From July 10 to July 22, I visited Mongolia through the Keimyung University volunteer program. During this period, I got many chances to show my ability as well as to see spectacular landscapes. In order to make my first overseas trip a valuable experience, I had set some goals before going to Mongolia.
My goals were to see as many landscapes as possible and meet many Mongolian people in order to understand their culture and compare their culture with Korea, and I wanted to overcome my limits. I knew that the main purpose of visiting Mongolia was to participate in volunteer work to make a park named Keimyung Family Park in New Darhan in Mongolia. However, in addition to the main purpose, I wanted to make my journey meaningful. I tried to achieve my goals working in Mongolia.
I achieved my first goal. When our volunteer team got to New Darhan, I saw a spacious and astonishing landscape. Anyone who looks at the Mongolian landscape will realize that the picture is really beautiful. It was beyond description. My other goal was to see as many Mongolian grassy plains as possible, so whenever our volunteer team moved to a new place, I tried to move myself toward a high spacious spot in order to fulfill my thirst to see the natural Mongolian landscape.
There, I could see a mountain and surrounding plain, and over the mountain, I could see other mountains and surrounding plains, an endless stream of mountains and plains. How wonderful they were! I could see as many mountains as I wanted to see. The air in Mongolia was clear. I thought how big the perspective my ancestors had was. Goguryo people lived in present Manchuria from around 37 B.C. to 668.A.D. Furthermore, in Mongolia I could not feel time because the daytime in Mongolia lasted until 10 pm. How wonderful it was.
The second purpose I had was to meet many Mongolian people. In my free time, I met many Mongolian friends: Beche, Oka, Bilge, Jaagii, Togsoo, Byamba, and Jacki. They were sociable. They were very proud of the fact that they are descendants of Genghis Khan, and they were very energetic and had a good sense of humor. Maybe these kinds of characteristics are affected by their spacious and eye-opening landscape. From early morning to late night, they showed me their limitless energy by helping our volunteer work and playing football and basketball. In addition, the more I met them, the more I felt we had something in common. I cannot explain what the similarity was, but whenever I saw them, I felt they were very sentimental.
The last goal was the most difficult thing to achieve. When I was in Mongolia, my goal was to be a person who can overcome weakness and habit. Before going to Mongolia, our team leader, Professor Kim Yong-il, advised me to be a person who can overcome limitations. I really wanted to conquer my limits. I did not want to make my priceless time regretful. I thought this experience must be a turning point for me.
Even now, I use my experience as an ingredient for my development. In Mongolia, I sincerely felt like Adam who was the first human being and did not know his limitations. Sitting in undamaged nature, I felt myself refreshed. Mongolia was a place that gave me new inspiration. There, I could feel my thinking and energy become imaginative and limitless. Now, I draw imaginative power in my mind, missing the spacious and wide Mongolian scenery.
