It's Daejeon!

Today is the fourth day since my arrival to Korea. I have decided to make my page in English, because I want to make it universally understood. Well, there is always google translator available.

Anyway, introduction. I am now a student at Chungnam National University and I am put here by NIIED to study Korean Language. After 1 year of studying Korean, I need to take TOPIC test (like TOEFL test for English) and I need to get level 3 TOPIC to be able to continue to get the scholarship and to apply to preferred university in Korea. I will be able to apply for admission to 3 universities that I would like to attend. I haven't decided yet, though. But, if none of those 3 universities accepted me, then I will have to say good bye to Korea.

Chungnam National University is located in Daejeon, South Korea. It is a very large university with various major available. Daejeon is the fifth largest city in Korea, yet I haven't seen any bad traffic jam in here. One thing that I noticed is that the road structure (the signs, etc) are pretty similar with the US. Only they use Korean language/letter.

I arrived at Korea on Tuesday morning (March 29 2010) and I was very happy that two girls were there to pick me up eventhough they were late and I was so worried. They were Eun Jung Kim and San Mi, they are best friend and they laughed all the time :D and of course they are pretty ~.^ . Both of them are Chungnam students majoring in International Business. First impression of Korea was awesome. It took about 3 hours to get to Daejeon from Incheon Airport by bus. It was cold but yes, I was really glad I could felt the cold again.

In Daejeon, I live in a room of 2 people in the dorm. My roommate is from Ghana and he is very nice, he is having problem with learning Korean language -- as everybody is -- that includes me.

Korean Language is difficult. I think every new language for us is difficult. But I know how to read Korean Letter because I've learnt it before, I just don't know the meaning of those sentences. The course was actually started on march 15, that means I missed 2 weeks of class, that is why Ms. Chun arranged an extra class for me. So, the total class for me in a day is 7 hours :D. how exhausting. anyway I won't complain.

Beside Chungnam area, I haven't really explore Daejeon, so I don't have much to write up to this day, tomorrow is saturday, I will go shopping to buy stuff. Oh yeah, in here every new NIIED student has supporters. I have two supported, Cho Hye Jin and Yun Seon Uk. I haven't talked with them too much but I feel like I like them. I met other supporters too and they are really welcome and very nice -- we had a very fun conversation. I would like to take Taek Won Do (err not sure if the spelling is correct) though, I like to play Tekken and my favorite player is Hwoarang ^^.

what else what else ?? hmm Indonesian!! I met several Indonesian here. Mas edvan has been helping me a lot. He is my senior and he's been living here for 2 years now. Tiara is my classmate in Korean class. She's originally from jogja and she is here because of scholarship that is given by Chungnam National University. She'll be here until June. She's very nice, funny, talkative and not defensive. Gagah is a also a scholar like Tiara --haven't talked with him too much though.

I think I will make picasa album to share pictures special for this blog, but I don't know when. I haven't yet taken many picture though. been really really really busy.

sigh ... anyways -- this is an end for now. I'll write later --

Questions - or anything is very expected, welcome, and highly appreciated.

Friday, April/2/2010 22:11 --

Dorm Building 8 Room 117

Chungnam National University -- Daejeon, South Korea.

The Sweetness of Friendship ...

Rainur Pria, Mohammad Qasthalani, Heri Susilo ... tiga nama yang bener2 berpengaruh dalam keberhasilan ku ke Korea.

Rainur Pria --- Kenal mas Rain dari grantee CCID Indonesia setahun sebelum tahun angkatanku, nggak pernah ketemu in real life, cuman tau facebooknya aja. Mas Rain s been helping me by giving a lot of information and really ... he is a good place for questions. Without him, I'd be lost :D.

Mohammad Qasthalani - Alan. He is a sincere one. Satu team English Debate Competition Province Level in 2006 di Samarinda. We got second place, pemecah rekor STM Negeri 1 Balikpapan yg sebelumnya ga pernah sedekat ini ke kompetisi nasional. Alan udah kerja di salah satu perusahaan minyak swasta di Balikpapan. Dengan alasan beli kaset PSP dari aku, he gave me financial support, and it was really a big number of money for me :D. "Sayang kan kalo gagal ke korea cuman karena masalah tiket ke jakarta". Without him, I'd be moving nowhere.

Heri Susilo ---- Mas Heri, teman seperjuangan sewaktu di USA, bener2 punya figur seorang kakak and teman. He is in Jakarta right now and I am writing this in his place. Kerja di Trans7 ... wooooww. As you can conclude, he gives me accommodation and feeds me. Without him, I'd be homeless in Jakarta.

There they are. Truly Friends.

They might not realize the importance of what they did. Without them, I wouldn't go to Korea.

Thank you Thank you Thank you and words won't be enough.

P.S. : Of course, semuanya adalah karena berkah Allah SWT dan nggak terlepas dari doa dan bantuan orang tua dan teman2 lain.

Errr ... How in the world you are in Korea?

*sigh* such a long story ... semenjak kepulangan dari 1 tahun belajar di Amerika Serikat, Indonesiapun belum mau memperkerjakan aku. Aku udah kirim lamaran sana sini, jadi member di banyak job hunter website, just to beg for sesuap nasi. IRONIC!! means ironis. Oleh kerana itulah, aku pergi ke korea untuk bekerja menjadi T.K.I ... jeng jeng jeng ........

tentu saja tidaks sodara-sodara.

Korean Government Scholarship Program -- That is the reason why am I going to be there. Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) itu adalah sebuah program beasiswa yang diberikan kepada orang-orang* dari negara-negara yang masuk di dalam daftar negara penerima beasiswa ini. Ada yang buat Undergraduate, Graduate, kayaknya sih ada jg yang buat short course gitu, ndak yakin juga sih.

Hmm,,tau dari mana tuh beasiswa?

ya browsing laaa ,,, manja sekali. Well, sebenernya ga inget sih tau darimana, tapi kayaknya sih dari ngintip facebooknya temen yg udah ada di Korea, usut di usut ternyata penerima beasiswa KGSP ini, Duh! dari situlah saya, Angga Saftira, bertekad buat ke korea, kalo dia bisa, why can't I?

Hmm,,okay. kalo mau cari tau soal beasiswa ini dimana?

Simply visit www.niied.go.kr/NIIED_ENG go to Korean Government Scholarship Program and then all the information regarding the scholarship is under NOTICE tab. Tab Q&A juga sangat membantu buat ngeliat pertanyaan dan jawaban dari applicant ama KGSP team.

Good Luck!

Selamat Datang | Welcome | 환영

Saftira in Korea - Blog ini nantinya di penuhin ama tulisan-tulisan tentang apa-apa yang terjadi, terlihat menarik, ter-apapun itu selama aku di Korea. Saran, opini, pertanyaan, nasehat, tips, trik, share pengalaman sangat diappreciate. Tidak menerima kritikan pedas yg isinya cuman bulls yang sama sekali tidak membangun, please, don't kill our creativity.

Enjoy!