1. Would you introduce yourself?

My name is Chamila Priyantha Kumara. I came to Korea on July 28, 2009, as an NIIED (National Institute for International Education) scholarship student from Sri Lanka. I graduated from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, in 2008. I studied Korean, Japanese and computer studies. Before I came to Korea, I was working at KOICA (Korean International Cooperation Agency) as a language instructor.

2. Would you introduce your hometown in Sri Lanka and tell us the differences between universities in Sri Lanka and Korea?

Sri Lanka is a small island surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Its ceylon tea is famous all around the world. Sri Lanka is full of scenic beauty and it has a history of around 5000 years. When I first came to Korea, I was really surprised by the facilities in the lecture rooms. They are quite outstanding compared to Sri Lanka’s universities. The study environment, multimedia facilities, library facilities, and IT facilities are excellent. And the teachers’ attention towards students is really impressive.

3. What was your biggest difficulty in Korea?

Studying abroad is not a piece of cake. Actually, it is a life full of loneliness, tears, and lots of difficulties. Communication with locals was one of the biggest difficulties I met while living in Korea. Because of the language barrier, it is little bit difficult to get close to locals. Different climate, cultural misunderstandings, and food culture are other major problems I faced while living in Korea.

4. Could you tell us a secret method of studying Korean?

I studied Korean for about 3 years, and it is not the easiest language to study. So if someone wants to be fluent in Korean, I think the key is listening. When I was studying Korean, I watched a lot of Korean movies. I believe that watching movies improved my listening skills. And the most effective method is to think in that language. We are used to thinking in our mother language, but try to think in a second language such as English, Chinese, or some other language to improve your language skills.

5. What are your future plans and could you please say something to Keimyung students?

My main purpose in Korea is to complete my master's degree. I hope to continue my studies of Korean because I am very much interested in the Korean language. I will be taking Korean literature as my major in graduate school in the autumn semester of this year. For all my friends’ studying at Keimyung University, I think you all made a wise decision by selecting Keiymung University. If you work a little harder, I think Keimyung will help you to achieve your goals. It doesn’t matter where you are from; it doesn’t matter who you are. It only matters that you focus on your goals.