[Student Reporters] Unusual Volunteer Activity: A Mini Concert with Expressionless Elderly

Ji Hyun Han <11th, Daewon Foreign Language High School>

On the fifth of January Daewon Foreign Language High School's traditional music club Dodri went to Gangnam Geriatrics Hospital to play Korean classical music. At first Dodri members having been awarded in several competitions were confident that they could play well in front of all elders of the hospital. The instruments were a keyboard haegums daegums and gayaguems. However as the performance time got closer all members were half-confident and half-worried.

At around two o'clock about a hundred patients came down to the first floor. Almost all the elderly had to use wheelchairs because they could not move by themselves. Even though it was really difficult for them to move thankfully many elderly came down to enjoy the performance. The songs we played were Gunbam Taryoung Doraji Taryoung Saeyasaeya and Arirang.

Most of the songs were famous Korean traditional songs that Dodri members expected the elderly to be very active during the performance. However almost no one smiled or sang the song as Dodri members played the instruments. So stunned and concerned was the president of Dodri Min Hye Joon that she later asked the chief doctor of the hospital Lee Joo Sun why they had no joy in their faces.

After the performance when I asked President Hye Joon why she looked upset she replied anxiously. "I am very worried why the elderly did not have any joyful expression in their faces. Dodri members all expected that all the elderly would be very happy to participate in our little concert. We have practiced and waited so long for this volunteer activity and are somewhat disappointed about this situation."

Unexpectedly the chief doctor's answer to President Hye Joon's question was simple. "The elderly are so used to having expressionless faces that doctors cannot really do anything. To tell you the truth even though all doctors try to communicate and have pleasant conversation with every patient it is really difficult to change their expressionless faces."

After hearing the answer President Hye Joon and other Dodri members decided to stay longer in the hospital and converse with each elderly who participated in Dodri's mini music concert. As they started to talk with the elderly - about their school lives hobbies and families - and asked them questions their expressionless faces changed to smiley faces. What the elderly needed were not formal musical performances but caring pleasant conversation with grandchild-like students. The more they talked to each other the more laughter they shared.

Nowadays the importance of volunteer work has tremendously increased. In fact almost every student participates in at least one volunteer work. There are two possible reasons that have led so many people participate in volunteer work: for some people happiness and fruitfulness; for some people especially students for college application.

However Dodri members now have another special reason for their volunteer activity - for bringing smiles to lonesome elderly through heart-to-heart interaction!