Seneca College - RED 2017 - 30

TODAY

An example of today's
globally-minded student
Young Tae Lim

Travelling alone
trains you
to become
independent
and helps
shape who
you are and your
life goals.

30 RED

2017

IN 2012, YOUNG TAE LIM found a desire to step outside
his comfort zone when he cycled across South Korea,
beginning in his hometown, Seoul, and ending up on
Jeju Island. Normally a 10-hour drive, Young decided
to go on this 16-day bike trip with no resources other
than his phone.
"I was being spontaneous," says Young. "I had
never gone on vacation before and I thought it would
be a short trip, but it turned out to be a journey."
Young covered close to 1,600 kilometers (about 85
hours) by the end of the trip, and though he was physically exhausted, it was a life-changing moment.
"Travelling alone trains you to become independent
and helps shape who you are and your life goals," he
says. "After my trip, I knew I wanted to see more of
the world."
In 2014, Young travelled even further, enrolling
into the ESL program at the ILSC Language School in
Toronto. He was motivated to choose Canada over the
United States or the Philippines because Canadians are
known for their kindness and diversity. He appreciates
how people from all different nationalities are accepted
without discrimination.

In Korea, Young had begun a degree program, but
was unable to complete it. However, a pathway option
through the ILSC Language School provided him with
an alternative: the Flight Services (FLS) program at
Seneca. Wrapping up his last semester, Young says his
fondest memory from the program was a two-month
internship at Mpekweni Beach Hotel in Zulu Nyala in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
"It was on my bucket list of places to visit," he says.
"I was surprised by the amount of diversity and communities joined together."
While at Seneca, Young has been a student
ambassador, helping international students with campus residency and tours, applying for visas and social
events. He's currently learning three new languages:
Japanese, Mandarin and French. He was inspired by
the FLS program to broaden his communication skills
and pick up on cultural cues.
"As a flight attendant, it's important to be bilingual
or trilingual because you're dealing with passengers
from all over the world who practise different etiquettes
and political correctness," says Young. "You may
come across a lot of situations that should be handled
with sensitivity."
For the future, Young has his eyes set on working
for WestJet or teaching English in Seoul, and using it
as a gateway to travel.
"If I do return to Korea, I want to encourage students to explore beyond mono-culturalism" he says.
"It's necessary for their personal development and
career choices."

PHOTO: JOANNE RATAJCZAK

From solo travelling to
taking a gap year and
working multiple jobs,
Seneca students are now
choosing unconventional
ways to find their
passion and eventually,
career paths.

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