Memories that will stay with you forever Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The language program here is fairly intensive and I felt like I was challenged a lot more than when I was back at my home university. However, the standard study abroad courses I felt were almost high-school level and not challenging at all. CIEE provided some resources like study halls or cultural reimbursement though if you need any help with learning Korean or wanting to do some exploring into other cultural things not included in the program.

On-site administration of your program

The CIEE staff was always available for answering questions or providing resources. You could definitely get close to them and become personable, and they were always looking out for new opportunities for students to explore.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

You can choose to live in SK Global House, a really nice international dorm, or you can now choose a home-stay option. CIEE didn't have the home-stay option for the full semester when I was going through my program (only weekend home-stays), but now they are doing full semester-long home-stays if you choose to do that. The international dorm is right next to all of the study abroad courses' usual class locations, so it's super convenient. There's also two cafes, some restaurants, a convenience store, and couple of cafeterias downstairs if you need anything and just want to bum around for a day. The staff at SK Global House is really friendly and you can ask them to help you out with calling taxis or ordering food if you don't know Korean and they will be happy to help you out.

Food is not included in the CIEE program fee except for the few excursions and get-togethers planned. But the food in South Korea is amazing and there is a great variety for you to choose from. If you get tired of Asian food, there is always an international option for you to choose from since there are restaurants everywhere. You might not be able to find many fruits except for apples, bananas, and tangerines though since they are pretty expensive.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I personally went to Korea with a lot of Korean language down my sleeve because I had been learning it for 4 years, so I had an advantage over some of the other students. However, many Koreans aren't used to foreigners still and I did get some stares or a feeling that I was being hypersexualized and put on a pedestal quite a bit. Random people would ask me if they could have a photo with me on the street or would just come up to me and try to practice their English, so it's a little hard to feel like you belong when you are given special treatment and always called a foreigner. The times when I felt really like I was integrated were when I volunteered at a school and got to exchange my culture with the students and teachers.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There is a hospital literally on campus and it's supposedly the "Best and the First" hospital in all of Korea, called Severance Hospital. During CIEE's orientation you go to this hospital and become familiar with the process in case of an emergency and you get a presentation from Dr. John Linton on things to be wary of and how to avoid risky behaviors. I personally didn't get sick or have to visit a doctor, but I felt very secure and knew exactly what to do in case anything did arise because of this.

There are a lot of drunk people at night in the busy parts of town known for clubbing and bars like Hongdae and Sinchon, and foreigners do kind of have a reputation for being more "loose" and free to express their sexuality. For the most part they are harmless, but it's best to avoid them if they stare or try to confront you. If you are a lady I would be especially careful at night, just like any other place in the world. Even at 6:30 A.M, with the sun up, I was walking alone and this man asked if I wanted to go home with him after he followed me in his car for a whole block. Women need to be very careful during these times, but for the most part I felt super safe in Seoul. I felt like I could do a lot of traveling alone in the day time. I would also be very aware of where the cars on the road are because sometimes they like to drive on the sidewalk or go down the wrong side of the street.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Personally, I didn't really manage my finances very well because there was always something new to do and always something new to buy or always some sort of new food to to try. These new things can add up and get kind of costly.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

This program was 2 hours everyday 5 days a week, and it included a lot of speaking and writing practice.

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• Dorm

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• International Students

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• International Students

• Excursions
• Close Relationships
• Volunteering

• More interaction with locals

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer