Thankful Heroes at BUFS

Managing Editor Lee Sang-chul

dktkdcjf0831@gmail.com

 We all know that students are the principal agent of every school, including university. However, we will never know all the thankful heroes who help students to study in a pleasant environment and to enjoy a comfortable campus life. Fortunately, the Woeseong Times has been able to talk to several thankful heroes who accepted our request for an interview. We would like to thank all of the hidden heroes who contribute to the wellbeing of BUFSians once more.

1) Copy place “Dream Solution” owners

Q1: Could you please introduce yourself?

A1: Hi, BUFSians! We are Park Te-uong and Kim Eun-hee and we run the Dream Solution copy shop. We offer bookbinding, printing and the other publication-related services to BUFSians.

Q2: BUFSians really appreciate having a copy shop on campus. As you are well aware, the copy shop is one of the biggest ways that students can save money on teaching materials. What is your opinion of all the students at BUFS?

A2: We also really appreciate all of the BUFSians, and we are not just saying that. As our place is located inside the university, our customers are virtually all BUFSians. Thanks to BUFSians, we can work and do business like now. In addition, we feel blessed that we can meet all the young students while we work. My own child is now in their early 20s and so by watching and working for students it gives me extra motivation to work hard every day.

Q3: Do you have anything to say to the BUFSians who use the copy shop?

A3: Actually, I cannot ask the students for anything more because they already use the place with good manners. But if you really pushed me then there is one small thing that I would like to request from BUFSians. If you ever have a problem with the photocopier or anything, please tell us and ask us to solve it quickly. If there is any sort of delay, that can cause a lot of congestion when it is busy. If you have any problems or questions in the copy shop, please call us whenever the situation arises. We will solve the problem quickly.

Q4: When do you feel that your work is most worthwhile?

A4: Some students come to visit the copy store after they have graduated to send thank you messages to us. Actually, we do not think that we have done anything special that students feel they should thank us on their graduation day. Nevertheless, when the students thank us sincerely it really makes us feel happy and proud.

Q5: Is there anything more that you want to tell us?

A5: We can help you with all of your publishing needs and materials. We open the store every day from 9am to 5pm, not just at the start of the new semester or exam period. Also, for foreign students, if you need any help, we can help you to fax or scan your documents. Since we provide good services at reasonable prices, please keep coming to us. Thank you.

2) BUFS Shuttle Drivers

Q1: Please introduce yourself to our readers.

A1: My name is Kim Yeong-wan, an employee of Silla Bus Tour. I drive a shuttle bus at Busan University of Foreign Studies so that BUFSians can commute to school safely and conveniently.

Q2: Thank you for taking charge of the steep climb to the university. What are some of the inconveniences that you experience during your work?

A2: There is nothing really that makes my job difficult. However, since you asked, the road to the university is quite steep and it is a mountain path. So, safe driving is mandatory and the drivers should consider that first and foremost. With regards to the working environment, I have driven shuttle buses at other universities many times and some of those jobs were tough and the working conditions were poor. However, I am satisfied here at BUFS because compared to other universities, BUFSians have quite good manners and they greet the drivers politely and respect the drivers.

Q3: Do you have anything to say to our BUFSians?

Q3: As I told said before, almost all BUFSians have very good manners and they really respect us, and we are very appreciative of that. However, there is a small minority who could behave better and sometimes I want to tell them to have basic manners. For example, if you sit on the upper seat, which is right behind the driver’s seat, please do not scream or talk loudly on your cell phone. It can be very disturbing for the drivers which reduces safety and that can lead to accidents. In addition, there is one thing that BUFSians can do to help the drivers. When it is raining, please shake your umbrellas before boarding the bus. This is not my own personal preference, but actually is a safety concern. If you check the bottom of the window seat side, there is a duct which covers electric wires for the whole bus. If water or raindrops get into those ducts, it can damage the electrical wires, or worse can cause the bus to break down. Please keep those two things in mind. They are just small things for students to do, but by following those two rules it will be a big help for us drivers.

Q4: When do you feel most proud?

A4: Most drivers want to remain accident-free and think of safety as their first priority. I also consider those two as the most important things. I keep that in mind when I am working every day. Personally, I think of it liking stacking a pile of safety bricks. When the ‘bricks’ are stacked to a certain amount, such as over a month or a semester, I feel a sense of self-esteem and that is my most proud moment. It obviously takes time, but when I look back, there are months, and even years, of bricks that I have built up.

3) BUFS cleaners

Q1: Thank you for putting in a lot of effort for our school and students. But we are sometimes worried about how well the cleaners are well or if there are any problems. Could you tell us about it?

A1: Most of us started working for BUFS before it moved to Namsan-dong campus. Compared to the past, the treatment of workers has really improved a lot. In addition, BUFSian’s awareness of cleaners has really changed a lot and their manners have become much better. In the past, it took us ages and a lot of effort to clean restrooms and classrooms. However, as time has passed, BUFSians and every who works at BUFS have started to use the facilities much cleaner, they greet us nicely and recycle properly. So compared to the past, we are satisfied in many ways.