One meets many people on
the journey of life….all speaking different languages…people that one can learn
a lot from…people whose memories become an important asset of one's life…whose
imprints blur with the passage of time….and there are some such special people
whose words…whose character is deeply set in our minds…who become role models
for us. Memories associated with them become the light of beacon for us. One
such character is here in my life too, someone who love me, care for me and
give me attention. He is my Professor Han Gon Choi, the professor in college of
Pharmacy, Hanyang University ERICA campus.
Life
without family is so hard and difficult. We faced hundreds problems and
sometimes it is very difficult to cope with odd situations. Life is busy and
fast all the times and have very little
time to cope with the challenges we faced in day to day life. Especially in
Korea, life is always pali pali (fast). Meanwhile if you find someone caring
for you, take pains for you when you are in difficult situations or facing hard
times is a true blessing of Allah almighty. Indeed Prof Dr. Han Gon Choi is
such a personality for me who has not less than a blessing for me here in
Korea.
I still remember the day when
I was very new at Hanyang University. Some of the international students really
discouraged me with the stories about their professors and their life in Korea.
But when I met my professor, the case was totally different and changed. I
found him very gentle, dedicating, affectionate, encouraging and honest person.
It has removed my distress and gave me courage to work with attention and
devotion to achieve my goal.
I cannot forget the day when I was stuck in my
research and missing my family and couldn’t
concentrate on my research when suddenly professor Choi came to lab and said
ooooh Fakhar are you Okk?? He further said, come to my office and when I told
him about my situation he smiled and said don’t worry about your research enjoy
your Korean life and then he suggested all our lab mates to go to a nearby
Pakistani restaurant for dinner and watch a movie. This was something which
made me respect my professor from the core of my heart. I always feel at home
when my professor asks me why your eyes are red?? I feel safe when he ask me
why are you coughing??? Did you have a fever?? Did you take medicine??? I feel
honored when he used to say.” good job Fakhar”, I feel secure when my professor
says,” take care of yourself”, I feel blessed when my professor says, “what
would you like to eat in dinner tonight with me”. These are something which
made me feel special and compels me to think teaching is a noble profession and
if joined with kindness and affection it becomes worship and a source of
satisfaction both for the teacher and learner.
It was a worthy
moment of my life when I was in Chicago, US along with my professor, presenting
our lab work in International pharmaceutical conference. During the trip I have
come to know how caring and a kind person my professor is. Being the only Muslim
among the students, professor was always caring about my food, stay, health and
praying times. Compassion, care and love are common words and sometimes they
seems very little things but when outside home land when someone come to your
room and ask about your health these words become meaningful, when someone come
to your table and ask about your foods stuff these words become expressive, or
if you can see someone caring about all your matters, then one can understand
the true meaning and importance of those words and this is how my professor deal
me during my US trip.
To start a
research project and work out till it finish is a hard job to do and sometimes
we face a lot of troubles , problems and even failure in our research and same
happened to me but thanks to my professor as he is always been encouraging and
motivating throughout my research carrier. It is only because of his day to day
efforts that I am very close to finish my first project. He is always
accessible in and out of the classroom and felt the potential in every student
to fall in love with the imagery and power of Pharmaceutical knowledge. He has
an inspirational personality while he is explaining some research work or
taking some subject in class. His command on subject is incredible and this
made him a famous and most respected professor of our college of Pharmacy.
When it
is turn of attending conferences he is always encouraging to attend and learn
something from these conferences. He is always supportive for travel in Korea,
making new friends and enjoying the Korean life. I have almost completed the
level-2 of Korean language offered by Hanyang University at ERICA Campus for
the HEC scholars, while most of my friends have left the course. The only
reason behind this is that my professor always said, “If you want to spend a
successful Korean life, you need to learn the Korean language”. Further he
said, “It will make your Korean life easy and joyful.
Today at
this point of appreciation I want to say Thank You to my professor for what he
did for me so far. I want to say Thank You Sir for all that care, love, compassion
and courage that he provided me all the way in my Korean life. I have learn a
lot from my dear sir, both in the official and unofficial sittings and I wish I
may stand where he want me to see. May Allah almighty bless you with more
success and happiness in your life.
