I recently went to Lima, Peru and did some mission/volunteer work in the poor areas.  I went to a primary school, where the walls were all blue, there were kids flocking the staircases and balconies, excited to see the foreigners come with presents and fun filled things to do instead of school work. The school probably had 200 kids in it, ranging from Kindy to Grade 6.

The first thing we had to do at the school was to re-enact a parable from the Bible, then play with them. I was taken upstairs to Grade 4, where there was a class filled with kids with bright eyes and adorable smiles on their faces. They were all sitting on their little chairs, looking tidy with their uniform and smiling with all (or most) of the white gleaming teeth. It was adorable. After acting out a parable, I had the opportunity to talk to some of the kids and the teacher.

(credits to my friend who can’t take photos)

The teacher stared at me (because I was the only asian in the group) and told me, in broken english, “Yoona. Girls Generation. Come here to work.” I stared at him. Yoona? As in SNSD Yoona? Why would she come here? So I asked him again, ‘are you sure? Yoona from Girls Generation. The pretty korean girl.” And he said yes. He had a big smile on his face as he talked about Yoona and what she did at the school during her time over here. So, I found out that Yoona from Girls Generation had travelled halfway across the world, to an area filled with poor people, to help out and play with kids that are less fortunate than her, despite her high status in the real world. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. The teacher told me as well, “Many many koreans come here and help us, they are wonderful people. I love Koreans.”

I was and am still in shock. I went back to my hotel that night and tried searching up news articles about Yoona and her volunteer work in Peru, yet there was none. So (from what I know) I think Yoona went to do volunteer work for herself and for others, not for the public to know.

Yeah I just wanted to share it with ya’ll.

교사가 (내가 이그룹의 유일한 아시아인이기 때문에) 나를 응시하고 서툰 영어로 나에게 말했다, "소녀시대 , 윤아가 봉사 활동하기 위해 여기에 왔어요"

나는 그를 빤히 쳐다 봤다. 윤아? 소녀시대 윤아? 왜 여기에 왔지? 그래서 나는 다시 그에게 물었다, "확실해요? 소녀시대의 윤아. 한국의 예쁜 여자."

그리고 그는 예스라고했다. 그는 그의 얼굴에 큰 웃음을 지우며 여기 학교에서 윤아가 무엇을 했던 지를 말했다.

그래서 소녀시대의 윤아가 현실 세계에서 그녀의 높은 지위에도 불구하고,

그녀보다 운이 없는 아이들을 도와주고 함께 놀아주기 위하여 세계를 가로 질러 가난한 사람들이 많은 지역으로 여행했던 것을 발견했다.

나는 충격이었다. 나는 그것을 믿을 수 없었다.

교사는 "많은 한국인이 여기 와서 우리를 도와 주고 있습니다, 그들은 멋진 사람입니다. 나는 한국인을 사랑해요. "라고도 나에게 말했다.

나는 충격이었고 아직도 충격입니다. 나는 그날 밤 나의 호텔에 다시 가서 윤아와 페루에서의 그녀의 자원 봉사 활동에 대한 뉴스 기사를 검색했는데, 아직 아무것도 없었다.

그래서 ( 내가 알고 있는 범위 내에서는 ) 나는 윤아가 대중이 알아 주기보다 , 자신을 위해 그리고 다른 사람을위해 봉사 활동 했던 것이라고생각합니다.

그래요 난 그냥 여러분과 공유하고 싶었어요.

http://myung-udon.tumblr.com/post/57772012882/some-things-you-just-dont-know

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