There is a person who cleans up our school beyond our sight. Lee Sun-ja is a cleaning woman belonging to the College of Business. She told us the story of a CBNU cleaning woman’s life.



Please introduce yourself and your job.

  My name is Lee Sun-ja. I have worked for 5 years as a cleaning woman in the College of Business building (N14). The College of Business building consists of five floors. I clean up the third floor to the fifth floor, and the other custodian cleans up the first two floors. I empty trash cans and clean up the community spaces, classrooms and restrooms. I work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday, but I usually start work at 7:20 in the morning. The reason why I clean up 40 minutes earlier is to finish cleaning up before the first classes begin. Then, students can easily move around the building, and I can clean up the building more conveniently. There is no break time, and I have to clean up frequently. Thus, I take a break whenever time allows. My lunch time is from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. I usually make my lunch in the staff lounge, or sometimes I eat lunch at a restaurant.

What has been the worst experience while working?

  The CBNU students know that smoking is banned in the public areas and spitting in the building is not right, but some students ignore the rules. It makes me too tired. Some bad students tore or burned with cigarettes the notice papers which inform them that the place is a non-smoking area. If there is an ashtray in the smoking room, some students put wastepaper and paper cups in the ashtray. Although they know such behaviors may cause fires, they still do so. Moreover, some students throw away cigarette butts and spit at the entrance of the College of Business. I can’t believe that they do such behaviors at the entrance of their department. I have been disappointed about students’ attitudes. I think that these happen because of their lack of awareness.

What has been your happiest moment while working?

  First, while I was cleaning up the building, there was a male student who put a flower and attached a post saying, ‘My mother likes flowers, so I think you will also like it,’ and ‘I want everyone to separate garbage collection well for the cleaning women,’ at the entrance of the College of Business building, the smoking rooms and the boards above the trash cans. I was touched by his behavior, and I think his kindness and behaviors are praiseworthy. I don’t know the CBNU students’ responses to the posts, but I appreciate that there is a person who considers the cleaning women. Second, I am happy when CBNU students say hello to me. Sometimes, there are students who give me coffee from the vending machine. I have been touched by such small acts of kindness, so I clean up the CBNU facilities not only as a job but also for the students.

Do you have a wish from CBNU and the CBNU students?

  I wish that the CBNU students would not do prohibited behaviors. I hope the students who make the place dirty will learn the concept of cleanliness. I have no wish of CBNU. I am satisfied with the welfare provided by CBNU.

By kim Jae-wan
 jw37@cbnu.ac.kr