By Olga Pynenkova

Junior Editor, Yonsei GSIS Newsletter

Each semester, Yonsei University welcomes new students from different countries with diverse cultural, professional, and academic backgrounds. This fall, Sadia Masharuf from Bangladesh joined the Graduate School of International Studies family. She discusses her work with INGOs on issues like climate change, and refugees, as well as her growing interest in the intersection of the environment, economy, and energy policy and how this led her to Yonsei GSIS.

Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background before joining Yonsei. What did you study and what did you do?

- My name is Sadia Masharuf and I am from Bangladesh. I graduated in anthropology in 2018. Since my university days, I have always been interested in topics such as identity issues, refugee and displacement issues. So, after graduation my work was connected with these issues. I started working with different INGOs and dealt mainly with climate change, disaster-related displacement and refugees.

Why did you decide to continue your education and why did you choose Yonsei?

- During my studies, I specialized in anthropology, but while working in NGOs, I became interested in new topics and realized that I wanted to learn more about them. In particular, I was interested in the problems of interaction and connection between the environment, economy and human society. In addition, I had a growing interest in energy policy. With all this in mind, I was looking for an interdisciplinary program in which I could study the problems I was interested in from different perspectives. Yonsei GSIS offers several majors and different concentrations, so it is easier to pick courses based on your interest and future goals.

Speaking of future goals, what are your career or academic plans after graduating from GSIS? What field do you see yourself in? Do you plan to work in your home country, Korea or somewhere else?

- I don't have any specific place in my mind. But as I mentioned before I had been working in the national development sector for a while and after completing my Master's degree here, I would like to continue my professional career. Before, I was mostly working in my country, however, I would like to continue my career internationally. That's my goal right now.

Are you involved in any extracurricular activities or clubs at GSIS? What was your motivation to join them?

- I decided to join the Human Rights Hub, which was established at GSIS in 2023. As I just mentioned I had been working with refugees and I believe this is a big issue for a long time. So, while I am studying here, I want to keep contributing and keep myself connected to human rights issues in some way. When I studied the website and social media of the Human Rights Hub, I realized that its participants are doing various kinds of interesting things, engaged in different activities. So, I thought that it would be a nice opportunity for me to stay connected to all these issues. I also enjoy writing, and this is another reason to join HRH and its Newsletter team as it provides me an opportunity to write about things that I like and that are important to me.

Do you have any other hobbies besides writing?

- I like watching movies, reading books. As for books, it is difficult for me to single out any specific favorite works, since I like different ones. But I can say that one of my favorite writers is Milan Kundera. Some time ago I also got acquainted with Korean literature. I think the first book by a Korean author that I read was The Vegetarian by Han Kang. And I found that Korean fiction books are also interesting.

What is your experience in Korea in general? Did you have any expectations about life here before you came? Did you have any difficulties?

- I don’t think I had any special expectations. But yes, when I first came, it was a bit difficult because of the language. When I came out from the airport, I did not understand where to go and what to do. I couldn’t even read anything or ask anyone for help because I didn’t know Korean. So it was a challenge. However, because of my scholarship during my first year in Korea I had to study Korean in a language course. After I improved my level a little, living in Korea became much more comfortable. Overall, it is a very convenient and safe country and I enjoy living here.