COMPUTER C.O.R.E.
(COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION)
Chang-Mo Kim

Another member of South Korea’s delegation to the Washington Internship Program from Kyungpook National University in Daegu was Chang-Mo Kim, who also studied at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. He applied to WIP on the last day of November in 2005 for an internship in computers and education. Chang-Mo did his national service within the Korean Air Force as a prison guard for the military police, and he was a private teacher of English and mathematics. Chang-Mo completed volunteer work in the Philippines, which improved his English as did his employment at Starbucks; study at the KNU Language Institute; and travels throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia: to New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, and Boston; Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec; Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Tangalooma. On January 4, 2006, the Washington Internship Program placed Chang-Mo at Computer C.O.R.E. where a previous intern from the Washington Internship Program was a volunteer following his internship at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Computer C.O.R.E. is a nonprofit organization that teaches information technology to poor people who need such proficiency to find good jobs. Chang-Mo was also accepted by Corporate Zen, an American IT company – located in Arlington, Virginia – that is run by a man of Korean origin, but Chan-Mo specifically wanted an internship that combined teaching with computer expertise. WIP directed Chang-Mo to the Home-Stay program where young people can live with America families for about $500 a month (because Chang-Mo felt he couldn’t afford $250 more to live in WIP housing), so he was placed within a household in Alexandria, Virginia since Computer C.O.R.E. has offices in that city. However, Chang-Mo later moved to a studio apartment but recommended to interns from Korea and abroad that living in WIP housing with U.S. students and other English-speaking participants – the way WIP advises – is well worth the expense because of the improvement in language skills and friendships with peers worldwide that invariably result. Below are more of Chang-Mo’s thoughts about his six-month internship, which started in February.

“I was interested in the Washington Internship Program described on the KNU webpage because I wanted a variety of experiences that couldn’t be had in school. I didn’t hesitate to apply because I could get academic credit, and the program was in the United States. I managed to pass the interview for the J1 visa, held at the U.S. Embassy in Korea, and then I chose Home-Stay for my accommodations. I got on an airplane without any worries about my upcoming life in the United States.”

“My host family was kind to me, but I felt uncomfortable using public transportations from Alexandria where most people commute by car, so public transportation wasn’t reliable. The schedules, for example, were frequently wrong, and I often missed my bus. After three months, I moved into a studio apartment close to my company, but I recommend to other Korean students like me that living with Americans is much better because of the opportunity to learn more English and U.S. culture, which will not happen as much when residing alone.”

“I worked as an intern at Computer C.O.R.E. (Community Outreach and Education), which provides basic information-technology and employment skills for low-income groups. Most of the people served were immigrants from Africa, Asia, and South America. The organization is run by four regular employees plus large numbers of volunteers, so it was always very busy, but I liked it. I did an examination and annotation of computer textbooks in schools. I also worked as an interviewer for applicants who wanted to take computer classes. I was nervous at first because most of the applicants’ English was better than mine. I also managed the classes to make them run smoothly, and I even wrote questions for exams. I was very happy because a lot of students applied for my class even though my English was poor compared to other tutors. My last project was developing an intermediate computer class through NOVA University. Students could acquire three credits without taking the class if they passed the ITE 115 test. I did my best and felt so proud of the results.”

“The most impressive moment of my time in D.C. was the graduation ceremony. I unexpectedly received lots of thank-you letters. In fact, I got more expressions of gratitude from students than staff. I also participated in the CTC National Conference, which was the most fruitful moment in my life – even though it was not easy. I would definitely recommend Computer C.O.R.E to other students interested in information technology and education.”

“If possible, I hope to work in the future for public institutions like Computer C.O.R.E., or return to C.O.R.E., and I’d like to establish similar facilities in Korea if I can afford to do so.”

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