"Want to Achieve Development in Ecuador in Korean Language Era [Korean Era ⑤]"

Outstanding Sejong Institute Student Macarena Hidalgo
Volunteering Team Member at KOICA Office in Ecuador
Immersed in Studying Korean at Quito Sejong Institute
"Gained Interest After Learning About Korea's Economic Development History"

Macarena Hidalgo works in the volunteer team at the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) office in Ecuador. It is an organization that manages Korea's international development cooperation projects in Ecuador. The team consists of eight Korean staff members, ten Ecuadorian staff members, and ten Korean volunteers working in various local public institutions. Hidalgo, who majored in International Relations at Universidad Internacional del Ecuador, is responsible for administration and volunteer team tasks.

"I am happy to work at a Korean public institution. Most documents such as reports and manuals are written in Korean. I communicate daily with the Korean headquarters, Korean staff, experts, and volunteers. Korean language proficiency is very important."

Hidalgo started studying Korean at the age of fifteen. She laid the foundation by attending classes conducted by volunteers at a church. Feeling limited in improving her skills, she searched for a professional academy and found the Sejong Institute in Quito.

"It is the only place in Quito where I can take Korean language classes. Although it is located within the National Ecuador Central University, anyone can learn there even if they are not students of that university. At the time of taking classes, I did not know much about Korea. I became interested after learning about Korea's remarkable economic development history. I thought gathering related knowledge would help me in the future. It seems my intuition was right. Thanks to the Korean I learned at the Sejong Institute, I got a job at a Korean public institution (laughs)."

Besides employment, Hidalgo gained various opportunities through Korean. In 2020, she participated in the "Online Korean Art Workshop" conducted by the Korea Foundation (KF) and was selected as one of the 20 outstanding participants. She stayed in Korea for two weeks and experienced traditional Korean art.

Last year, she completed a Korea-related education program at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Ecuador. Recognizing her skills, she participated in a "Level 4 Degree Research for Gender and Human Rights Specialization" at the Korean Embassy in Ecuador with a full scholarship.

"Korean language proficiency was important everywhere. It was even more so at the KOICA office in Ecuador. Only applicants who proved their Korean skills with certificates from the Sejong Institute or TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) scores were given interview opportunities. During the interview, they focused heavily on how well you spoke Korean."

She passed a difficult process and joined the office in 2022. She is not yet fluent in Korean, especially struggling with speaking. Hidalgo said, "Using Korean under pressure, such as approaching work deadlines, is burdensome," but added, "I am gradually gaining confidence with the help of my colleagues."

She continues to study Korean steadily while working. She takes "Korean for Foreigners 1" and "Online Korean Class 2B" at the online Sejong Institute. She does not settle for the present and aims for bigger goals.

"I consider it a fortune to work at the KOICA office in Ecuador. Because I play a role in conveying the needs of various local communities to decision-makers. I feel proud to contribute to Ecuador's development. I want to speak Korean more fluently and develop my expertise. I also want to pursue a master's degree in the field of international cooperation."