Q: Why did you come to Korea?
Jonathan: I came to Korea for two reasons. The first reason is to study; I am currently taking my master’s degree. Second, is to study the Korean language and help the Korean students here in the Catholic University of Korea with their English. Those are the two reasons why I came here in Korea. But of course, the other reason is to have fun; go around Korea, learn about the society and culture. But studying and helping Korean students with their English are the two main important reasons.
Q: How is your TA work?
Jonathan: The work of the Teaching Assistant is very important in GEO, because the Teaching Assistant or “TA” as how we simply call it, is primarily responsible for organizing the classes and events of GEO, and for delivering the needs of both the professors and students. We are the ones who make sure that every GEO student is on the right track; we uplift their spirits and guide them with their learning ventures in English. We are assisting the professors. You have to be patient, friendly, enthusiastic, and hard working.
Q: What is your difficulty in studying Korean language?
Jonathan: As a Filipino, it is very hard for me to learn the Korean language because I think it is very different from Filipino and English. The Japanese and Chinese, they can learn the Korean language easily because the structure and the grammar are almost the same, and most of them are learning Korean as their second language. Contrary in our case, Korean is our third language. Of course aside from our mother tongue, we have been very accustomed to English. We have been very proficient with it and we feel very comfortable in using it anywhere and anytime, because English is already one of the official languages in the Philippines along with the Filipino language. Everywhere you go in the Philippines, English is actually more widely used. So when we came here in Korea, some of us who do not have a single background about the Korean language, it was really very difficult for us. But since we are here in Korea, it is very important for us to learn the Korean language, because it is also an opportunity for us to communicate better with our Korean friends. It is a healthy exchange of culture. When a Korean speaks English, when I speak Korean, then we discuss about this kind of exchange, it is an exchange of culture already because language is an integral part of culture. So we, Filipino TAs, help you with your English and just the same time, you could also help us in our Korean. We are helping one another, and this is very important.
Q: What is your major?
Jonathan: My major is International Relations.
Q: Why did you choose International Relations as your major?
Jonathan: Because my degree back in college was Asian Studies. It is an interdisciplinary course. When we say “interdisciplinary,” it means we take other disciplines from the social sciences and even humanities to provide a more comprehensive study about Asia. So under my degree, we studied about the history, politics, society and culture, economics, and philosophy of Asia. And among all the majors in the graduate level here in the Catholic University of Korea, International Relations is the closest to my college degree. So here I am now, I am currently taking International Relations.
Interviewed by: Park Mihwa, Woo Yoo Jin, Yi Da Eun, Yi Keung Jin from Professor Irving Gussow's class
