Marcel Proust, the French novelist, observed that "the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new lands but in seeing with new eyes".I understood the significance of this statement as a member of the Youth delegation from IIM Raipur.
The delegation to South Korea was my first international experience and it couldn't have been better. Be it the arrangements regarding the journey or the stay, kudos to Indian Ministry as well as the South Korean Government. The entire 9-day programme gave us an opportunity to meet and interact with South Korean students, officials in the Ministry as well as South Korean families. The diversity of experience was enormous. Not just in South Korea, but also within the Indian delegation, students had come from diverse backgrounds which further enlivened the experience of being a part of the team.
My favourite part throughout the trip was 'stay with a Korean Family', as we got a chance to observe their lifestyle and way of living.We got a chance to grab bites of delicious South Korean home-made food and also share our own tastes from India. Besides, the organized and beautiful streets, their usage of high-end technologies motivated us to bring similar changes in our country. The people were quite friendly and had very calm demeanour. The beaches were serene and the pleasant weather complemented the feel.
We visited multiple cities in South Korea via bus and also got to experience the traditions at a South Korean village. Be it the joy of posing in native outfits or the awe of visiting High-tech Samsung Innovation Centre, South Korea had it all.
The Indian and South Korea governments are open to strengthening the Indo-South Korean relations beyond just diplomatic efforts. The two governments have taken sincere efforts in revitalizing the historical relationship through people-to-people contacts, which is an effective initiative. The complete programme was meticulously planned and seamlessly executed and the hospitality, friendly attitude and the affection shown to us throughout the 9-day trip will be etched in my mind for the rest of my life.
Author :
Class of PGP 16-18
IIM Raipur
Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official view.
