OH Mari
Sep 12, 2022
Scholarship / Personal Statement - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - GKS 2023-U [3]
- Motivations with which you apply for this program
- Educational background
- Significant experiences you have had; persons or events that have had a significant influence on you
- Extracurricular activities such as club activities, community service activities or work experiences
- If applicable, describe awards you have received, publications you have made, or skills you have acquire
Have you ever wondered if you are living or just surviving? Maybe you even did not know the difference between them or did not wonder about that. And I understand that, I was in the same doubt some months ago. It could be, mainly because we used to get confused between them because they are similar, but there are some small things that makes them different. So well, I wrote a part of my history through these paragraphs, all my experiences and things I realized in this time, are going to give you a reference of the difference between live and survive.
Since I was in a young age, I have been interested in other cultures, especially Asian ones, because they were the most different from us: language, traditions, history, and others. So, as I have grown up in some limited conditions, I started to look for scholarships abroad when I was in high school to achieve one of my most important goals, to reduce the burden of work on my grandparents and become a support for my family. There was when I found information about GKS, that immediately caught my attention. While I was learning more about the scholarship and culture, my interest in Korea was increasing more and more. I was amazed and curious about how a country in such poor conditions after the war could become one of the most recognized world powers managing and investing scarce resources that helped and worked at that time and how they looked and studied the markets of the world so that businesses could be so successful until today. For those reasons, adding security and technology too, this opportunity it is what I was looking for.
We used to refer to the school as our second home, but that was not my case. I was raised by my grandparents, so I was supposed to be with them all the time: after school, on weekends, while doing my homework, or even while I was studying for an exam; in other words, my second home was a restaurant. So instead of playing with friends outside, I used to help my grandparents taking the orders of customers, cashing and dealing with customers, activities which helped me a lot to develop skills. Growing up in that environment, I could realize the importance of administration in a business, watching some failures of relatives, I could say it does not matter how big or small a business is, without a good control of resources, the company may fail.
From my childhood, I learnt how to be independent and at the same time autodidact, my grandparents used to work all day; I tried to not overcharge them doing my responsibilities on my own, and of course with some help from them when I really need it. Those characteristics stood out more when I started playing volleyball at the age of 9. It is an activity that makes me develop skills that help me in my daily life such as being competitive, persevering, disciplined, responsible, knowing how to work in a team and cooperate with them, and most important for me, which it is going to be useful during my staying in Korea, is being able to know how I should manage the money and time I have, to be able to fulfill all my responsibilities, sometimes having to prioritize the most necessary ones. For example, when I had a championship, my mother used to give me a certain amount of money which I had to divide it between the bus ticket, lunch, and some volleyball fees, all of which were very important, but the ones that I prioritized in those moments were the ticket and the volleyball fees because they were expenses that I could not postpone, after that, if I did not have enough money for lunch, I would eat something cheaper or wait to get home.
Last year, I started to make some things that I was really hoping to do when I turned 18. The first one, make some community service activities, I did it in two places: ''Association for the Rights of Children with Cancer'' and ''Legado'' or most knew it as the group that was born in the Pan American Games and continued with the ''Vacunaton'' to make Peruvian population be vaccinated. Both helped me a lot to grow as a person, but the last one was the most significant. Since my personality it was not strong as I would like to, Legado was the one which made me challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone: my leadership, empathy, and optimism becomes stronger than they were. In 2021, I started to work too, first with my account aunt, where I could learn more about legal processes and how companies work internally. Since December I am working in Starbucks, a good place to work I can say. I really took advantage of all opportunities they give me to learn by setting goals and step by step, I could achieve being one of the most outstanding partners there, by knowing to adapt to any situation or environment I could give the best of me.
I was able to make all these achievements thanks to my grandparents, I am totally grateful to them and what they do for me since I was 2 years old. They teach me how to work and always do my best in everything I like to do. Based on that, I always made things with an objective in mind, for example, the main reason why I started to work was to be able to make the IELTS test, to pay for the braces treatment, and to start to learn the Korean language. The first one I did it with some help from my grandparents last year, but for the others two, I could pay it with my wage. Currently, I am learning Korean at KOICA where I could learn more than I did before in the autodidact way. Sadly, this year I will not be capable to take IELTS test again, due to, the situation of our economy it is becoming worst making dollars more expensive than before, and at the same time, I will not take TOPIK this year due to the inscription date was expired, but I going to take next year.
Some months ago, I was walking near the sea in a gorgeous place in Lima, for the reason of quarantine and pandemic made me question what I was doing in my life and what I was going to do with it that made me get lost for that time. I was wondering about all those thoughts that went through my mind if I was living or just surviving the day by day. I consider myself a competitive and maybe a stubborn person, I do not give up on goals I set for myself until I meet and achieved them. In each situation of my life, I always took advantage of circumstances that show up in my ways and I was able to develop skills that will be useful for me. After all that debate, I put all my experiences into a balance, and I realized since I was a child, I have been self-sufficient and disciplined with what I want. I also detest being left with doubts and I always end up looking for information about what interests me, as well, I was looking for opportunities and setting goals since there, starting with small things, like making a serve in volleyball to bigger ones, as being an outstanding partner.
In conclusion, I realized I was living all this time, I always had a purpose to achieve and always did my best to get them. I also went through bad times, but we have all gone through that, I didn't let them stop me even though sometimes I felt there was no escape. I really feel confident and prepared for GKS, maybe it is going to sound a bit silly, but I know I am the best student to get this scholarship due to my experience and perseverance. So, tell me, are living or surviving?
- Motivations with which you apply for this program
- Educational background
- Significant experiences you have had; persons or events that have had a significant influence on you
- Extracurricular activities such as club activities, community service activities or work experiences
- If applicable, describe awards you have received, publications you have made, or skills you have acquire
LIVING OR SURVIVING?
Have you ever wondered if you are living or just surviving? Maybe you even did not know the difference between them or did not wonder about that. And I understand that, I was in the same doubt some months ago. It could be, mainly because we used to get confused between them because they are similar, but there are some small things that makes them different. So well, I wrote a part of my history through these paragraphs, all my experiences and things I realized in this time, are going to give you a reference of the difference between live and survive.
Since I was in a young age, I have been interested in other cultures, especially Asian ones, because they were the most different from us: language, traditions, history, and others. So, as I have grown up in some limited conditions, I started to look for scholarships abroad when I was in high school to achieve one of my most important goals, to reduce the burden of work on my grandparents and become a support for my family. There was when I found information about GKS, that immediately caught my attention. While I was learning more about the scholarship and culture, my interest in Korea was increasing more and more. I was amazed and curious about how a country in such poor conditions after the war could become one of the most recognized world powers managing and investing scarce resources that helped and worked at that time and how they looked and studied the markets of the world so that businesses could be so successful until today. For those reasons, adding security and technology too, this opportunity it is what I was looking for.
We used to refer to the school as our second home, but that was not my case. I was raised by my grandparents, so I was supposed to be with them all the time: after school, on weekends, while doing my homework, or even while I was studying for an exam; in other words, my second home was a restaurant. So instead of playing with friends outside, I used to help my grandparents taking the orders of customers, cashing and dealing with customers, activities which helped me a lot to develop skills. Growing up in that environment, I could realize the importance of administration in a business, watching some failures of relatives, I could say it does not matter how big or small a business is, without a good control of resources, the company may fail.
From my childhood, I learnt how to be independent and at the same time autodidact, my grandparents used to work all day; I tried to not overcharge them doing my responsibilities on my own, and of course with some help from them when I really need it. Those characteristics stood out more when I started playing volleyball at the age of 9. It is an activity that makes me develop skills that help me in my daily life such as being competitive, persevering, disciplined, responsible, knowing how to work in a team and cooperate with them, and most important for me, which it is going to be useful during my staying in Korea, is being able to know how I should manage the money and time I have, to be able to fulfill all my responsibilities, sometimes having to prioritize the most necessary ones. For example, when I had a championship, my mother used to give me a certain amount of money which I had to divide it between the bus ticket, lunch, and some volleyball fees, all of which were very important, but the ones that I prioritized in those moments were the ticket and the volleyball fees because they were expenses that I could not postpone, after that, if I did not have enough money for lunch, I would eat something cheaper or wait to get home.
Last year, I started to make some things that I was really hoping to do when I turned 18. The first one, make some community service activities, I did it in two places: ''Association for the Rights of Children with Cancer'' and ''Legado'' or most knew it as the group that was born in the Pan American Games and continued with the ''Vacunaton'' to make Peruvian population be vaccinated. Both helped me a lot to grow as a person, but the last one was the most significant. Since my personality it was not strong as I would like to, Legado was the one which made me challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone: my leadership, empathy, and optimism becomes stronger than they were. In 2021, I started to work too, first with my account aunt, where I could learn more about legal processes and how companies work internally. Since December I am working in Starbucks, a good place to work I can say. I really took advantage of all opportunities they give me to learn by setting goals and step by step, I could achieve being one of the most outstanding partners there, by knowing to adapt to any situation or environment I could give the best of me.
I was able to make all these achievements thanks to my grandparents, I am totally grateful to them and what they do for me since I was 2 years old. They teach me how to work and always do my best in everything I like to do. Based on that, I always made things with an objective in mind, for example, the main reason why I started to work was to be able to make the IELTS test, to pay for the braces treatment, and to start to learn the Korean language. The first one I did it with some help from my grandparents last year, but for the others two, I could pay it with my wage. Currently, I am learning Korean at KOICA where I could learn more than I did before in the autodidact way. Sadly, this year I will not be capable to take IELTS test again, due to, the situation of our economy it is becoming worst making dollars more expensive than before, and at the same time, I will not take TOPIK this year due to the inscription date was expired, but I going to take next year.
Some months ago, I was walking near the sea in a gorgeous place in Lima, for the reason of quarantine and pandemic made me question what I was doing in my life and what I was going to do with it that made me get lost for that time. I was wondering about all those thoughts that went through my mind if I was living or just surviving the day by day. I consider myself a competitive and maybe a stubborn person, I do not give up on goals I set for myself until I meet and achieved them. In each situation of my life, I always took advantage of circumstances that show up in my ways and I was able to develop skills that will be useful for me. After all that debate, I put all my experiences into a balance, and I realized since I was a child, I have been self-sufficient and disciplined with what I want. I also detest being left with doubts and I always end up looking for information about what interests me, as well, I was looking for opportunities and setting goals since there, starting with small things, like making a serve in volleyball to bigger ones, as being an outstanding partner.
In conclusion, I realized I was living all this time, I always had a purpose to achieve and always did my best to get them. I also went through bad times, but we have all gone through that, I didn't let them stop me even though sometimes I felt there was no escape. I really feel confident and prepared for GKS, maybe it is going to sound a bit silly, but I know I am the best student to get this scholarship due to my experience and perseverance. So, tell me, are living or surviving?