The Foreigner Next Door: HaNa Center Volunteers
Photos by Anskar Fosse
Pictured: Kyle Ferrier, HaNa Center’s co-founder
Wednesday night on the banks of the Gwangcheon River, the scene is a strange little slice of America: a makeshift barbecue with burgers and chips and salsa, wandering swarms of mosquitoes, and someone wearing an oversized sequined American flag hat.
This is a group of Fulbright grantees. Every year thousands of U.S. students apply for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to teach English and gain cultural knowledge abroad for one year. Hundreds apply to the Korean program and less than 90 are accepted. ETAs in Korea are required to live with a homestay and are strongly encouraged to engage in as many cultural activities as possible.
But tonight isn’t about cultural activities—at least not Korean ones. Tonight, July 4th, is about celebrating something else: an old tradition from a new point of view, a reflection of one year in Korea having passed.
Di-Hoa Le is reflecting on how she spent her free time. “I’ve noticed that when I refer to my volunteer work many South Koreans will ask me, ‘Do they [North Koreans] look different?’ They’re surprised to learn that they look just like South Koreans.” She laughs softly into the night.
Di-Hoa is talking about volunteering at the Hana Center (하나센터), one of several interconnected government centers whose objective is to help North Korean refugees integrate into South Korean society. There are three such centers in Gwangju, and since October 2011, six Fulbright ETAs have organized and participated in a volunteer program with two of them. They came biweekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, teaching English for everyday life and offering their North Korean students what are most likely their first interactions with foreigners.
Esther Kim—one of two founders—acknowledges the program’s struggles. “Because we were the pilot program, there were many obstacles and challenges that we faced.” Still, she notes that their program here set the framework for subsequent programs around Korea, such as a similar program in Busan. Her co-founder Kyle Ferrier emphasizes the importance of such programs. “Our involvement with these North Korean defectors definitely helps to build a stronger relationship between the United States and them. We are the first foreigners they usually meet and we are able to put them in a positive environment.”
He’s right. Few foreigners are even aware that there are over 500 North Korean refugees in Jeolla-do alone. “It’s been really rewarding in the sense that North Koreans have been de-mystified to me,” Jacob Owens, another volunteer, relates. “They’re not just the nameless face on propaganda posters or U.S. newspapers when they talk about the North Korean regime. Now they’re actual people—I can get to know them on a personal level and make the human connection.”
Eric Horvath and Anskar Fosse, the final two of six, chime in with agreement. With their grant year ending most of these ETAs will be moving on from Gwangju, but they hope that their program will continue to thrive. Di-Hoa has now taken over as program coordinator and encourages anyone interested—foreigners and South Koreans—to contact her and get involved. It’s undoubtedly been hard work, but none of them regret it. As a second round of burgers sizzle on the grill, Ester sums things up nicely.
“I’m sure that the lasting friendships we made together will be worth all the effort and time that’s being committed.”
If you are interested in becoming a HaNa Center volunteer, please contact Di-Hoa Le at dihoa.le@gmail.com.