An unknown place is always mysterious because it is somewhere that we might not be able to visit during our lives. You may not be able to learn what language people speak or what culture they have unless you visit there. However, there is one way to learn about a hidden place: by meeting the people who live there. KDI School is somewhere you can meet people from diverse countries that you may not know much about. Today, for your curiosity, we invited a very special person into KDI school.

Ashti Abdulla Omer (2020 MPM) is a passionate and inspiring woman from the Kurdistan Region of the Republic of Iraq (shortly, Kurdistan). Once you learn about who she is, you will not be able to stop loving her!

Could you please briefly introduce yourself and the place you are from?

Hello, everyone. My name is Ashti Abdulla Omer, and I am from the Kurdistan Region of the Republic of Iraq. Most of you may be unfamiliar with Kurdistan or might have heard of it yet do not know precisely where it is. For those who are curious about this hidden land, allow me to offer you a brief introduction of the place where l live. The Kurdistan Region of the Republic of Iraq (shortly, Kurdistan) is an autonomous region recognized by the Iraqi constitution; however, we have our own government and our own borders, national flag, and language.

How did you come to know about South Korea?

This is my second time being in Korea, actually. I had the opportunity to participate in the training session in Korea in 2017 as a government official. I am currently working for the Kurdistan government and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as an audit. We are building the Human Capacity Development Program for government officials. We believe that South Korea is an excellent example of a human resource program, so I came here to learn about HR in Korea.

I was also interested in Korean TV series, which are very popular in Kurdistan, as well. My favorite K-drama is Winter-Sonata, which is how I learned how to speak Korean. Moreover, I learned that Korea''s history is similar to our own, so I felt much closer to Korea.

What was your first impression of Korea?

First, the training was so intensive, which was very overwhelming for me (haha). However, I then I learned that Koreans are very passionate and enthusiastic people in all aspects, including studying, teaching, and even helping others. They always love to share anything they have. I still keep in touch with those whom I met during training. Even though it was only a 3-month training, I really fell in love with Korea and its people.

What made you come to KDI School?

In training, one of the professors introduced KDI School to us and said that this school would be beneficial for us to learn about policy development. I was interested in Korea''s policy process and its development process, and I wanted to make contributions to my country with what I learned. So, I thought that KDI School would be a great experience for me.

I was not accepted into the school the first time, but I tried again because I knew this school was where I wanted to study. Finally, I am here at KDI School, and I am even more satisfied than what I expected.

How have you found KDI School so far?

KDI School is like a box of information. You can learn more than what you even want to learn. KDI School is a perfect school for people who are eager to learn about policy development.

What is your plan after graduation?

Surely, I will return to where I worked, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Kurdistan. With what I will learn at KDI school, I wish to develop our curriculum for the HR program in my country.