Friendship that transcends language barriers
When first arriving in Vietnam, like other international students, language was like an “invisible wall” between Minseo, Rieon, and Hwang Hwi and their local friends. Rieon hesitated, “Before coming to Dewey, I was quite worried because I am Korean, and it was difficult to understand and connect with Vietnamese students. But classmates at Dewey are all very nice; they helped me understand and adapt to the culture and environment in Vietnam.” Friendship has become a connecting strength, an invisible thread bridging two distinct cultures.
The Journal Club – The origin of creativity
Choosing Vietnam as the place to mark the journey to maturity, Minseo, Rieon, and Hwang Hwi – three 11th-grade students with distinct personalities and colors – met through their shared passion for Literature. This also sparked the inspiration for Minseo to establish the Journal Club, where Choi Rieon and Hwang Hwi serve as members of the Media Team. They meet every Thursday during Get Things Done time to discuss informative topics and events happening during the month (International Day, Science Fair, etc.). Minseo shared, “I established the journal club because I care about global issues and what is happening in society, while also expressing my own views to the community. When I was in 10th grade, we had a magazine project in Humanities class. From there, I became interested and chose this direction to creatively deliver global news. Fortunately, TDS allows students to establish clubs where students take charge, so I independently founded the club with the support of teachers.”
The open environment at Dewey also helped Kim Minseo, Choi Rieon, and Hwang Hwi turn challenges into their strengths. They didn’t view their mother tongue as a barrier but as a factor that made them “stand out.” Excelling in the Korean Literature Competition themed “Making a Journey Together” serves as clear evidence, marking a significant milestone in the journey of these three students’ experiences at Dewey.
Beautiful memories welcoming a bright future
In her award-winning essay, Minseo recounted her memories with a Vietnamese friend during her first visit to Vietnam. Reflecting nostalgically, Minseo shared, “When I first came to Vietnam, I couldn’t speak Vietnamese and faced many difficulties in daily life, so I started learning Vietnamese. A Vietnamese friend helped me learn Vietnamese, and I got to experience things I had never done before. For the first time, I rode an electric motorbike and spoke Vietnamese with friends. For the first time, I ate bun cha and banh chung. Those are some of the most meaningful memories in my life.”
From initially hesitant and shy students in a new environment, The Dewey Schools supported and nurtured the journey of maturity for Minseo, Rieon, and Hwi in Vietnam. Through this, they learned to appreciate their native language, actively sharing the beauty of Vietnamese culture and people with friends worldwide. The beautiful memories of their time here will always remain in their hearts, motivating them to continue exploring and inspiring the Korean student community at The Dewey Schools. Especially noteworthy, in their upcoming senior year, Minseo, Rieon, and Hwi will experience a new academic environment at Mount Vernon School (USA), a partner school. Regardless of where they study, the school believes these three will confidently overcome any cultural barriers or differences to become positive “leaders” impacting their community.
