연세대학교 영어영문학과

Be Proud and Get the Best (65 안병태)

It was early April in 1965. I was walking down the unpaved road of Baekyang-ro. The infamous harsh wind of Shinchon from the Han River was lightly slapping my cheeks, still bearing the final tip of winter. I still could not believe that I had been accepted to Yonsei University and would soon start studying English literature. English literature was my favorite subject all through my high school years. Although I did not make first on my entrance exam, I was still thrilled to be allowed to enter as a student at this esteemed university. I was filled with joy to be able to major in English literature. Entering Yonsei was one of my wildest dreams come true.

Shortly after the spring semester began, I took the entry exam for Yonsei Choonchoo, the university’s renowned newspaper, and received the highest score among 90 candidates on the first level written exam on four different subjects, which included English. Now my pride for being an English major was boosted even more by the result of this exam. However, my pride was soon sobered as I failed on the second round interview for reasons never disclosed. Out of anger and despair over that failure, I could not sleep for several nights.

A couple of months after this defeat, I found myself yet again concentrating on studying English, but this time through the U. S. I. S. (United States Information Service). I became intensely involved with the English debate club called T. S. S (Thinking Stones Society). At the time, the curriculum of my major was centered on classical English literature and did not actually deal with colloquial English. In fact, students who wanted to study practical English or conversation were looked down upon. At the T. S. S., however, the members picked a weekly topic and talked about it during the meeting. This provided an opportunity to debate in English. The debate club members were students of Yonsei, Korea, Seoul National University and Ewha Womans University. I recall how girls from other universities looked at me pitifully as I introduced myself with difficulty in broken English. I could feel my face blushing in front of everyone. Nevertheless, my initial pride as an English major at Yonsei strengthened my determination to succeed in improving my English and receiving respect for my English from other students.

That was how I embarked on my one year long “Great March” to conquer English. During my undergraduate years, we did not have the variety of English learning curriculums as we have today, and my methods of studying English were quite primitive, yet very intensive. First, I wrote down in Korean what I was going to talk about on the given topic. Second, I translated what I wrote into English and had it edited by a professor. Third, I memorized the text verbally, by reading it over and over again for a week before the debate. Whenever I found catchy phrases or interesting vocabulary from English novels and newspapers, I wrote them down on cards and memorized them. To enhance my listening ability, I continually listened to AFKN radio. And after three months, I could draft my debate in English without first writing it in Korean and participate in the debates without asking for help from a professor. I was so focused, that except for the times when I was eating, sleeping or studying, I talked to myself in English all day long. The route No.1 bus I used to take from Honglung to Shinchon took about an hour to get me to school. The bus was a great study room to memorize English phrases and vocabulary. Girls from Ewha and Sokang University looked at me in a weird way because I always talked to myself. When I became the president of the T. S. S. in just a year, I proudly shouted to myself, “Look, this is why I chose to study English literature at Yonsei !”

My background of being a Yonsei English Literature student provided several turning points in my life. The first point came when I took the first place among 400 applicants for the English entrance exam for Vietnamese Interpretation School, where I was to be appointed to receive language training for the field operations during the Vietnam War. I also came first at the entrance exam for a foreign company among 240 applicants including those who studied overseas. It was a company that every job seeker wanted to step into. It was an honor because in the 1970s, when I was about to leave college, the employment condition was much worse than it is today, and it took often a couple of years to land a job for a typical college student. Under such a tough job market situation, I was accepted by a foreign company, where the employees were treated even better than those at Korean conglomerates like Samsung or Hyundai. Every time when my English ability was recognized and appreciated, I told myself and others that my skill was due to my studies at the English Literature Dept. of Yonsei University.

My English skill acquired during my college years, has been the platform at my company, which I established and ran for the last twenty-seven years after a seven-year employment at the foreign company mentioned above. At times, my foreign clients asked me, “Mr. Ahn, from which overseas college did you graduate and where did you get your MBA?” To this question, my answer was always the same. “I never went abroad for college nor did I get an MBA. I did my undergraduate education right here in Seoul, at the English Department of Yonsei University.” And then I add a couple more comments these days, “...and my eldest daughter who graduated from the same English department at Yonsei University, is a graduate student at Columbia University in the U. S.... My younger daughter who equally likes studying English, goes to a graduate school at the New York University and my youngest son studies at Rhode Island School of Design...”

At the age of 60, I want to give some cordial advice to my dear juniors at the English Language and Literature Dept. of Yonsei. The advice that truly comes from the heart of a grateful alumnus of Yonsei: People can receive the greatest respect when they appreciate who they are. Likewise, I was always proud that the English Language and Literature Dept. of Yonsei is the best department in Korea. I believed that doing my best with that pride would surely pay off sooner or later. Looking back upon the days at Yonsei, they had helped me to sow healthy seeds that sprouted in fertile field and blossomed with flowers and flourishing leaves under the burning sun. Finally I was rewarded, reaping rich harvests in autumn. I don’t mean to be boastful, but if I would, I dare to call it a success. For this, I give thanks to my Yonsei English Department and would like to encourage you to take the best advantage of that same chance now widely open to you!