QUESTION 2: Critical thinking is a central goal of Jesuit education, and at LMU you'll be asked to think critically and intensively in every class. Dr. King suggests that critical thinking results in our ability to inform intelligence with character, and strengthen character with intelligence. Please talk about a situation that demanded critical thinking from you, and how your choices or decisions integrated intelligence and character.
DOES THIS ANSWER THE PROMPT?
I was lost in a foreign country for two weeks. No, not physically lost. Culturally lost. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea putting together medication for patients, distributing the medication, translating pamphlets, and guiding foreign patients throughout the hospital.
As a second-generation, first-born daughter of South Korean immigrants, my job has always been to translate, pay the bills, and perform any duty required of me, the mediator of two completely different cultures. Through this responsibility, I acquired the proficiency in two languages: Korean and English. Because of my bilingual skill set, I believed that volunteering at Konkuk University Hospital would be a breeze.
What I didn't realize was that, despite my fluency in Korean and having been raised by traditionally Korean parents, there were stark cultural differences: cultural practices that as a Korean American I wouldn't know. For instance, I wasn't aware that it is expected of workers to wait until all the seniors had left before we could leave. I also wasn't aware that even though my work schedule technically ended at 3 p.m., I couldn't and shouldn't leave until everyone else had finished with his or her work. If I completed my work on time, it was polite to offer my assistance to others. I simply acted as I would have in the United States. There was an evident lack of communication between the workers and me that led to multiple misunderstandings. However, I thought they would understand. I mean after all, I was a foreigner.
Eventually, I realized that I was disappointing a lot of people-especially myself. I knew my potential and I wasn't living up to it. Despite my unfamiliarity with the different traditions, I needed to step outside of my comfort zone to improve my performance. I couldn't simply give a hundred percent; I needed to contribute more. As they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Eventually, I broke through the cultural barriers that I initially didn't even know existed. I formed friendships with some of the workers, some many years older than myself. To be fair, I wasn't the only one who adjusted to the cultural differences. The people I interacted with also accepted me, understanding that the world I came from was different from theirs. I also understood that they weren't used to working with teenagers from a country so many miles away. Many of us have limited awareness of the cultural barriers that are dissolving more and more each day. We should take it upon ourselves to increase our awareness that there is a fine line. None of us all are always right, and it is of the utmost importance to simply acknowledge intercultural values. By acknowledging them, we can eliminate some of the obstacles that hinder us from moving forward.
I'm proud to say that at the end of my internship, working at the hospital taught me not only medical information I will find valuable in pursuing a Psychology degree, but also the importance of open-mindedness and a willingness to step outside of my comfort zones. Through understanding the Korean traditions and values, my internship experience was both rewarding and productive. This summer, I was faced with the unexpected that took me off guard. Regardless, I was able to move past the obstacles that hindered me from reaching my potential. I was able to look past the culture shock that at first made me feel stranded and inadequate. In the end, I realized that I wasn't stranded. By appreciating the culture, I successfully performed my responsibilities and genuinely felt like a member of the community.
DOES THIS ANSWER THE PROMPT?
I was lost in a foreign country for two weeks. No, not physically lost. Culturally lost. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea putting together medication for patients, distributing the medication, translating pamphlets, and guiding foreign patients throughout the hospital.
As a second-generation, first-born daughter of South Korean immigrants, my job has always been to translate, pay the bills, and perform any duty required of me, the mediator of two completely different cultures. Through this responsibility, I acquired the proficiency in two languages: Korean and English. Because of my bilingual skill set, I believed that volunteering at Konkuk University Hospital would be a breeze.
What I didn't realize was that, despite my fluency in Korean and having been raised by traditionally Korean parents, there were stark cultural differences: cultural practices that as a Korean American I wouldn't know. For instance, I wasn't aware that it is expected of workers to wait until all the seniors had left before we could leave. I also wasn't aware that even though my work schedule technically ended at 3 p.m., I couldn't and shouldn't leave until everyone else had finished with his or her work. If I completed my work on time, it was polite to offer my assistance to others. I simply acted as I would have in the United States. There was an evident lack of communication between the workers and me that led to multiple misunderstandings. However, I thought they would understand. I mean after all, I was a foreigner.
Eventually, I realized that I was disappointing a lot of people-especially myself. I knew my potential and I wasn't living up to it. Despite my unfamiliarity with the different traditions, I needed to step outside of my comfort zone to improve my performance. I couldn't simply give a hundred percent; I needed to contribute more. As they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Eventually, I broke through the cultural barriers that I initially didn't even know existed. I formed friendships with some of the workers, some many years older than myself. To be fair, I wasn't the only one who adjusted to the cultural differences. The people I interacted with also accepted me, understanding that the world I came from was different from theirs. I also understood that they weren't used to working with teenagers from a country so many miles away. Many of us have limited awareness of the cultural barriers that are dissolving more and more each day. We should take it upon ourselves to increase our awareness that there is a fine line. None of us all are always right, and it is of the utmost importance to simply acknowledge intercultural values. By acknowledging them, we can eliminate some of the obstacles that hinder us from moving forward.
I'm proud to say that at the end of my internship, working at the hospital taught me not only medical information I will find valuable in pursuing a Psychology degree, but also the importance of open-mindedness and a willingness to step outside of my comfort zones. Through understanding the Korean traditions and values, my internship experience was both rewarding and productive. This summer, I was faced with the unexpected that took me off guard. Regardless, I was able to move past the obstacles that hindered me from reaching my potential. I was able to look past the culture shock that at first made me feel stranded and inadequate. In the end, I realized that I wasn't stranded. By appreciating the culture, I successfully performed my responsibilities and genuinely felt like a member of the community.
