New in Town: An Interview with Suttira Kaewthep

When did you start working for the Gwangju Youth Center?
I started my internship at the Gwangju Youth Service Center on September 5, 2016. It was a day later than the rest of my friends who joined this internship program, because the Gwangju Youth Service Center operates from Tuesdays to Saturdays.

What do you do there?
Every day I get to do different kinds of work, such as helping my coworkers with their tasks, shopping for office supplies or contacting other organizations. At the moment, I am helping Korean students to prepare for their upcoming Korea Youth Volunteer Program, which will be held in Laos. So, I spend my work hours on translation from Korean to English and from English to Lao [the language in the country of Laos]. I will also have to teach some Laos language and culture classes for the students, which is very challenging [but rewarding] work for me.

What is your background? Where are you from?
I come from Chiang Mai, Thailand. I graduated from Chiang Mai University earlier this year with a Master’s degree in English. Before I came to Gwangju, I was working as an Internet research agent and my work involved English-Thai translation, Search Engine Optimization writing and also collecting and analyzing data.

What led you to Gwangju?
During March and April 2016, I was traveling around South Korea on my own. I have visited Busan, Cheongju, Daejeon, Gyeongju, Gwangju, Jinhae, Seoul and Suncheon. These cities are very beautiful in spring, but it is Gwangju that has my heart. The city is not too big nor too small. The people are kind and friendly. The food is really nice. It felt like home when I was in Gwangju. After I went back to my home country, I kept seeking a way to come back to Gwangju again.

What do you find most rewarding in your work?
One of the most satisfying aspects of my workplace is the friendly work environment. My colleagues will often spare their time to help each other even though they are not working on the same project. They also take time to guide me on both work and personal issues. I also like the combination of working at a desk and meeting with Korean students. My job gives me great opportunities to professionally improve my working skills and personally develop my maturity.

Tell me about a time your work made a difference in Gwangju/Korea.
That is a difficult question because I have not been working here long enough to make a prominent difference. However, I have enjoyed giving direct support to my colleagues and sharing my knowledge about Thailand and Thai culture with them. More or less, my contributions have helped save their time and better their understanding about my home country. Somehow, I think it is the people at my workplace that make a difference to me. I have become more productive from the tasks I have helped them accomplish every single day. I have become more active in learning Korean since they always try to teach and speak to me in Korean. So, my Korean speaking skills have improved faster and better than I had expected.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Since I work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and I have a Korean language class from 6 to 9 p.m. during the week, I usually spend my weekends relaxing at home or going out for a walk. I like to walk in random streets and observe how Korean people live. As autumn is coming, I would love to go out more and take photos of the colorful scenery of Gwangju.

Do you have any more things you would like to accomplish?
Yes, I do. As for now, I want to experience the Korean working culture as much as possible and to learn from my workplace as much as I can. I would love to speak Korean fluently. I also hope to pass at least the first level of Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK).

Is there anything else you would like to mention?
I would like to thank the Gwangju International Center for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Gwangju International Internship Program. I am very grateful for their support, from the application process to acquiring work and being able to live in Gwangju. Without their kindness, I would not be able to be here and experience living in Korea.
Also, I really appreciate the guidance and generosity from all the staff at the Gwangju Youth Service Center and their sharing of their knowledge and experience with me. My time in Gwangju is well-spent because of them. Thank you so much, GIC and Gwangju Youth Service Center, from the bottom of my heart.