KSI people stories

Hello, teacher! Could you introduce yourself and your institute?

Hello! My name is Su-jin Kim, an operations agent and a teacher at Sao Leopoldo KSI in Brazil. It’s been more than six years since I first started teaching Korean, and I came to Sao Leopoldo KSI about two years ago. Our KSI opened its doors in 2012 and is located on the southern part of Brazil. It is run together by Pai Chai University of Korea and Unisinos University of Brazil. About half of the students are those enrolled in Unisinos while the other half is consisted of general citizens such as high school students and white-collar workers.

Where is Sao Leopoldo?

Sao Leopoldo is known as a small Europe in Brazil where many German and Italian immigrants live, so it gives off a different vibe than Sao Paolo or Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian cities well-known to Koreans. Despite certain inconveniences of being a small city, people here do not worry about fine dust because of its clean, fresh air.

Share something great about your institute.

The family atmosphere is our KSI’s greatest strength. Since I am the only Korean teacher at our institute, I get to be friends with all 130 students. Another advantage is that we offer a Sejong Korean curriculum of all levels from beginner class to Intermediate 1B (Sejong 6).

Can you say something “bad” about your institute?

At our KSI, a local operations agent and I are working very hard and diligently. Our energy sometimes runs dry when there are institute events or achievement assessments. Luckily, Unisinos University decided to issue visas to Korean educators so we requested the foundation for dispatch of another teacher in the second half of this year.

You have served only as a Korean teacher thus far but do you see anything differently now that you have become an operations agent as well?

When I was just a Korean teacher, I valued the interests of and educational effects for students more than anything. But as an operations agent, I also think deeply about the current financial status of the institute even for the same activity, meaning that I have more practical concerns and thoughts now. There is a certain amount of pressure to generate maximum effects with the given budget regardless of the project.

What is of concern at your institute these days?

Getting goods for events is our biggest concern. It is difficult to find the items needed for Korean culture events in Sao Leopoldo and shipments within the country usually take longer than a month due to frequent strikes by post offices. So whenever I go on business trips to Sao Paolo, I stop by Korean markets to purchase Korean food items. Because food is the easiest to obtain, we mostly host Korean food events. I thank the students who enjoy the events even though they may become bored with the food festivals held year after year. I hope to get a resolution for the visa issue next year and open up the King Sejong Culture Academy.

What kind of impact is KSI having on the people of Sao Leopoldo?

Sao Leopoldo KSI is one of a few institutions in southern Brazil where the Korean language and culture can be experienced. Because there are only a small handful of Korean education agencies in the southern part of the country, many people have requested to hold classes in cities near Sao Leopoldo as well. In fact, starting this year, we are going to host Korean language classes at another campus of Unisinos University to address the request by high school students living near the campus to open Korean language classes there. I am not sure how they found out about it considering this is the first semester, but 60 students have already registered, and we currently run two classes for them.

How did you as an operations agent at a KSI overcome the slump?

I faced my crisis when I had been working at KSI for about a year. Because I worked alone at the institute, there was no one around for me to ask for advice on whether or not I was doing a good job. It felt like I was not going anywhere though I tried my best all the time. Then, I got a chance to participate in the “World Korean Educators Conference” and “America KSI Workshop” last year where I met teachers from South American countries in similar situations as me. By sharing similar concerns, talking with them gave me comfort and very useful information. After active and lively conversations with other educators, I was able to get a boost for my job again.

If you see someone from another KSI, what would you want to tell the person?

I would like to say, “Come visit Sao Leopoldo KSI.” I feel so lonely so I need someone to talk to…. And teachers at institutes are always busy with their lives and work so I would wish them to stay a few days in quiet Sao Leopoldo to relax and become rejuvenated. Oh! I also want to ask if anyone can make a student satisfaction survey sheet in Portuguese because not many students here speak English.

Lastly, please tell us anything you have been wanting to share with the foundation and representatives of KSIs around the world.

If there is one thing that I wish, it would be for our institute to be introduced worldwide through the newsletter. Whenever I meet someone new, I always introduce myself as “Su-jin Kim working at Sao Leopoldo KSI in Brazil.” More often than not, my introduction brings responses like “Sao… where in Brazil?” or “Ah! Sao Paolo!” If you read this newsletter and I get to meet you later on, I hope that you would cheerfully greet me by saying “Sao Leopoldo KSI of Brazil.”