Ms. Elka Mariam Thomas on Studying and Thriving in South Korea

“Ms. Elka Mariam Thomas on Studying and Thriving in South Korea”

Interviewing Ms. Elka Mariam Thomas

Interview Done by: Ms. Aakhila Fathima

24th June 2025

During the Study Abroad Seminar on 24th June 2025, I was honoured to conduct an interview with Ms. Elka Mariam Thomas, who is a previous guest faculty at MCC and currently a Teaching Assistant at Hoseo University, Korea.

Having shifted from teaching in India to studying and working in Korea, her experience provided rare insights into cultural adjustment and international education.

Q1. How accommodating is South Korea towards part-time jobs for international students?

A: Ms. Elka explained that South Korea provides an extremely flexible work schedule for international students. The arrangement is usually split between weekdays and weekends so that students can schedule their working hours around university activities. She liked how easy it was to balance academics and part-time work as long as students were well-organized.

Q2. Many Indian students worry about language being a major issue for them. How did you learn Korean personally?

A: Elka said that she did enroll in a formal Korean language course, but more than anything, conversations with native speakers on a daily basis proved to be most beneficial. By talking to them regularly, she picked up the pronunciation and natural tone of the language better than from books by themselves. The helpful and friendly nature of those around her proved favorable for practicing without hesitation.

Q3. What is your advice to students embarking on study-abroad for the first time?

A: Her major recommendation was to start with extensive research. She insisted that students must look beyond skimming-level information and grasp the programs, culture, academic environment, and living standards of the universities they are applying to. Being well-informed, in her opinion, is the very first genuine step towards studying abroad.

Q4. It attracts a lot of students due to K-pop and K-dramas. What is your opinion on that influence?

A: Elka recognized that cultural interest can be a gateway for students, but she cautioned us that studying in a foreign country requires responsible intentions and realistic expectations. She told us that just as Korean pop culture is interesting, students should see beyond those interests and aim for the long-term academic and personal benefits of studying in Korea.

The discussion with Ms. Elka was interesting, genuine, and insightful. Her experiences provided a realistic insight into what living as an international student in Korea really is like — not merely the spots, but the struggles, routines, and mindsets that result in success. She left us with lessons learned and a deeper passion to go beyond the trends and adopt genuine learning abroad.

Interviewed by

Aakhila Fathima, Program Intern

Office of International Programmes

MCC