By Honorary Reporter Salwa El-zeny from Egypt

I still remember the moment in 2015 when I first participated in the Korea.net Honorary Reporter program, as if it was yesterday. I submitted my application right before the deadline and waited impatiently for the result. When I was informed that I was accepted, I was so happy to join this big family united by its common love for both Korea and its culture.

My life has changed since I joined this awesome family. My induction video shot in front of the Pyramids of Giza was liked by many on the Korea.net team, and the latter sent me an email to express how good the video was. Afterwards, I started to volunteer at the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Cairo, which I consider my second home.

Fortune smiled on me yet again when I won a grand prize in a KBS World contest and earned a trip to Korea. My first article as an Honorary Reporter was about my visit, and it was published on Korea.net's official website and its Facebook page. Many followers read my article and left a lot of positive comments. I learned when I was writing this article that the words emanating from the heart directly touch people, and that's why I continued to write articles about Korean culture and tourism and KCC activities in Egypt.

My sister Esraa then joined the Honorary Reporter program and shared with me beautiful moments until we were chosen among the top 12 Honorary Reporters in the world and traveled to Korea together. During our dream trip, we formed new friendships, visited many places we wanted to see, had unforgettable memories and learned a lot about Korean culture. This trip motivated us to share our experiences with Korea.net that year with many Hallyu fans in Egypt. They specifically came to the KCC to hear about our experiences and apply to become Korea.net Honorary Reporters for 2017.

In 2017, I started writing more articles about Korea with my sister for the first time, and they were well received by many readers, especially one on our experience wearing the hijab in Korea that was posted on many other sites. In early 2018, we were fortunate again as my sister and I were chosen by the Cairo governor to represent Egypt through a nine-month scholarship to study in Korea. This allowed us to learn far more about Korea and participate in cultural events there. The first event we participated in that year was the filming of a video to celebrate the first anniversary of the Moon Jae-in administration. The atmosphere was enjoyable, and I met old friends and got to meet many new Honorary Reporters, many of whom were writing in Spanish. 

In addition, I took part in numerous activities and introductory workshops for Korean handcrafts and courses on using Korean cosmetics and doing Korean makeup under the sponsorship of the Korean Ministry of Tourism and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. What I liked the most was the Halal Korea Festival, where I learned how to cook Korean food in the halal way. I concluded 2018 with a special tribute from the Seoul mayor for spreading Korean culture and my experiences in the country, especially in the capital. I also attended the Melon Music Awards and saw several K-pop stars in person for the first time. Though I was not one of their fans, this concert made me a K-pop fan who follow their songs and news, especially on BTS.

In 2019, the first induction ceremony for Honorary Reporters outside Korea was held to honor those based in Cairo and other cities, and I was honored to give the welcoming speech since I was Egypt's first Honorary Reporter. My sister was also honored as one of the best Honorary Reporters this year and I met roughly 125 Egyptian Honorary Reporters. This makes Egypt home to the largest number of Honorary Reporters in the world.

I was also chosen by the KCC to be an assistant to many Korean chefs. Cooking is a hobby of mine that I love, and learning a lot about Korean food and its history also appeal to me. What I liked during those years is that I learned a lot about Korean culture, customs and traditions. Now, when I talk to anyone about Korea, I don't discuss what I saw in dramas or TV but what I witnessed during my time in Korea and close interactions with Koreans. The Korean people are kind, welcoming and receptive to other cultures and religions. Whenever someone asks me about the best country for work or study, my answer is definitely Korea. Korea.net has allowed me to learn a lot about the country, its culture, civilization and heritage, as well as form many friendships with people worldwide.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean