My name is Kai Baylon and I am a student at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. I'm majoring in Diplomacy and International Relations with Specialization in East and Southeast Asian Studies. I am also taking up a minor in Korean Studies. 

They say what you learn in the classroom is only a small part of what you could actually learn in different situations.I've been to Seoul plenty of times in the past, but I've seen and experienced quite a number of new things during the first month of my stay at ACOPIA. In a way, I was able to see a new side of Korea that I have always loved and treasured.

Other than immersing myself in Korean culture, I also learn about other cultures through the foreign interns in ACOPIA. I found that we share the same interest in learning about Korean culture while being able to share their own culture as well.

During my stay here, we were given the chance to go on a field trip to the Demilitarized zone and learn more about the history between North and South Korea. I have studied a little about this topic before and it was truly amazing to be able to see all of it in real life. The most thought-provoking experience during the field trip was when we walked into one of the infiltration tunnels that North Koreans had dug before. This field trip is truly one that people should experience if they want to learn about the history of the two Koreas.

On a normal day at ACOPIA Cafe, the atmosphere is amiable and comfortable. The interns can freely talk to each other and because of everyone's efforts to promote the cafe, we sometimes see new faces of people who come in want to converse in English. Even this normal everyday experience has led me to picking up new tidbits of knowledge and thoughts that I haven't realized before. Although you see the differences in culture, you also learn to appreciate everyone's differences and uniqueness.