Zayed University students: Ambassadors of tolerance and volunteers in South Korea

~~Enthusiastic students participate in a journey of international community service and cultural exploration 

June 6, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: A group of Zayed University’s male students were selected to participate in a journey of international community service and cultural exploration to South Korea organized by the Zayed University’s Community Enhancement Program and sponsored by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

The Community Enhancement Program provides opportunities for all Zayed University students and alumni to reinvest in their community by helping to execute community-centered projects that strive to make the UAE a better place.

The ten cultural ambassadors were selected out of 50 applicants to begin with the Korean language immersion in order to practice basic communication skills at the commencement of the community service journey.  A few of the ambassadors were conversant in Korean from their training at the King Sejong Institute based at Zayed University, which teaches Korean language and culture to students and the community.

“I experienced a culture shock. I assumed everyone would speak English and that was not the case. I wondered how I would survive my time there. Honestly, how come a country that is so developed, an economic leader, and has so many international relationships is so conservative about its language? Everywhere we went to, the Korean language was dominant,” Mazen Alakkad, a Zayed University student, said.

Most of Zayed University participants were equally inspired by South Korea’s ability to maintain their language, as they developed and interacted with the global community.
During the ten-day trip, in addition to tackling language challenges, young students found that their biggest role as UAE ambassadors was to dispel stereotypes and clarify some misconceptions and misrepresentation of Arabs and Muslims.

The young UAE ambassadors have all agreed on the importance to provide a more vibrant image of the UAE abroad.
Volunteers spent their first day of the trip at a home for the elderly.
“We volunteered at a senior shelter, helped preparing the veggies, distributing food, setting up tables and chairs, and cleaning dishes and chopsticks,” Saleh Binhallabi, a Zayed University student, said.
Additionally, young students volunteered at a home for children with special needs.
“The best part of the trip was the community service spirit. It was my first time helping the elderly and working with disabled children. We volunteered at a home for children with extreme physical conditions. It was a very challenging experience; however, extremely rewarding,” Ali Yaslam added.

Dr. Husam Abdelkhaleq, Senior Student Counselor at Zayed University and trip chaperone also expressed his excitement with the students’ performance.

“I was so proud of the compassion and dedication our young students displayed,” Abdelkhaleq said.
Overall, each team member agreed that the trip exceeded their expectation; they were equally impressed with the deeply imbedded volunteerism culture in the South Korean society and indicated their keenness to see a similar culture mirrored in the UAE. 

Abdulazeez Al Obthani and Masoud Al Hosani, Zayed University students, were impressed with the freedom and ability of choosing to engage in community service projects in South Korea in lieu of military service.

“In South Korea, if the one doesn’t meet the physical requirements for military service, then s/he are given the choice to engage in community service initiatives instead,” Al Obthani and Al Hosani said.

All participating students have expressed their aspirations to create a more advanced community service culture in the UAE. They also expressed their willingness to participate in similar trips abroad, where they can create better understanding of other countries, cultures, and traditions besides exchanging knowledge and expertise.

“The ten-day journey in South Korea was worth an entire semester of knowledge in the University. The experience integrated all of our senses. This trip will remain one of the most memorable journeys in my life,” Al Obthani added.