Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Students on exchange programme find South Korean city similar to Kampar

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FOUR Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) students discovered a place similar to Kampar in South Korea during their recent trip to the land of kimchi.

The scenic countryside of Mokpo reminded Rebecca Lim Puey Ru of Kampar when she touched down at the city.

“Like Kampar, the city is surrounded by towering mountains. It is beautiful,” said the 21-year-old lass, who was there on a Korean language and cultural exchange programme.

Great time: Students having fun at the Bosung green tea plantation.

“The weather in Mokpo is also unpredictable like Kampar.

“One can expect sudden rain on a hot and humid day there,” said Lim, who is from Utar’s campus in Kampar.

She, however, described the Mokpo city centre as an “advanced version of Kampar”.

“It is bustling with shopping malls and shops. They even have a street specifically for shopping,” she added.

For Victoria Akiew, her 14 days in Mokpo was an eye-opening experience.

Wearing it the proper way: An Instructor (right) explaining the method of wearing the traditional Korean costume.

“I had the chance to indulge in the Korean rhythms during a visit to the Korean Art Centre.

“I got to play the traditional Korean percussion, the Samulnori. I am proud to admit that I am a fast learner,” quipped the 21-year-old.

Nathan Khor Gui Wei observed that the Koreans had a love for vibrant colours, which had also set a trend with South Korea’s creative industries.

“Their daring use of colours and out-of-the-box ideas in advertisements and billboard designs are brilliantly creative,” said Khor, 22, who was hosted at the Mokpo National University hostel with other international students.

Forward thinking: Mokpo is an advanced city.

While some of the students experienced stomach upset after taking spicy Korean food, the Malaysian proudly said he took it well.

“We had kimchi (spicy fermented pickled vegetables) at every meal, everyday,” he said, adding that Korean beef tasted superb.

“The greatest lesson we learned during the trip was that friendship can break down any language barrier.

“We even befriended a Japanese girl who had to communicate through an interpreter throughout the trip,” he said.

Another member of the team was actuarial science student Lee Jun Ying, 20, from the Utar campus in Petaling Jaya.

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