura Corea! opened in me a world of emotions—my first trip abroad by plane, a long journey, and at the same time a wonderful opportunity to experience the rich culture, the millenary history, and the exciting lifestyle of this great nation in a very special way.
The possibility of traveling to Korea came true through the International Affairs Centre of the Academy of Korean Studies through the Understanding Korea Program, funding projects that promote the objectives of the abovementioned program in several countries around the world. The meeting, held within the framework of the Educational Cooperation Program for educators and textbook experts in Latin America on the topic Korea in Latin American education and its development management, brought together professionals from different Latin American countries in a Seminar renowned for its high technical and academic levels and included the following activities: Presentation of experiences developed in the Latin American regions; Conference on Korean History featuring cultural heritages and Korean Food; and Guided visit to the cities of Suwon, Paju, Seoul including palaces, museums, theater, gastronomy, and long tours, which I will treasure as unique memories stirring many emotions.
From the very first day, their hospitality and excellent organization, taking care of all the details in relation to the meeting, were remarkable. In this presentation, I am proud to say that being part of the Team ¡Like I y II, y vamos a conocer Corea! under the direction of an outstanding professional and outstanding leader, Lic. Roxana Duarte Milichi de Báez, and the coordinator, Dr. Teresa Dejesús Oviedo, a national educational consultant, has given me the opportunity to know and experience Korea, share with AKS leaders and other colleagues the successful experience of the project in its two versions—in 2021 and 2022—with the main objective of understanding Korean culture with the help of Paraguayan education professionals, and at the same time raise interest in various aspects of the cultural world of Korea through experiential, dynamic, playful, artistic, audiovisual pedagogical proposals involving Paraguayan collaborators such as education professionals (directors and teachers of public schools), historians, university students, and fans of Korean culture who took part in all the activities involved in the project.
The opportunity offered to professionals from different countries to experience significant moments and deepen their knowledge of this ancient nation leaves an unforgettable impact on the lives of each and every one of them, making it a valuable contribution to the program developed by the Centre for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies through its project “Understanding Korea.”
The achievements of the Republic of Korea in positioning itself in the globalized world as a dynamic, fast-developing country with an economy that has grown exponentially to become a world power and a model country are irrefutable. Even more remarkable is the nation, where the people have understood that freedom, equality, and coexistence of humanity are universal—permanent and immutable values that, after more than 5,000 years of history, still remain in time as well as the memory of its people.
A very significant moment was meeting with the president of AKS, Mr. Byung Woo, Ahn, who welcomed the shared moment and the achievements made through the program, understanding that education is the engine of development including the importance of continuing to work together in order to promote peace and values, strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation, as well as the remarks of the director, Mrs. Nan Hee, Ku, as to how it is crucial to design open opportunities that will allow us to look beyond to meet others.
Within the framework of the activities carried out in the different cities of Korea, all the days were full of emotions, representing a real source of knowledge acquired to deepen our understanding of Korean culture and highlighting it throughout the excellent planning and organization of each visit with descriptions full of valuable information and learning reflected to every meal tasted, every landscape visited, and every contact with the people.
On a personal level, the days spent in Korea with wonderful people, sharing with very experienced colleagues, have been some of the most meaningful days of my life. At the end of the meeting, I had to return and the farewell full of melancholy marked the end of a wonderful experience; hugging was the right way to say goodbye and take the flight back home, leaving a trail of mixed feelings, wishing this experience to be repeated soon and filling me with immense gratitude to the organizers.
