Newsletter No. 368

2 No. 368, 4.12.2010 It is common to hear Putonghua and English being spoken on campus. But have you noticed that Korean is also being heard lately? The reason is that the number of undergraduate students from Korea has been increasing dramatically in the past few years. In 2008, only five were admitted, compared to 18 and 26 in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Currently there are over 50 Korean undergraduate students at CUHK. Most of them major in Chinese studies or business. In terms of student numbers, Koreans come third among non-local students, after students from mainland China and Macau. Why did they choose CUHK? How do they find life in this foreign environment? The CUHK Newsletter spoke to four of them. 秋淵堤 (中國研究文學士課程二年級) Choo Yeon-jae Sam (Year 2, Bachelor of Arts Programme in Chinese Studies) C hoo Yeon-jae Sam’s family moved to Tianjin when he was 13 due to his father’s job. He went to an international school, and spoke only a little Putonghua. When it was time to choose a college, he looked for universities in English-speaking countries. Then he stumbled upon the University’s Chinese Studies programme which is tailor-made for international students. Sam says, ‘I have no idea about CUHK in the beginning. I was the first student from my high school to go to Hong Kong for university.’ So it was with some apprehension that he came to the University, but his anxieties were 走在校園,不難聽到周圍的人以普通話和英語交談, 但大家可有留意,最近多了另一種語言出現,那就是韓語。 翻查一下資料,原來近年韓國的本科生人數顯著增加, 2008年度只有五名韓國生入讀本科課程,翌年數字即急升 至十八名,今年更有二十六名。中大現有約五十多名韓國 本科生,以修讀中國研究和商學課程為數最多,也是繼 內地和澳門生後,最大的非本地生群。這些韓國生為何 選擇遠道來中大求學?他們在這裏的生活如何? 《中大通訊》訪問了四位韓國生,談談他們的中大生活。 韓流在中大 Korean Students at CUHK 3. 我是韓國人。 I am Korean. 4, 你好嗎? How are you? 因 為父親被公司派住天津工作,秋淵堤在十三歲時亦 移居當地,入讀國際學校。他坦言只會說簡單的普通 話,所以,當挑選大學時,首要是必須用英語教學,而他又希 望往外地唸書,在互聯網發現了中大中國研究課程是專為國 際生而設計的,正符合他的要求。 淵堤笑說:「當時是完全不認識中大的,我是學校首名來 香港唸大學的學生。」懷着戰戰兢兢的心情到來,淵堤的疑 慮很快消除了。「我對中國有一定認識,並計劃日後在內地 就業,這課程是再合適不過了。」除了滿意廣泛的課程內容, 他亦十分喜歡校園環境,以及如圖書館和游泳池等各項配 套設施。 至於生活上的適應方面,淵堤承認是進度頗慢。「語言是最 大障礙,亦限制了社交活動。我雖有參與學生活動和結識本 地生,但看到大家因為我而要改說英語,感覺不太好,亦覺 得自己不受歡迎似的。因此,我較多參與韓國學生和國際生 的聚會。」 不過,韓國學生的身分也會促進溝通的,「上體育課時,便 有同學問我一些簡單的用語,如『生日快樂』,用韓文怎麼 說。前一陣子與沈祖堯校長談話,他剛好稍後要到韓國出 席教育展覽,還問我要到哪裏可以為女兒買到韓國歌星的 海報。」 淵堤總是樂意為大家解問答題,可是這個年底他會暫別中 大,回韓國完成兵役,然後才重返校園繼續學業。 soon laid to rest. ‘The programme suits me a lot since I have had experience living in China and I plan to develop my future career there.’ He also likes the campus and its facilities, such as the library and the swimming pool. Sam, however, admits that he has made slow progress adapting socially. ‘Language is the greatest barrier keeping me from becoming as socially active as I’d like. I take part in extracurricular activities and meet new friends. But I feel bad when they switch to English just for me. It seems that I impose an unwelcomed presence. That’s why I am more active in the Korean and international student communities.’ From another point of view, the Korean identity facilitates communication. ‘A local student asked me how to say “happy birthday” in Korean during PE class. Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor, chatted with me some time ago. He said he was going to Korea for an education exhibition later on and asked me where he could find Korean pop singers’ posters for his daughter.’ Sam is always willing to answer questions about Korean culture. But he will leave CUHK by the end of the year and return to Korea for his military service. He will come back to the campus to complete his studies after that. 1 1. 生日快樂! Happy birthday! 2. 看到你很高興! Glad to see you!

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