박선영 (Sunyoung Park)
2021 Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program
Harvard University

My first experience of life in the US was as an exchange student in college and when I realized how American culture aligned with me in many ways, I always dreamed of returning someday. However, teaching Korean at an American university as a Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) was an honor beyond my expectations. As a teacher who has always preferred a more flexible and customized learning environment, I struggled with the rigid expectations of my professional environment at the time. This struggle even made me question if teaching Korean was the right path for me. When I received my FLTA acceptance letter, I was eager to use the opportunity to explore different learning environments as a language teacher. The wonderful feedback from my students at the University of Notre Dame affirmed my passion for teaching Korean and sharing my love for this language with students from all over the world. This eventually led to the incredible opportunity to work as a Korean language instructor at Harvard University. 

The Fulbright experience allowed me to grow not only as a teacher but also as a person. Growing up in South Korea, a relatively homogeneous and community-oriented culture, I inevitably encountered quite a culture shock when interacting with people from different backgrounds. One of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences was sharing a living space with Amrita, one of my fellow FLTAs from India. As roommates, we initially faced cultural differences that sometimes led to discomfort. Over ten months, however, we learned about each other through conversations day and night by sharing our distinct cultures and experiences. We both had our own different struggles and we learned how to support each other during our time together. Amrita had vision challenges that occasionally required assistance, while I struggled with my coursework due to my limited English proficiency. She, a doctoral candidate in English literature with exceptional language skills, often helped me overcome my language barriers, while I supported her with practical daily struggles. My struggles with English often frustrated me, and I lamented that I understood only 50% of the lecture and felt like attending was a waste of time. Amrita responded by saying “If you didn’t go to class, you would have learned 0%. By going, you learned 50%!”. Her advice profoundly shifted my perspective, helping me approach myself and situations more positively. 

The support I received from my FLTA peers, supervisors, and professors at Notre Dame was unwavering. They encouraged me even when I made mistakes, which taught me how to accept my shortcomings and appreciate my strengths. As someone who had always pushed myself to be a perfectionist, my time at Notre Dame taught me to embrace imperfection, not only in myself but also in others. I came to see that the beauty of imperfection lies in the way people help and support one another to fulfill their limitations. 

Furthermore, this realization profoundly shaped my philosophy as a Korean teacher, helping me better appreciate my students for who they are. Living in the U.S., an immigrant society where people from diverse backgrounds coexist, taught me to respect differences and recognize the beauty of diversity. My journey from growing up in the small city of Jecheon, South Korea, to teaching at Harvard University, one of the prestigious schools in the world was not without adversity. Yet, I have no doubt that my Fulbright experience was instrumental in helping me grow into someone who values what I have and understands who I am. 

During my 10 months as a Fulbrighter, I witnessed the possibility of respecting cultural diversity and building a world where imperfect people work together. I sincerely hope that more individuals will experience similar personal growth and develop the capacity to positively influence the world through Fulbright. I am deeply grateful to Fulbright for giving me the opportunity to grow into a better Korean teacher as well as a better person.