Koreans join the Pathways team
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in the category Partners For Pathways
On August 13, two unfamiliar faces entered the Pathways office with anxious smiles. Though their arrival was expected, the office was taken aback by their pleasant, confident and eager aura. Sungjun Won or Jun and Hyejin Shin or Jin, are two of the eight delegates from the Korean University here on an exposure trip in partnership with their Global Leadership Development Center. For one week, they joined Pathways activities and learned firsthand about the program as well as what the Philippine public education system was like.
In a short span of a week, they were able to learn about Filipino culture, the state of education in the country and of course make new friends. As part of their exposure trip, they visited three partner public high schools of Pathways – Sta. Elena High School in Marikina, Krus na Ligas and Quirino High Schools in Quezon City. There they had a glimpse of the life of a public high school student in the Philippines – though there was a shortage of chairs and classrooms, there was the obvious pleasure and enthusiasm of the students to learn. They were also brought to the Ateneo High School – though only a stone’s throw away, Jun and Jin could not help but notice the stark differences between the public and private schools in the country.
They joined Pathways activities such as the parent general assembly and enrichment classes. On their last day, they also participated in the yearly Education Partner’s Luncheon where Pathways invites all principals and coordinators of partner high schools to acknowledge them for their efforts to help students over the past year. They were able to meet representatives of all Pathways partners and participants – high school principals and Pathways coordinators, students, and parents. It was just a week, but it was a jampacked week indeed for them and for us here at Pathways.
Also in the course of the week, they made friends with the Pathways college students and volunteers they interviewed, from whom they learned so much more than what we could ever share in the same amount of time. Jun and Jin go back to Korea certainly knowing more about the Philippines and our educational system, but also knowing they have made friends here whom they can email and visit anytime.
Jun and Jin, we certainly enjoyed your brief stay with us. We look forward to hearing from both of you soon!
