For my last semester at Auburn University, I wanted to take as many international-specific classes as possible, so I enrolled in International Public Relations. I have loved learning about how PR campaigns differ from culture to culture, but our recent assignment has taken the cake. I was able to meet with Esther Kim earlier last week to discuss her time at Auburn as an international student.
As I waited for Esther in the Mell Library, my nerves began to grow; I didn't know what to expect. When she arrived in a white sweatshirt with black cords and a black tennis skirt, she said, "Hello, are you Ryan?" Her voice was full of kindness, and I knew we would be fast friends. I had a mental list of questions I wanted to ask, but our conversation flowed with such ease that I got all my answers without asking one arranged question.
Esther was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States when she was only 14 years old. She did not know any English when she first moved here. She lived with a host family in Georgia and attended middle and high school while in their care. Her mom is a Kindergarten teacher, so she was able to teach Esther English "as if I were a child; one of her students," as Esther explained since she had the English vocabulary of a young child. Her dad watched the news every night without fail, and she would sit in with him and learn English through the anchor's reports.
She intended to go to Auburn University upon her high school graduation in May of 2020… you can guess what happened to her plans.
Covid-19 sent her back to Korea for her freshman year. She was able to take classes virtually through Auburn University while back at home in Seoul. She explains that she finally got used to American culture when she had to go back home. She explained how she had to re-learn Korean culture. She gave the example of eye contact; in America, eye contact is a display of respect but in Korea is shows the opposite. She had to grabble with not being American and not belonging to Korea anymore. Her aunt helped her come to the conclusion that she is like an orange. If America is a banana, and Korea is an apple, then she is now an orange - still fitting in on the surface of being a fruit, but deep down, she is neither.
When she finally came to Auburn, it was another transition that she had to go through. After being somewhat established in Korean culture, she was thrown back into American culture. And into the transition that many girls her age go through: college.
Esther and I connected over the transition from high school to college. The transition to living on my own was hard enough, but I am from the suburbs of Chicago, so the transition into a new scope of American culture was challenging. We both struggle with our friends going home to see their families that live less than an hour's drive away while we need to fly to see our families. While Esther definitely had more to adjust to than I did, but this shows that we are more alike than different.
We met a second time, again in Mell, where we discussed our likes, dislikes, and hopes for the future. We both are interested in fashion and want to work in PR in a big city upon graduation. Esther explained that she would love to stay in America, but she is still debating if the visa is worth the headache.
I can tell Esther and I will be good friends, and we can learn a lot from each other! I cannot wait to continue to learn about her and her story.
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