They say, when it rains it pours. So it did when students had to take one exam after another almost everyday during the last few weeks of the spring semester. Therefore, when KDI School organized a series of field trips for its students with the aim of helping them enjoy every minute of the much-needed break after a challenging semester, it was all the more welcomed. Primarily, the trips were arranged to provide opportunities for students to enjoy the rewarding experience of creating friendships among themselves.

MAM Graduates Take Vietnam Tour

This year, Vietnam was the graduation trip destination again for MAM graduates. For five whole days from May 1 to 5, fifteen students, along with Mr. Sung-Youl Lee of the Academic and Student Division and Professor Woochan Kim, enjoyed roaming around Vietnam’s top tourist destinations including Hanoi Capital, Yen Tu and Ha Long Bay. While students may have already formed friendships with each other in the course of their studies at KDI School, this graduation trip reinforced such bonds as they created meaningful memories together.

e-MBA Graduates Enjoy a Ferry Ride from Singapore to Indonesia and Back

While MAM graduates were enjoying a slow-paced journey in Vietnam, e-MBA graduates wasted no time as they traveled two countries in just 5 days, from May 1 to 5. First, they enjoyed roving around Singapore, from Jurong Bird Park to Botanical Garden up until Orchard Road, all in one day. Before the sun set, all 12 of them along with MBA Chair Kun Ho Lee and Ms. Hye Jung Yang, also from Academic and Student Division, hopped aboard a ferry to Bintan, Indonesia. Bintan is a beautiful island in Indonesia, 45 km away from the Southeast of Singapore. The group joined a mangrove tour that involved sea fishing and swimming. The next day, they were all on board a boat again bound for Singapore, where they took the time to catch a panoramic view of the country from Sky Tower, the country’s highest point. This trip had the same objectives as the MAM graduation trip.

Two Birds,One Stone for MFDI Students

Work. Play. Whoever said one cannot do both at the same time? MFDI did just that this spring break! Last May 14 to 17, MFDI students took a field trip to Shanghai, China, where they enjoyed the essence of Chinese night life and at the same time had the chance to observe how business takes place there. For three nights and four days, 22 2008 and 2009 MFDI students were exposed to the dynamics of the city dubbed the world’s yardstick of rapid economic growth. This year, the group was led by Professor Seung Joo Lee and Ms. Yang.

Cheongna Area Tour

On April 17, KDI School international students had the chance to visit one of the country’s developing sites, the Cheongna Area, also known as the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ). During the one-day tour of the area, students were presented with the state-of-the-art development plan to build an international city that is very conducive to foreign direct investment and residential living. Students visited the Young-jong City construction site and then proceeded to the Cheongna Area Information Center. The development project was started in August 2003 and will be completed by the end of 2012. IFEZ, being the first of its kind, is set to be the benchmark of future efforts to build a city that is not only ideal for doing business but for living as well.

Korean Folk Village

Last May 14, international students got to know more about Korean traditional customs and culture through a half-day tour to a Korean folk village outside Seoul. In the village, students saw Korean traditional houses and were kept entertained by several breathtaking acrobatic shows that featured a man walking on a tightrope and women performing various see-saw acrobatics. To complete their traditional Korean experience, international students were treated to a special lunch which included Korean traditional dishes such as bibimbab and bul-go-ki (beef).

Seoul Cultural Experience

To complete their “Korean” immersion, the day after KDI School international students experienced what the future of Korea was to be like, they were again invited, this time by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, to recollect the country’s turbulent past. The program was particularly designed to make foreigners understand Korean history and gain a deeper appreciation of Seoul’s charm. But first, international students had to see Korea’s future contributions to the world’s IT industry in the Digital Pavilion, which stands in what used to be a blight on the Seoul landscape. Shortly after lunch in Itaewon, the group moved to the War Memorial of Korea to experience a different Korea; this time as a poor war-torn country. The museum serves as an eye-opener for the Korean young generation to the grim realities of warfare. Yet, as if to wipe away the gloominess such a visit caused, the Seoul Metropolitan Government arranged a special treat for international students: a chance to watch the captivating Drawing Show at Daehakro. The show is the world’s first attempt to incorporate art into a theater play. The result is a one-of-a-kind performance that is both entertaining and inspiring.

By Wendy N. MONTEALTO (MPP 2009, Philippines)