“I believe experience without the academic analytical background is similar to having a diamond without knowing exactly how to cut it into a nice piece of jewelry”(Eun-jin Choi, 2009 MPP).

“Oh, it was her!” I thought to myself when she approached me that morning to ask about the interview. I remembered first seeing Ms. Eun-jin Choi one spring day at Haejung Dormitory wearing sporty shorts and a spring jacket. At the time, she reminded me of an athletic, carefree woman coming fresh from the tennis court. However, as we started conversing, I realized that underneath her carefree demeanor, is a passionate and vivacious spirit.

One aspect of her identity that she greatly values is being a mother to her only child whom she delivered hours after her admissions interview for the KDI School. She remembers everything all too vividly, with a reminiscing smile on her face, “It was midnight of November 15, 2008, a few hours after the interview with Professor Tae Jong Kim, when I gave birth.” After that, she only had forty-five days to recover from childbirth before embarking on a new chapter of her life - getting a master’s degree in public policy.

From then on, she has been living a double life. “Every day this semester, when on campus, I get up around 8 o’clock, spend five hours studying, and stay up until 12 or 1 am doing homework. At home, I cannot even read a single page because I have to do household chores and take care of my child. Her journey has not been so easy, as she admits, “The first week of the winter semester was so strenuous that I ended up with a swollen body and unfortunately had to miss several classes.”

Married for more than two years to an open-minded businessman, Ms. Choi considers herself to be very lucky. Amidst the demands of being a wife, mother and student, she draws strength and support from her husband. “I think that telling him at the very early stage of our relationship about my intention to pursue higher studies helped him understand my situation,” she articulates, as such academic ambitions were concretely formulated even before she graduated from university. According to her, she has yet to experience full motherhood in order to know its real essence. But if there is anything that she is certain about, it is the incredible joy she experiences whenever she is with her child.

For ten years now, Ms. Choi has been working for the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). “Studying at the KDI School provides me with the rewarding experience of learning from Korean as well as other international government employees who hold varied views of numerous world issues that we are faced with today. All I have to do is enquire of their expertise and I gain a much broader perspective.” Coming from a completely different field of science, she had to learn on her own the basics of politics and economics in order to follow the classroom discussions. Everything has not been a breeze for her, especially in regards to time management, which she considers to be the most challenging part of being a wife, mother, and student, simultaneously. In spite of all that, she is persevering in her studies to become more adept at giving better quality service to the community. With a humble attitude, she shares her thoughts. “Before, I would always feel insufficient as one serving the public sector because I lacked the analytical skills that are necessary for thoroughly understanding the multitude of emerging issues.”

When asked which is more difficult--being a mother or a student, it is without hesitation she replies, “Being a mother. The life of a student is predictable; you have a schedule and all you need to do is follow that and you will do well, but when it comes to motherhood, predictability is the last thing you can rely on. A lot of times you have to choose between taking care of your child, and working.”

Ms. Choi embodies a confident and cheerful woman who has an undeniable passion for learning. In December this year, she will have to face yet another challenge as a mother. She is leaving for the United States and will stay for a year on her own to continue her master’s degree at the University of Maryland. She will be the first GMP student to study in the prestigious institution.

To all the mothers like herself, she closes with meaningful words of advice. “If you have dreams, follow them. I believe that if a mother is welleducated, it will benefit the children. Through education you can be insightful and more capable of providing better opportunities for them in the future.”

By Wendy N. Montealto 2009 MPP, Philippines