MARCH MEANS a new year for students to begin their studies. In Korea, a lot of university students delay their graduations by applying for a leave of absence. However do you have any of information about the situation in Kazakhstan or Liechtenstein? Several foreign students from Yonsei participated in a discussion about graduation in their home country. Aitbayeva Balnura, a beautiful blonde from Kazakhstan, and Buechel Simon, a courteous gentleman from Liechtenstein started off this discussion with students from around the world. Saqr Elkhayat from Morocco has diverse cultural experiences: Morocco, Germany, and finally Korea. Also, Metavee Srimekhanond from Thailand participated in the discussion, and from Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh provided information about the Southeast Asian culture. Lastly, Abdulaziz Alanazi who came to Korea on a government scholarship from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recollected his high school life during the Global Agora forum.

1. Can you describe the graduation ceremony customs in your country?

Balnura: Every country has its own tradition, but I think the graduation ceremony is similar to Korea’s. In Kazakhstan, on May 25 every year, the best high school students of the country gather together at the central square of Astana, capital of Kazakhstan. President Nazarbayev personally comes to congratulate them and wish them success. It shows the President's great concern about the younger generations.

Simon: In Liechtenstein, students usually have a graduation party. Sometimes students or classes who successfully graduated go on a trip. At graduation ceremonies held at the end of August, an important person such as politician delivers a special speech.

Thi Kim Oanh: In Vietnam, students also go on a graduation trip throughout our country after the ceremony. Usually, the graduation ceremony is held in May, and it takes about 90 minutes. Although it is not compulsory to wear the traditional costume, *Au Dai*, on that day, students usually wear white clothing to celebrate their graduation. Also, we prepare flowers or cakes as graduation presents.

Metavee: In Thailand, when students graduate from top schools, they get certificates from famous people or the king; in some cases, from the prince, or the princess. So, students bring their families to celebrate, and they spend a lot of money for make-up and photos. Photographers come one by one for each student, like in a wedding party. International high schools, which have recently increased in Thailand, have ceremonies like those in the United States.

2. What path do students follow before and after graduation?

Saqr: I studied “Baccalaureat” in a French high school in Morocco. After graduation, I went to a university in Germany. In Germany, after high school graduation, the students have to spend one year in the military. However, they can choose between military obligations and social work such as at a hospital volunteering. In Europe, when you become 18 years old, you are recognized as an adult in society.

Abdulaziz: In Saudi Arabia, after finishing high school, some students who receive high grades continue to study in other countries, while others still remain in Saudi Arabia. I came to Korea on a scholarship from the government and that is why I planned to study Korean at KLI (Korean Language Institute) and marketing at Yonsei Univ. for five or six years. Also, students can choose to work or study after high school.

3. In Korea, a lot of university students delay their graduation by applying for a leave of absence system. How about the delay of graduation from university in your country?

Saqr: In Germany, there are two common reasons why students postpone graduation. First, students work on internships to broaden their professional skills. Another reason is that sometimes students travel to learn foreign languages for six months. Generally, the most important thing for students is passing examinations.

Simon: In Liechtenstein, the reasons why students suspend their graduation are similar to those of Germany. In my case, I entered Hochschule Liechtenstein, the only university in my country. I married a Korean woman and that is why I stopped my studies to learn Korean. I used the absence system to come to Korea with my wife. I am planning to work on internship when I returned to homeland by special absence system only for one additional year.

Abdulaziz: In Saudi Arabia, we do not have a specific delay system for graduation because students usually choose their academic career or leave for foreign countries rather than work in the society.

Metavee: In Thailand, there are not many students who delay their graduations. All university students want to finish their degrees in four years at least. Military obligations in Thailand are different from Korea. In Thailand people go to the army by picking tickets. Those who pick red color tickets get enlisted for a year, but those who pick the black color tickets are not obligated to serve.

Balnura: Like Thailand, students in Kazakhstan try to graduate from university at the scheduled time in order to start working. Every healthy man in Kazakhstan must complete military service.

Thi Kim Oanh: In Vietnam, students can delay their graduation for two years in university, similar as in Korea. Students delay their graduation due to personal reasons such as health problems or family affairs. In the case of academic qualification, if students’ dissertations do not reach the standards of the university, they cannot graduate.

4. In the United States, students can usually enter universities more easily compared to graduation. How about the difficulties of graduation in your country?

Simon: Like in the United States, entering university is much easier than graduating successfully. Especially, a competition among students to get a place at the university does not happen in my country. So the main challenge a student faces is to graduate successfully. There are a lot of students who fail to follow materials and final exam.

Metavee: I think in every country entering university is easier than graduating. Of course if you pay money, you can study in that university but if your score is not good enough, you have to study again. Moreover if you graduate easily without good ability, the university might get bad reputations.

Abdulaziz: Unlike the graduation from high school, it is not difficult to graduate from university. But, if you want to enter university, you have to receive high grades. If the high schools pick a student as a genius, they send a student outside of Saudi Arabia to continue the study. In my case, I had ten options before I came to Korea. So I chose Korea as my exchange country.

Thi Kim Oanh: It is same for Vietnam’s situation. Entering university is much harder than graduating. If students’ qualifications satisfy for entering a university, they can graduate easily.

Balnura: It is not so easy to enter the university in my country. Every high school student must take Unified State Exam. The government of Kazakhstan annually sends large amounts of budget for educational purposes so that students can get education free of charge. There is the presidential scholarship, *Bolashak*, which means the future. Every year, President of Kazakhstan grants it to 3,000 students so that they can get high quality of education abroad. After graduating from university, they come back to work for the development of our country. 
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A lot of cultural backgrounds were spilled over the table during the international discussion. It is a perfect chance for Yonseians to share their thoughts on the paths before or after the graduation with students from various countries. No matter how hard students entered universities, and no matter what they need to prepare for graduation qualifications, these international backgrounds can be a stepping stone for Yonseians to begin their new semester with vibrant and well-organized attitudes.