Hi. My name is Mutsumi Yoneda,

and I am a student in the Department of Korean History at Seoul National University. This is my fourth year in Korea, and third as a student at SNU. I first began my college education in Osaka, Japan, in 2002 as an English major. One day, I had the opportunity to learn irenology. Upon attentive deliberation of what peace means to the Japanese people, my interests were naturally turned to Japanese-Korean relations. I was intent on pursuing my studies in Korean history in Korea after completing two years of studies in Japan. As a result, I arrived in Seoul in March, 2004

Life in Korea as a student was by no means easy. When I first entered the university, my background knowledge of Korean history was miniscule, and my Korean was downright inadequate. Multiple obstacles awaited me to be conquered in my path of cultivating my knowledge of Korean history. I believe that one's individual effort is the prime determinant of how much one can accomplish in a given length of time. Nevertheless, the systems implemented by SNU helped me extensively during the early phases of my life in Seoul. I would like to briefly introduce some of these systems.

First of all, there were plenty of English courses to choose from. These English courses were not just limited to teaching Korean language and culture, but extended into even more specialized fields. These were of great aid to freshmen like me who find it difficult to take courses in Korean. Not only that, I was able to meet friends from all over the world in these courses, and learn about their diverse cultures, ideas and values. This has noticeably helped me acquire a cosmopolitan outlook. Also, as a general university, SNU offers liberal arts courses from various fields including the arts, physical education, business administration, engineering and so much more. As my department allowed me to choose my major in my junior year, I was able to take multiple liberal arts courses during the first two years. As a result, it was possible for me to learn to appreciate Korean culture and its background in a more holistic manner, surpassing the boundaries of Korean history.

Studying abroad may seem fun and fancy at first glance, but in reality it accompanies difficulties that go beyond imagination. Learning in Korea with Korean students was not an exception. Nevertheless, these experiences have guided me to a thorough understanding of Korea, enabling me to view the culture and history through the eyes of the Korean people which is an experience I would have never gotten in my own country. It's hard to express clearly in words, but I feel as if by simply living here, I somehow began to uncover the answers to the questions and doubts that I was never able to answer before, despite the fathomless effort I¡¯d put into it. This applies not only to the academic aspects of my life, but also to everyday life and interpersonal relationships. The knowledge I¡¯ve gained and the precious relationships that I have made with my friends here will remain forever as one of my most precious assets. I know I still have a long way to go, but I am determined to put my best efforts into studying and to better acquaint myself with Korea during the remaining time I have here at SNU.