By Maria Charmaine D. GUEVARA (2012 MDP, Philippines)

Bowlfuls of yummy black noodles for lunch. A leisurely hike to the Guryong Mountain. A personalized boat-ride tour of the Han River. Platefuls of delicious home-cooked bulgogi for dinner. A night stroll along a nearby park in Singongdeokdong. Midnight snack at a famed local haunt. Living like the locals. Aaah, this is the life in Seoul!

During the spring break, KDI School international students who participated in the Home Visiting Program were able to experience all that and more. The program pairs international students with a host family (consisting of Korean students, faculty and staff), where the host families invite their guests to take a peek at the life of Koreans while spending a day or two together.

Muhammad Prayoga Permana (2011 MPP, Indonesia) and Teguh Adhi Primasanto (2012 MDP, Indonesia) could not contain their excitement in sharing their experience.

Yoga and Prima were hosted by Kim Gyeong Hwan (2012 MPP, Korea) or Richard as he prefers to be called, at his family home in the Jamsil area, where they met his wife, son and mother-in-law, who lives with them. Prima shares that, “The location of Richard’s apartment was so convenient given its proximity to Lotte World, a public park with exercise facilities, and a sports and picnic complex. We can even get daily boat rides of the Han River if we wanted to because the dock was literally across the apartment!”

Yoga was also impressed with Richard’s son, Edward, who is adept in math and in playing the piano, aside from speaking excellent English. “Edward is a very bright kid. I am amazed with his passion for reading and learning. He had his own reading space at home; it looked like a mini-library with all the books and reading materials. I got the chance to play a few games of chess with him, and even lost a match to him!”

“After dinner, we had a good conversation with Richard about Korean family life in general, especially how Korean parents raise their children in this modern age. We could really tell how much Richard and his wife love their only son, and how invested Korean parents are in their children’s future,” Prima added.

For Munkhbaatar Sukhbaatar (2012 MDP, Mongolia), Prodencia Awa Injoh (2012 MDP, Cameroon), Befekadu Mulatu Likasa (2011 MPP, Ethiopia) and me, we had the wonderful opportunity to be matched with Joon Hee Kim (2011 MPP, Korea).

On a balmy Saturday afternoon in May, armed with a box of Baskin Robbins ice cream and a potted flower-plant, we met Joon Hee at the Gongdeok Station in the Mapo-gu district. Her parents run the Abba Guest House in Singongdeokgong, where we were to spend our day.

Her parents and grandmother, who cooked a mouthwatering bulgogi dinner especially for our visit, graciously welcomed us! We were so overwhelmed with the generosity and hospitality of Joon Hee’s family, and her boyfriend too!

“Our home visit was a small delight given our hectic academic life. Spending time with Joon Hee and her family made me miss my loved ones back home in Mongolia,” admits Munkhbaatar. “However, I was in thoroughly entertaining company and with lots of food. Even after the scrumptious Korean dinner, along came Joon Hee’s home-made brownies topped with ice cream and Likasa’s Ethiopian coffee, coupled with Cham’s mischievous jokes and Injoh’s candid curiosity.”

Joon Hee and her boyfriend brought us to the Jeon Alley of the nearby Gongdeok Market, a popular stomping ground for locals. Gongdeok Market is famous for its loads of bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) and hameul pajeon (seafood pancake). We ordered several plates of deep-fried, cholesterol-laden bindaetteok, fish cakes, squid cakes and mushroom, accompanied with makgeolli. It was a fitting way to cap the night.

Munkhbaatar concludes: “Although the home visiting program just gave us a quick glimpse into the Korean family’s way of life, I felt closer to Seoulites, who are well known for their competitive spirit and balli-balli mantra. This event enriched my understanding of Korea and replenished my energy for vigorous learning of Korean society.”

Students who wish to experience a Home Visit will get another chance this coming summer break in August. What are you waiting for?  Sign up NOW!