By JIEUN HONG
Reporter
Warrensburg is small, but diverse.
Jieun Hong (second from left) stands with UCM mascot Mule and her Korean friends. From left, Yewon Oh and Eunbi Ko, by the Multipurpose Building before the homecoming parade in 2015.
My first impression of Warrensburg wasn’t good. It looked like a very small town and I couldn’t imagine there would be anything interesting for me to do here. I am from Seoul, the capital and biggest city in South Korea. Although the saying goes, “First impressions last for a long time,” my first impression changed quickly.
What surprised me the most is that I can meet international students who are from different countries. It isn’t easy to meet international students in Korea because there are not as many international students as there are in Warrensburg.
The university has approximately 14,000 students from 42 states and 61 countries enrolled in classes. That means I can experience the world though campus life in Warrensburg. It is very exciting to meet new people who have different backgrounds.
The Elliott Student Union is one of the many good places where people can meet and get to know each other. This is UCM’s campus meeting point. It has many resources for me, whether I am looking to study, play or just hang out with friends.
The easiest way to shake off boredom is having a conversation with various people who have different majors or backgrounds from you.
Some of my friends in Korea have paid to have conversations with international people to learn their culture or language. However, I can save money by not doing that because I am already in an international society in Warrensburg.
I usually try to talk with strangers to share their new ideas so that my relationships with others outside of my culture can be broadened. I am in the process of making new friends and really enjoy it now. It is valuable and special for me because others can rarely experience it.
There is no public transportation in Warrensburg like there is in Korea. Even though I am restricted from going around town easily the campus community is ready to provide special events for students and local residents, such as Trips & Tours to other cities as well as host shows, concerts and cultural activities.
Most universities and local organizations in Korea also provide some events for their students and residents, but it isn’t usually enough to attract us to voluntarily participate. For example, even if those communities try to host events for their members, most people aren’t interested in attending.
Jieun Hong (left) stands with her Korean friends, from left, Hyunjung Kim, Yewon Oh and Juhyun Ryu, in the lower courts of the rec center during the 2015 International Food Show.
The main reason is that there are more alternatives to enjoying life in Seoul. Various entertaining places are located in one district; also, public transportation makes it easy to get there. The public transportation system is well made in Korea, even in the countryside, leading most students to forego buying a car. Not only is transportation convenient in my country, but travel fare is also inexpensive.
Although I have difficulty commuting in Warrensburg, I have stayed busy by attending student activities and international events since my first semester in August 2015. I have enjoyed school events, which the UCM community provided to students and local residents, such as trips to Kansas City, the homecoming parade, a food show, watching plays like “The Little F0xes” and watching free movies in the Union.
Cultural events are actually pretty rare in small communities, but not for a small community like Warrensburg. It is especially hard to find cultural events everywhere in Korea, but the Korean government hosts big conferences and special events in Seoul and other big cities but not in small towns.
Cultural experiences I’ve attended in Warrensburg have been interesting enough for me. I can’t deny that Warrensburg is small, but I couldn’t feel bored in this small town.
Also, there are interesting people that I can make friends with regardless of their sex, age or nationality. Age, for one, is a big factor where I come from. It is very important to know someone’s age, because Koreans should use honorific, or formal, speech to anyone older than themselves by even one year. That’s why Koreans ask your age upon first meeting.
It is true Warrensburg is too small of a town to enjoy large entertaining events, but I can look for attractions here through the diverse population and various events.
The way Warrensburg has made me joyful is through enjoying meeting new people who can share thoughts that you have never thought of before, and keeping my eyes on events, which UCM and the local community provide. Plus the small town atmosphere makes me feel more involved and close-knit with others around me.
