Hi, I’m Aichurek from Kyrgyzstan. I guess a lot of you don’t know a lot about my country, so it would be a pleasure to describe a bit about it. Kyrgyzstan is situated in Central Asia and is one of the CIS countries. At the present time, I am a student of Gachon University and studying Tourism Management. I have been in Korea for almost two years and I have a long list of reasons to love Korea and its culture. I grew up with the strong determination that I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals and to make my dreams come true. There is a saying; “No pain, no gain." Since I was a schoolgirl, I always wanted to visit Korea. I guess there must be lots of questions arising in your minds like, "Why did I choose to come to Korea and what could be the reason behind learning the Korean Language?" Actually, I was exposed to Korean culture at a very young age and as I grew up, I eventually became fascinated with Korean culture and its traditions. It’s more like I have been attached to Korea since I was a little girl. Falling in love with the Korean culture, art, architecture, tradition, history, music, fashion, food and language was so easy. The beauty of Koreas historical architecture and traditional clothes, especially ‘Hanbok’, created a strong desire inside me to learn and understand more about Korean.
  I made up my mind to begin learning the Korean language in high school in Kyrgyzstan. I used to attend all the Korean language classes offered in our school and with time, I began to feel good and confident about learning Korean. I tried to learn it from my heart and soul because I seriously wanted to speak and understand it better. Fortunately, I found out that we have a Korean Center of Education in my city. I went there and continued learning Korean for about three years. I had a dream to visit Korea and experience life in Seoul. One day, representatives of Gachon University came to my school and informed us about the university’s scholarship for foreign students. I quickly decided to apply for the scholarship. I really studied hard to get that opportunity and thankfully I got selected for the scholarship. It was an incredible chance provided by Korea, and of course I am really thankful from my heart for Gachon University’s team and everyone linked with these kinds of programs. It is a wonderful opportunity for students like me to gain more education, knowledge, and to explore and adapt to a different lifestyle.
  I have many delightful memories from my stay here. I met very friendly and kind people here like my professors, classmates and friends from Korea, and other foreign countries. The students of our university are really kind and caring, they are always helpful in every situation. Studying here allowed me to explore lots of new things, and I believe that I have gained a lot more than just an education here.
  Also, I had an opportunity to visit the home of our University President Lee, Gil Yeo. It was a great honor to be invited there. I got a seat next to her. We talked and she gave me some advice like, “How to reach my goals and never give up”. I will always try to follow her useful tips and make her feel proud someday.
  In addition, I would like to say that the University Festival is one of the most amusing things at Gachon. The amazing atmosphere, performances by talented students and all the delicious food, I really enjoyed every bit of it. I had a really good time and it is valuable. I hope that I can keep enjoying these kinds of events at the University.
  Our university campus buildings are increasing and developing day by day. I can recall the many changes I have personally experienced and observed regarding the campus and the growth of the university. Yes, it is growing rapidly! Gachon University got the highest A - grade in the University Structural Reform Valuation. I am really very proud of that. I believe our university will achieve all its goals and will become one of the best universities in the world.

Aichurek                                Dept. of                             Tourism Management