"Teachers Were Really Kind, I Want to Come Back Next Year"... Mongolian Middle and High School Students Visit Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village

Mongolian students have visited Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village (located in Jicheon-myeon, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk), operated by Yeungjin College (President Choi Jaeyoung), for the first time. Traveling approximately 2,200 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, these students chose to come to Korea to seek practical English learning opportunities, given the limited availability of native speaker English classes in their home country.

This English camp is serving as a turning point for Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village, enabling it to grow from a domestic institution into a global English experience center. While the village has traditionally focused on students from the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, there has been a gradual increase in participation from Japanese students recently, and now, for the first time, Mongolian students have joined the program.

Students from Mongolia's School No. 9 participating in native speaker classes at Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village.

Although participation from Japanese students had been gradually increasing at the English village, which had previously centered on students from the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, this is the first time that Mongolian students have been admitted.

The camp was attended by 16 middle and high school students (10 boys and 6 girls) from Ulaanbaatar's School No. 9, accompanied by two chaperones, including the principal and a social worker. They stayed for seven days and six nights, from June 17 to June 23.

At the beginning of the camp, the students lacked confidence in their English skills. However, through classes and communal living with native-speaking teachers, they gradually developed interest and confidence. In addition to conversation-focused English lessons, the camp offered hands-on programs such as cooking, art, airport experience (in-flight service), and physical activities, providing an immersive learning experience.

An official from the English village stated, "We have heard that in Mongolia, it is rare for native speakers to teach classes, and there are few conversation classes, making it difficult for students to acquire practical English skills. This training program appears to have been a valuable opportunity for students to experience English in daily life and to motivate their learning."

Robert Gold, a 50-year-old native instructor from Canada, commented, "The Mongolian students were very enthusiastic in class, and I was especially impressed by their high level of participation in topics related to their own culture."

On June 19, the students visited E-World in Daegu to experience Korean amusement culture, enjoyed a buffet dinner, and shopped for daily necessities at a convenience store, giving them a firsthand look at everyday life in Korea. On June 23, the day before their return, they also went souvenir shopping at a discount store.

Nortilek, a 17-year-old student participating in the camp, said, "Although Korea is hot and humid, I liked that it was cool inside the English village. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of outdoor activities, but the teachers were really kind, and I want to come back again next year."

Meanwhile, from June 22 to June 29, twelve current teachers from UNUR School in Ulaanbaatar will participate in an English training program for teachers at Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village. This training is expected to provide a practical opportunity to enhance the English education capabilities of Mongolian teachers.

Park Jaehong, director of Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village, stated, "The visit by Mongolian students follows that of Japanese students and is another example of overseas interest in our English village, once again proving the excellence of our educational programs. We are preparing to offer customized, on-demand education for both students and teachers at the village. We will continue to do our best to establish ourselves as Korea's leading English experience education facility, extending beyond the local region."