SAM
It’s already been over six years since I started studying at BELA Academy. I first came here in fifth grade, and I’ve been studying here ever since, now a sophomore in high school, and I plan to continue studying there. When I first arrived, I was so unfamiliar with the new environment that I couldn’t eat well and cried a lot. Whenever I struggled, the director, my older siblings, and my friends reached out to me and took extra care of me. Little by little, I’ve been adapting, and six years have already passed.
I was a child who had little interest in studying in Korea. Therefore, studying here at first was incredibly difficult and challenging. However, by following the schedule the director created, I gradually developed a study habit and began to understand why I needed to study. Seeing this transformation in me, my parents changed their eight-week camp plans and decided to send me abroad. When they learned of their decision, I felt deeply betrayed by my parents, who hadn’t even discussed it with me. However, I’m now grateful to them for making that decision.
When I first took one-on-one English classes with a native English teacher, I couldn’t communicate or understand the language. However, as I steadily studied vocabulary, patterns, and idioms, I gradually began to understand the lessons and communicate with the teachers. I was amazed and deeply moved by my natural transformation. After three months of studying like this, when I first entered school, I studied even harder, not wanting to lose to my Filipino friends. On my first test, I ranked second in my class. Thinking back to how I had never studied before, I was truly amazed at how much I had changed. It felt like a dream to achieve second place here in the Philippines, something I hadn’t even achieved in Korea. During my first and second years of school, I participated in math competitions, even winning first place in Baguio City. I also consistently ranked first in school math tests, winning numerous awards. I received awards and honors I’d never received in Korea, and I realized that none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t come to BELA. Through consistent consultations with the director, I decided on my career path, and by taking the middle and high school qualification exams, I was able to advance my university entrance exams. Now, at the age of 17, I’m majoring in dentistry. Starting my studies at BELA Academy has completely changed my life. Rather than being tied down by the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) system like in Korea, where students are obsessed with grades, I enjoy attending school in a free environment where I can voice my opinions and thoughts, and participate in meaningful conversations. This has made studying feel natural rather than stressful. There are so many things I want to do in the future. I want to become a dentist and treat my parents first, and I also want to travel the world and volunteer for those in need.
I will continue to strive to achieve my dreams here at BELA. My parents made the initial choice, but now I feel I can’t leave this place, and I sincerely thank them for bringing me here. Finally, I want to express my gratitude and love to the director, who has cared for me in place of my parents, for guiding me on the right path.
