Interviewee: Yatsun Daria /KMU graduate school Depts. Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language

Q: Why did you come to Korea?
A: I was interested in Korea and northeast Asia culture from eleven years old. At school, I was good at English Language. So, when it was time for university, I wanted to learn another language and because of my interest in Asia, especially Korea, I choose Korean language as my major. Universities in Ukraine have only online classes now, because of the war. So, I came to Korea.

Q: What do you think about the war?
A: It's experience which you can't imagine in your head if you didn't see or live with it. It was like horror movie. It was winter holidays when it started. I was in my hometown. I was sleeping and my mom woke me up at 6 am and said, “War started”. In Ukraine, it’s dangerous. But we have nothing to do with it. It's part of our lives now. Because of war, the way I look at this life has changed. You shouldn’t postpone your plans. You need to do everything now. Because everything can be destroyed. I had a lot of plans and intention before the war, but war started, and a lot of stuff was destroyed at once and now it won’t be the same.

Q: Where did you get your Korean name, Seo-hee?
A: It was from one of my Korean teachers back at my university. She was not a great one and spoke only Korean. She never bothered to pronounce or learn any of my classmates’ name. So, she gave us all Korean names. I luckily got pretty name, but my friend got weird name. Also, she and her husband who was also teacher, refused to send me Korea. I was able to come to Keimyung because other Korean teacher helped me. She contacted Keimyung and got me here. I had to study hard because of that. So, I could stay longer here, and other Ukrainian students can be here.