Name: Serena Pham
Age: 22
ISI Year: 2009
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Current Location: Massachusetts
Continuing on with our series and changing things up a little bit, we have our first female Serena Pham. Serena has been living in Korea for the past two summers and will be there again for an entire year as Fullbright Scholar.
PL: Hello. As I always like to start, what is the best memory of your SNU ISI stay in Korea
SP: During my SNU ISI stay in Korea, I didn't get to stay at Stay Seven hotel with other ISI-ers. I definitely missed out on those bonding moments with my classmates.
Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the Arts and Crafts class. I had a great time using my creativity through my drawing to make fun of my TA (Mr. Hyeongjin Oh) and other classmates: Everything became diseased.
PL: Haha! I miss the T.A's and especially making fun of Mr Oh too! Any interesting talents, weird habits, funny facts about yourself?
SP: I don't have any interesting talents or worth-mentioning weird habits, but a fact about myself is that I grew up in a very multi-cultural environment: Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, American and Ethiopian.
PL: Wow...wow. Getting back to the topic, what are you in Korea for?
SP: As a Fulbrighter, I am going to be in Korea for a year to study Public Health and do research on Alzheimer's Disease at SNU, while attempting to complete my Korean study. In addition, in the previous two summers, I have been working with orphanages in Seoul and Gyeonggi-dong. This year, with the support of the Fulbright Program, I hope to finish this project to provide an English-speaking and healthy environments for these children. If you're going to be in Seoul and love to teach English and play with children? Contact me! I'm sure you'll have great times with the children. They're absolutely wonderful!
PL: Growing up in a very multi-cultural environment, why'd you choose to continue studying/working in Korea?
SP: Originally, I wanted to go to Korea to study Korean simply for self-enrichment purposes, and hopefully, the language skill can help me to assist North Korean refugees as a humanitarian doctor in the future. However, soon after I arrived Korea, I found myself full-time committed to my orphanage project.
PL: Best and worst aspects about living in Korea? Any favorite places to go? Any tips or words of wisdom to fellow ISI'ers who are considering or will stay in Korea for an extended stay like you?
SP: Best thing about living in Korea? The food! For pacheon lovers - Near Hwe-ki station, there's an entire street that sells pacheon only. They're delicious and inexpensive.
The worst thing about living in Korea, especially in the summer is the heat and the moisture. I definitely had a hard time with Korea summer weather, especially coming from a very dry land - Colorado.
My favorite place to go to in Korea is Hangang gongwon at Yeoido.
Tips to fellow ISI-ers : Korea has many beautiful parks, and you know you want to straddle in one fine afternoon, when the heat is not wicked. But the tranquil moment is suddenly ruined because an ahjumma bumped into you (and mumbled something unpleasantly at you)? Or, you live far away from the beautiful SNU campus and have to take subway to school everyday? But you are in fear of ahjumma, especially after seeing their mastered technique of claiming seats on subway? Yes, ahjummas can be very intimidating. One thing I learned after living in Korea for two consecutive summers is that if you are with a foreign-looking friend, ahjummas will make ways for you. They even smile at you. It's surprisingly amazing, I know. So if you happen to look Asian, it's not a bad idea to drag your foreign-looking friends with you. The down side is...you have to endure their stares for awhile.
PL: A love-hate relationship with ajuhmmas. :) Any future plans?
SP: My future plan is first of all, to go to Korea and stay for a year to study Public Health, do research and complete my Korean study and my orphanage project. Then I will return to the States to work for the government, hopefully U.S. Agency for International Development, to fulfill my Boren scholarship service requirement. After that, I will dutifully sign a >10-year marriage contract with medical school.
PL: Sounds like a good plan to me. Thank you for your time Serena. On behalf on the the alumni network, congratulations on your accomplishment and we wish you the best of luck with your studies and your orphanage project.
FYI, 2010 alumni Pablo Barrera, also awarded a Fullbright Scholarship, will be spending his upcoming year in Korea. As you can see from just the first 3 posts, SNU ISI brings together talented people from all over who have the potential to be leaders in their carious fields. As I bring these people to view, I hope you guys have the platform to connect with people with similar passions so that our one summer in Korea was not just a memorable experience, but a great investment as well.
-PEACE!✌
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