Tag: South Korea

by Maaike van Nus

count(page_images)5

Shoes

The entrance to the NGO’s office, filled with the shoes of volunteers. It is a small but cosy office with three rooms and hallway/kitchen. In Korea (and many other countries) it is customary to take off ones shoes before entering a house, and this also applies to some offices. When there are meetings the little place for shoes can get a little crowded! This photo was taking during an orientation session, where new volunteers got an introduction to the NGO.

Shoes

Speech contest

The NGO organises a bi-annual speech contest. For this contest North Korean refugees are coached by a few volunteers in order to hold a speech in English for an audience of a hundred people. A big event for the NGO, the volunteers, and of course the refugees. In the foreground two of the judges can be seen, and in the background several volunteers and journalists are taking pictures of the winner of the contest.

Speech contest

Cleaning up

Volunteers cleaning up the room after the speech contest. A bit of hard work, but entirely worth it. Afterwards we all went out for a nice dinner to celebrate the successful contest.

Cleaning up

Transcription time

Of course I also had to transcribe my interviews. Thankfully Seoul is filled to the brim with nice coffeeshops (not the Dutch kind, the ones that actually sell coffee), and quiet study cafés. Perfect places for some transcription time!

Transcription time

Interview

Me (on the right) interviewing a new volunteer at the office. I was lucky to live very close to the office, so whenever there was an opportunity I could quickly run in order to attend an event, do an interview like this one, or just to help out.

Interview

• <

  >
  

  Shoes

  The entrance to the NGO’s office, filled with the shoes of volunteers. It is a small but cosy office with three rooms and hallway/kitchen. In Korea (and many other countries) it is customary to take off ones shoes before entering a house, and this also applies to some offices. When there are meetings the little place for shoes can get a little crowded! This photo was taking during an orientation session, where new volunteers got an introduction to the NGO.
• <

  >
  

  Speech contest

  The NGO organises a bi-annual speech contest. For this contest North Korean refugees are coached by a few volunteers in order to hold a speech in English for an audience of a hundred people. A big event for the NGO, the volunteers, and of course the refugees. In the foreground two of the judges can be seen, and in the background several volunteers and journalists are taking pictures of the winner of the contest.
• <

  >
  

  Cleaning up

  Volunteers cleaning up the room after the speech contest. A bit of hard work, but entirely worth it. Afterwards we all went out for a nice dinner to celebrate the successful contest.
• <

  >
  

  Transcription time

  Of course I also had to transcribe my interviews. Thankfully Seoul is filled to the brim with nice coffeeshops (not the Dutch kind, the ones that actually sell coffee), and quiet study cafés. Perfect places for some transcription time!
• <

  >
  

  Interview

  Me (on the right) interviewing a new volunteer at the office. I was lucky to live very close to the office, so whenever there was an opportunity I could quickly run in order to attend an event, do an interview like this one, or just to help out.