Evale wins 2nd runner-up at K-Speech World Contest

BA Linguistics (Plan A) student Excella M. Evale won 2nd runner-up at the foreign contestant division of the 28th K-Speech World Contest organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lao PDR and Korea Speech Eloquence Association, held at the Lao National Cultural Hall, Vientiane, Lao PDR on 16 August. 

Evale’s speech is titled “꿈 (Dream).” Below are some information and narratives about her presentation:

What was your speech DREAM about?

The speech is about how my dreams changed a lot from wanting to become one thing to another, and how having a dream to pursue felt like a burden at some point in my life. I talked about how I gained newfound aspirations through my journey of learning Korean and engaging with Korean culture — highlighting the joys of language learning and cultural exchange, as well as encouraging both myself and the audience to passionately pursue our dreams.

How was your experience in joining the contest?

As someone who does not have a lot of experience in public speaking, I was initially worried about being able to do well but I thought I should take this opportunity to challenge myself. I am also very grateful for my professor in Korean, Prof. Bae Kyung Min, because I would not be able to do this at all without her. The event itself was wonderful because I got to meet participants from all over the world and hear their stories about life back home. We all have different first languages but we communicated through Korean and it was a great learning experience.

What’s your plan for the future?

When I graduate, I plan to do translation work and seek job opportunities to prepare for my graduate studies. I am also interested in teaching so I plan to get the necessary qualifications and certifications in the future.

The K-Speech World Contest aims to encourage foreign learners of the Korean language all around the world by providing them a platform for communication and to foster mutual understanding of Korean culture and the participants’ home cultures.

Pagbati, Excy!