Gwangju Together Day

By Nahida Islam

Has it ever happened to anyone that excitement kept you awake till late night, yet you still found yourself awaking earlier than ever? It has been a while since I felt this kind of excitement about an event that itself has a meaningful name: Gwangju Together Day.

Sunday, May 21, was a nice, sunny spring day with a breeze flowing around Jungwoe Park in Gwangju. The place, hosting thousands of people from around the world, gave them opportunity to come together.

My friend and I were walking with a crowd heading towards the diversified stalls set up by participants from different countries (Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, Mongolia India, Nepal, etc.) as a way to introduce passers-by to their cultures. Lots of local and international organizations staffed booths to raise awareness for the need to make a safe place for foreign people, like the Gwangju Association of Migrant Women, the Support Center for Foreign Workers, the Gwangju Buk-gu Police Station, the Gwangju Youth Service Center, and the Gwangju Culture Foundation – all of which are helpful places to visit if you are a fan of diversified culture or are in need of their particular services.

We tried the traditional Korean game tuho (투호) and made dalgona (달고나) candy for the first time. I am a big fan of the famous Netflix series Squid Game, so I was so happy to get the chance to participate. However, my friend beat me at both activities. As a reward, she got to wear a hanbok (한복), or traditional Korean attire. Just kidding – everybody was able to wear a hanbok and take photos with no limits. We could even paint our nails and get a fake tattoo to commemorate Gwangju Together Day.

Food played an important role in making the program more cheerful. No, I am not a foodie who only talks about food, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the food offered. As we were walking a lot, it is obvious that we got hungry. We got the chance to try food from places like India,

Pakistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Canada, Nepal, China, Mongolia, Morocco, Iraq, and the Philippines. Yeah, one could have gotten tired just reading all the countries’ name, but people did not get a bit tired of trying their foods. We had several different items ourselves.

The most noticeable part of the event was that the Gwangju International Center (GIC) made the event eco-friendly. They introduced a stall where you could get a food container for free, so after eating, we just had to return the container. It is an admirable step to reduce plastic waste that is killing our ecosystem.

For people looking for some community activities, groups like Gwangju Hikers and Dreamers are for you. Seo Ru-bin, a cute, little 11-year-old girl from UNESCO KONA told us a picture story about “a tiger and a dried persimmon.” She was sweet to hear. In the end, it was a day well spent, and all kudos go to the GIC, which arranged the whole program to give foreigners a place to interact with the people of Gwangju City.

At last, there is the word “together.” Is it just a word? It is more than that.

Together we can conquer every obstacle; together we can make the world more colourful; together we can be one heart. This is the message Gwangju Together Day wanted to convey. I think everyone who participated in this meaningful event got the message.

The Author

Nahida Islam is a PhD student at Chonnam National University in Gwangju. She is an introvert who always dreams of a world full of love and care. She does not think about achievement but cherishes the way to any destination. A country girl from Bangladesh, she should not be here, but she is.

By Jo Lezada

The 2023 Gwangju Citizens’ Day convention held at Jungwoe Park presented a myriad of foods, fun, and entertainment for everyone to partake in and experience cultural diversity to the fullest. In this article, I wish to highlight a particular event in the name of International Student Day, which is none other than Gwangju’s prized university booths for the International Students’ Fair.

It was a pleasant surprise to see this section of the convention attract such a bustling crowd consisting of not only international students but people of all ages lining up at the university booths who came not only to inquire but to earn prizes, experience cultural tidbits such as wearing traditional clothing, and fun activities, including nail art and photo booths! I was greeted with sunny smiles and a friendly atmosphere that would have made me consider every university had I participated at every booth in sight.

In addition to the fun, the consultation I received was not only encouraging but overall helpful and informative. As an international student who aspires to earn a master’s degree at Chonnam University, the consultants who worked with me were patient, considered the language I was comfortable in, and made sure to walk me through the entire process without leaving out any important details. Now I know exactly what I need to do after I graduate, and it is all thanks to these kind and helpful people who were managing the booths and promoting their universities. I even got a freebie after the consultation, as if the help I had received was not already enough. It was such an encouragement to see how much more accommodating these universities have been becoming to international students in spite of the language barriers that, perhaps, I may consider representing my own university at a booth someday!

All in all, not only was the weather sunny and bright that day, but everyone at the booths who represented their universities burned even brighter with pride, passion, and genuine enthusiasm that created a friendly environment brimming with enjoyment. It was the kind of impression and atmosphere I was looking forward to upon entering university life. Despite the academic pressure and difficulties that come with higher education, it is these people who reveal their passion and enthusiasm for their fields that make the entire journey worthwhile. Color me excited not only for next year’s convention but for the future of my academic career here in Gwangju –all thanks to this experience.

The Author

Johanna Angelaluz Lezada is a trilingual Filipino who is now in her third year as an IT business student at Nambu University here in Gwangju. She also works as a freelance translator and is the vice president of education for the Gwangju Toastmasters, both of which are based at the Gwangju International Center. Her hobbies include drawing, writing, traveling, and studying paleontology.