This is the second installment of Seunghwa Ryoo's travelogue on language study abroad. Seunghwa Ryoo is a senior majoring in Library and Information Science at Myongji University. Today, we introduce the second story, "A Youth with Big Dreams Falls in Love with Canada."
Part 1: [Short-term overseas training for university students] Overcoming Beginner-level English
Part 2: [Overseas Short-term Study for University Students] A Youth with Big Dreams Falls in Love with Canada
By Seunghwa Ryoo (df_gk@naver.com)
Throughout high school and university, I sometimes worried about my relationships with others. Occasionally, conflicts arose because of mismatched personalities or tendencies. As I met more people, I faced many dilemmas stemming from the diversity these relationships offered. It's beneficial that our society is interested in others, but sometimes I feel burdened by it. This made me curious about how relationships form and function in foreign lands with diverse populations and how people with different lives interact. Based on this curiosity, I decided to experience life abroad.
Traveling abroad is different from actually living and earning money there. So, I decided to test my ability to live and potentially secure a future abroad. With this resolution, I set foot in Canada's distant and unfamiliar land. I attended an English course at a local college in the city of Toronto, known for its vast natural environments and diverse populations.
My classmates were all students from various foreign countries. They came from a wide range - from Asia, like China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, to the Middle East, with students from countries like Iran and Lebanon, as well as Latin America. The classes with friends from such varied backgrounds were very intriguing. Students freely and confidently expressed their thoughts in response to the teacher’s questions. Initially, I found this very impressive and admired those students. It was refreshing for someone like me, accustomed to lecture-based classes in Korea, to see such confident students. Their ability to explain their thoughts persuasively was remarkable, and their suggestions helped other students in the same class. It was a moment when I felt the strength of an open and free environment.
With many discussions in class, we often broke into groups to share our thoughts, which naturally led to friendships with foreign students. Among them was Hayley, a friend who showed interest in me and my Korean friends, often recommending famous restaurants and streets in Toronto. Hayley, a student from China with a deep interest in Korea, had lived in Canada for about 10 years. She and I quickly became friends, exploring downtown Toronto together.
The conversations with her left a lasting impression on me, particularly when discussing cultural differences. We realized that while Korea and China share many common values due to their East Asian cultural roots, personal relationships tend to be more liberal in Western cultures like Canada's. There's a sense of freedom in those relationships but also a risk of inadvertent harm due to less responsibility or obligation.
As we became close, I spent my last day in Toronto with Hayley. Her support deeply moved me. She empathized with my struggles in relationships, sharing her own challenges as she adapted to life in Canada. Through these experiences, she learned who she was compatible with despite the painful process. Her maturity surprised me; she appeared so delicate yet had grown so much through those difficult times.
At first, I unconsciously assumed friends from different countries would have different perspectives. I didn't expect to deeply understand and empathize with them. Yet, as we shared our worries and thoughts, it was amazing and touching to feel such genuine mutual understanding. It reaffirmed that compatibility in values and personality outweighs language barriers.
Before leaving, I wrote Hayley a letter on a postcard from Korea as a small gift, and she kindly gave me an eco-bag from the Canadian public library and a farewell letter. We've become soulmates, sharing deep thoughts and experiences. Promising to stay in touch via KakaoTalk after returning to Korea, we bid farewell.
I also made many friends with other foreign classmates. Together with my Korean friends, we dined at a Korean-style barbecue restaurant in Toronto, enjoying food and drink. Before my Korean friends’ departure, we even went on a camping trip to a large park with several classmates. It was a magical and romantic experience with a bonfire, grilling, music, and dancing.
I won’t forget the beautiful seaside scenery and the warm laughter and kindness of my foreign friends. Their gestures in preparing delicious food for us and expressing sadness at our departure touched me deeply. When I finally said goodbye, I couldn’t hold back my tears. Although we hadn’t been together long, parting was truly emotional, knowing these memories would stay with me forever. It was a rare and meaningful experience to be healed by people after being weary of them.
Through this experience, I realized the world I knew wasn't everything; another world existed beyond it. It made me want to explore and experience this broader world further. Despite any fears of the unknown, I felt the challenge was worthwhile. I now wish to attempt living in a different city or country, aiming to gain valuable experiences and test my self-worth. With hope and ambition, I return to Korea, awaiting new challenges and further growth.
Photo by Seunghwa Ryu.
