About Me

Ji Young Park

March 25, 2008

Talent Show

Have you ever heard a dancing group called ‘Swan MIIStake’? Swan MIIStake is a performance group temporarily organized for MIIS FOLLIES 2008, the annual school talent show. The group presented a great deal of cute follies, and laughter decorated the show finale.

Last Friday, the school talent show was held in the school auditorium. The free tickets were quickly sold out for both 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm shows. I was actually on the waiting list, but fortunately I got a ticket. I was so excited about the show, particularly because some of the students who I know were supposed to perform. You can imagine how fabulous it is to see someone’s hidden talent out of ‘nerdy’ school boys and girls’ lives.

Since MIIS is an international school, the talent show offered us various tastes of different cultures. Chinese students mostly played musical instruments like Chinese harp called ‘Guzheng’ and the Circubit flute. I still remember the beautiful sound of music releasing us from everyday stresses. Wearing costumes, African students showcased their traditional dances with rhythmical music. Their dances gave us a lot of fun. Students were not the only performers in the show. Some professors showed up on the stage. A professor in the T&I program acted out a part of the musical show ‘Mama Mia.’ Another professor shared his talent to mimic different English accents of different countries. He has been very passionate about cross-cultural activities, so he often organizes various events for better understanding each other.

Back in my home country, Korea, we also have such shows in school, particularly in college. Our student talent shows are usually held during a regular school festival period. Once a festival starts, the entire campus is flooded with neighbors as well as students who want to enjoy and join a variety of programs. A bunch of street vending-like temporary food courts appear and they are usually run by students themselves. The profits they make are donated to some civic organizations, charity groups or student council.   

I am now planning to more actively join the Follies by performing, maybe singing Korean songs. It will be really fun and even greater than just passively sitting and clapping. I am very much looking forward to the Follies 2009.

February 27, 2008

Oh My Second Semester!

Mid-term exams are coming next week. It is too early to assess one’s progress in 6 weeks, isn’t it? I don’t know. Maybe my classmates and I are the only ones who feel that way, but we think “It is TOO EARLY to be ready for the mid-term.” I am in the T&I program which is pretty notorious for strict rules and demanding study requiring a lot of practice.

So far, the second semester has requested us to contribute “soul and body-with a bit of exaggeration” to practice, practice and practice. For the last 6 weeks, we have dealt with a bunch of topics ranging from both the Korean and US economies, the Korea-US alliance, the US subprime mortgage crisis, health insurance, diplomacy, to international institutions - APEC, ASEAN, ASEM - to banking systems, AIDS, manufacturing business, to North Korean issues, and to the incoming Korean government and its policy line and concrete action plans. For each topic, we have to be very well prepared with background knowledge by reading material related to the subject matter. Yet, reading is not the end of the assignment. We also have to make glossaries containing relevant terms and expressions both in Korean and English. Then, are we done? Not at all! The last, yet probably the most critical effort for the preparation is to memorize all the expressions up to the extent you can speak those expressions actively and fluently, because passive expressions don’t come out freely and appropriately when you interpret under time pressure (only if expressions become active, can you use the expressions when necessary and as appropriate). Besides such preparation for each class, we also have to have group study for at least three hours a day. For the group study, we search for appropriate speeches or articles to read with study partners. 

Professors and second year students in our program say the second semester is the toughest period. This is because at the end of the second semester, we choose our specialty - translation, translation and interpretation, localization, or conference interpretation - and only when we are successful in every class do we have more options in choosing a specialty.

Well, we all know “No Pain No Gain.” The best strategy to survive now is, I believe, to enjoy all stresses and even pains, albeit “easier said than done.” 

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February 5, 2008

My life in the Samson Center

If somebody asks me about my favorite place in the MIIS campus, I would say “Samson” without a single second of hesitation. Now, you might wonder what the ‘Samson’ is. Samson is the name of a person who financially contributed to building a student center to improve the school life of students, and the building was named after him, called “Samson Center.” But, students here usually call it “Samson” for short.

During the last semester, Samson was the place that took my time the most. I practiced interpretation with classmates, had a meeting for group projects, had meals and snacks and last but not least, met and socialized with a number of international friends there in Samson.   

During the daytime, when opening the door of Samson, you will first be taken by the boisterous and joyous mood. And soon enough, you will recognize a variety of activities going on inside. Most times, half of them are ‘indulging’ themselves in their studies; some are eating while reading or writing; some are having a joyful conversation with their friends; some are watching movies. You might also notice that English is not the only language heard there if you give your ears a chance to pay a little bit of attention to the good-natured crowd. Whatever your native tongue is, you will meet someone who can speak your language. How glad you will be!

Samson changes its color at night. Rather than energetic atmosphere, it becomes a warm and quiet place where reserved passion is flowing. When the sun disappears and darkness embraces Monterey, the time for “Samson dwellers” starts. Some students, including myself, study or just do what they want to do in Samson until deep inky dark night. Since most of them are always there in Samson at night, you can even become friends with them if you are also the one who stays there at night. During break time, you often meet other students right outside of the Samson building by chance and often have the time to talk about various topics. Just name it! The topic can be about school life, workload, family stories or other personal stories such as even your first love. People become friends very quickly under such a beautiful night sky. If you are a smoker, you have a privilege to enjoy smoking in a very good mood, looking up at the dark sky and stars.

Even now, I am in Samson feeling peaceful and calm. Samson will continue to be my home-like place in next semester and beyond.

Even at night like now, I can sense the winter has already gone and spring is coming.

Now, once-sharp wind became gentler. I have butterflies in my stomach, waiting for the wonderful spring and the new semester.

During the winter break, Samson seemed a bit dreary, dull and lonely. But, now that the spring semester is around the corner, it is recovering its own nature with returning Samson dwellers and new students who would be a part of Samson. 

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January 24, 2008

Time Flies like an Arrow

You know what? The first semester has already ended. I still cannot believe it. I still feel like I am just a very new student who is excited about new surroundings and who is ready to explore all new possible excitements. Time really flies like an arrow.

My connection with the Monterey Institute of International Studies actually goes back to 1999. At that time, I was a 22 year-old college student learning English in the ESL program of MIIS. I can so vividly remember the first impression of this small but very international school community. My roommates in a residential dormitory called the International House, which is now owned by an individual, were nice and polite Japanese. All my classmates were from different continents such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, etc. Students I met by chance on campus spoke at least two different languages. More impressively, most of them knew how to greet me in my mother tongue, Korean. Not only teachers but staffs working in the school were all warm and friendly to students and especially kind to international students.

Now that 8 years have passed since then, I am back here in Monterey as a 30 year-old graduate school student of the Translation and Interpretation Korean Program. You might assume things have changed a lot in the last 8 years. Surprisingly, I see more the same than differences between then and now. As its name says, this institute community is still very international, maybe even more international than before with more school activities that get all students together. People are as nice and friendly as before. Moreover, there are some same faculty members and staffs who are still teaching and serving for the school. I was so pleased to see them again, and it made me feel more comfortable being here. The different national flags hoisted on buildings still welcomed me. Now I am living in an apartment next to the residential dorm I used to live in eight years ago. Whenever I look up, I see the leaves on top of the tree that I used to enjoy seeing at the balcony of the dorm.  I even see myself of 8 years ago, what I thought, what I dreamt and what I longed for.

Time will fly, so, the next three semesters I will study here at MIIS will fly quickly. After graduation, I will go back to Korea, but who knows? I might have a chance to visit this school a decade from now. Then, maybe I will see some changes in the physical setting. More buildings will be built, and more computers and high-tech devices and equipment will be furnished in each classroom. But, I hope to see the timeless beauty of MIIS as an internationally open and friendly community as I see and saw it now and 8 years ago.

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