Korean teacher opens free class in Nghe An

(Baonghean) - Teaching Korean for free, introducing Korean culture, organizing seminars with local Korean teachers... are the jobs that Korean volunteer teacher Moon Jongho has been doing for over a year in Nghe An.

Teacher Moon and a Korean volunteer in Nghe An. Photo: NVCC

Visiting the Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical College, everyone knows Mr. Moon (51 years old), an enthusiastic volunteer of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) who is currently working at the school.

Mr. Moon said that he comes from Seoul, South Korea. Through his friends and Vietnamese people he has met, he feels very fond of the country and people of Vietnam. Especially, after a period of living in Nghe An, he feels that his decision to volunteer in Vietnam was the right one.

Recalling his journey to becoming a volunteer and being attached to Nghe An, Mr. Moon said that this was a miraculous fate. While in Korea, Mr. Moon worked as a programmer; at the same time, he taught Korean to foreigners who married Koreans under a program of the Korean Government.

In Korea, he taught countless people twice a week, each lasting 3-4 hours, and many of them were from Vietnam. From the stories of his students, he gradually had an impression of the S-shaped land in Southeast Asia. With the desire to teach Korean and use part of his strength to help others, he decided to register to become a volunteer in many programs, including KOICA.

Mr. Moon's volunteer program in Nghe An will last for 2 years. Photo: NVCC

Mr. Moon first came to Vietnam in 2007 to visit a Korean friend living in Hanoi. “I had an unforgettable 2-week trip to famous tourist destinations in Vietnam such as Da Nang, Hoi An... It was the good impressions of the culture, cuisine, people... during that trip that made me decide to choose Vietnam as my next stop for 2 years, starting from February 2016,” Mr. Moon shared.

Having been to many countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Nigeria, Mr. Moon felt like he was living in Vietnam. Perhaps partly because Vietnam and Korea have many similarities in Confucian culture, the weather has four seasons, and the Vietnamese people are also very hard-working, diligent, and kind.

Talking about the most unforgettable impression of Nghe An, the teacher from Korea said that he really liked the studious spirit not only of the students of Vietnam-Korea College but also of many students from other schools. The first time he taught a free Korean class, he was extremely impressed by the large class of up to 400 people. The number of students of nearly 400 people all regularly attended the entire course which lasted 3-4 months.

Mr. Moon shared that he really enjoys teaching Korean and introducing Korean culture to his friends. Photo: Chu Thanh

Mr. Moon shared that he was able to devote himself to volunteer work in Vietnam partly thanks to the support from his family. At first, his wife did not understand why her husband decided to volunteer in Vietnam for 2 years while his previous volunteer trips only lasted about 1 year or less. But fortunately, she later understood and accepted his work.

Despite the distance, Mr. Moon and his wife still keep in touch with each other via the internet every day. Recently, Mr. Moon's wife and children came to Vietnam to visit their husband and to visit famous places and attractions.

“In the remaining time, I will continue to teach Korean for free, organize seminars with Korean teachers in Nghe An, prepare programs, and study materials... to fulfill my role as a bridge to strengthen the culture and affection between the two countries of Vietnam and Korea,” Mr. Moon confided.

Chu Thanh