A Finnish student at Chonnam National University won the gold prize in the essay contest on foreigner’s life in Korea to celebrate the 12^th Together Day in 2019. The Ministry of Justice’s Immigration Office in Yeosu hosted the competition for foreign residents with the purpose of building an environment where Korean nationals and foreign residents live in harmony. During the interview with the Tribune, Von Bruun Maja Elisabeth (Freshman, Dept. of English Language and Literature) expressed her happiness at receiving the prize, saying she does not regret coming to Korea and what she would recommend to international newcomers is experiencing food, especially “samgyeopsal”. “It is not common in foreign countries including Finland. There were no such kinds of restaurants where people can cook their own food, so it was amazing to try it the first time,” she added. Her teacher who knows that she wants to be an author informed her about the contest. She wrote sincerely an essay about her life in Korea and reasons for coming to study in the country. As the gold prize winner, she received the official certificate at the awards ceremony on May 19 at the Jeollanamdo Student Education and Culture Center.
 

By Kim Eun-jin, Tribune Reporter