The Application Process: Essays

At the 2008 Korea-U.S. Summit talks in Washington D.C., the two countries’ presidents pledged to support an expansion of youth exchange. As a participant of this program, you will be expected to make a personal contribution to the process of creating amicable and cooperative long-term relationships between Korea and the United States. What do you think you will gain as an individual from this exchange experience? Please include several ways in which you will effectively contribute to this call of action upon your return from Korea.

Ocean of Opportunity

            I am a fish swimming in a clear bowl – my boundaries set, my restrictions established, my limits defined. However, through this clear bowl I see the world around me, the world teeming with life and culture, but most importantly, the world teeming with opportunity. I possess the opportunity to swim in the open seas with endless horizons, the opportunity to transition from a leader in my local community to a leader in the global community.
            Upon returning from Korea, I will integrate my experiences into my extra-curricular activities in an effort to spread cultural awareness and appreciation. As a Gold Award recipient and delegate for the Girl Scout Council of Orange County, I will work with troops of various ages to share my experiences. Being a member of the troop responsible for running the annual International Fair, I can ensure that my words are spread, guaranteeing not only my growth as a leader, but the growth of those around me into worldly figures capable of making a change.
            Additionally, working through the Western Associations of Schools and Colleges, I will talk to other teachers about my experience to have my knowledge integrated into our school’s curriculum. Classes like world history, world geography, and United States history will benefit from my exposure to Korean culture as I pass my first-hand experiences directly to them, sparking a deeper understanding of our world’s history.
            Finally, my experience will aid me in becoming a global leader by giving me the knowledge necessary to create negotiations and proposals in Model United Nations (MUN). MUN, coupled with my experience abroad in the Middle East, has made me discover my life passion of working with the global community to reach compromises and ensure world peace. Visiting South Korea will deepen my sense-of-self and give me the confidence and experience to act as a world leader.
            Although my knowledge of South Korea thus far has been defined by what I can see outside of the fish bowl, the ability to travel will give me the tools necessary to expand beyond the glass barriers. The two-dimensional images found in books and the news will jump to life as my vision becomes three-dimensional, leaving me forever swimming in an ocean of opportunity.

Short Answers
Have you ever traveled abroad before? Where have you traveled? For what reasons?
I have traveled to the Middle East – Lebanon, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Oman – to visit my family. My experience abroad has taught me that culture cannot be learned merely through books and that it takes first-hand experience to both appreciate and understand tradition.

Have you had any exposure to Korean culture in your lifetime? If yes, please explain.
My exposure to Korean culture has been strictly through books and the media. From a young age, I was always passionate about learning everything and anything about different cultures. While most seven-year-olds were watching cartoons, I was watching National Geographic programs and immersing myself in everything that the world map pinned in my room had to offer. My exposure to Korean culture peaked in the World Geography Honors class in 9th grade, where I gained a deep appreciation for Korean traditions. However, I have had no first-hand exposure to Korean culture.

What are your reasons for watching to visit Korea specifically?
After my curiosity about South Korea peaked in my World Geography Honors class, I have decided to represent South Korea in my Girl Scout Council’s International Fair for the past three years and used my knowledge to help foster proposals for peace in Model United Nations. After becoming friends with two foreign exchange students from South Korea this year, I am eager to explore Korea through my own eyes and transform my world from 2D to 3D. But most importantly, I want to visit Korea to gain a deeper sense-of-self and build the tools necessary to transform from a community leader to a global leader.