BAK

Juhye Bak, sophomore graphic design major, completed a world of traveling prior to attending Emporia State.

Bak is known to most on campus as Nicki, the American name that she chose while attending high school in Louisiana as an exchange student. Born in South Korea, Bak moved to Atlanta, Ga. when she was three years old. When she was six, she moved to Canada, only to move back to South Korea three years later.

Bak returned to the United States as an exchange student in 2005. She attended high school in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. Bak then returned to South Korea for one year of school at an art college. After one year there, her father suggested that Bak study abroad at ESU because of the low tuition rate and ESU’s Art Department. Bak said she spent “about a day” considering the opportunity.

Bak said she believes that students from Korea can gain valuable experience studying in the West.

“I think when you’re from Korea or outside the U.S. or Europe, you should study abroad if you are an art or music student,” Bak said.

At ESU, Bak is an active member of the Korean Club. When not studying or working on her art, Bak enjoys doing different things like cooking. “In Korea I would eat a lot of western food, but now I look cooking eastern food,” Bak said. “Even foods I have never made before I enjoy trying.”

Others also seem to enjoy Bak’s cooking.

“She is a very funny person and very active,” said Sushi K, freshman business major. “She’s the queen of cooking and sometimes she’ll cook for me.”

Many students recognize Bak as a generous person, with a unique experience who tries to help others.

“She’s nice and very outgoing,” said Hojoong Ki, freshman undecided major. “She’s very good at English which helps with lectures and notes.”

With advanced English speaking skills and experience with American culture, Bak helps smooth the transition for other exchange students.

“I’m kind of a special case of a Korean student, so I try to teach or help friends with American culture,” Bak said. “Sometimes there is a culture shock and I try and help make it easier.”

Bak says that ESU is getting better at helping exchange students when they arrive at ESU.

“When I first came here, it was almost like ‘you’re on your own,’” Bak said. “But now, they have International Swarm, so it’s getting much better.”

Foreign exchange students go through many adjustments when they come to the U.S. Along with having to create a whole new social network, Bak said that the food is one of the hardest adjustments.

“They miss it, the food changes so radically,” Bak said.

Another obstacle exchange students have to overcome is transportation. Most don’t have a vehicle, which makes it important to meet people and find rides to places to shop or sightsee.

“One of the biggest issues with foreign exchange students is getting rides,” Bak said. “Exchange students like to travel because most of the time they’re only here for a semester or a year.”

Bak said she hopes to get a job in the United States, possibly working in movie advertisement, but she says there are many other things she seeks to accomplish. Seattle and Chicago are two cities that intrigue Bak for life after ESU. She said she hopes that in the future, everyone will reach out and be social with each other.

Bak suggested that American students and foreign exchange students are more similar than one would think.

“I would suggest exchange students to hang out with American people,” Bak said. “Americans and foreign exchange students are the same – they are kind of scared or shy to talk to each other. I hope we can all try and break those comfort zones. That’s what I want to see.”

Brett Mize/The Bulletin

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