Everyone should study abroad. I have connections all over the world now! Past Review

By Jonathan Tucker (Drama, Theater, Theatre Arts, Texas Lutheran University) - abroad from 08/22/2018 to 12/21/2018 with

CIEE: Seoul - Arts and Sciences

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was absolutely worthwhile. I learned that I am more capable of being independent than I thought. I discovered the things that are necessary to surviving in a foreign place and learned tips and tricks to quickly becoming acclimated to a new area and culture.

Review Photos

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everyone was so, nice and helpful.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The dorm was quite smaller than I am used to, but other than that everything was fine. SK Global House staff as well as the program administration were quick to deal with any issues that arose.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no health issues while I was abroad.
* Safety:	I would give this rating five stars, however, I did have a situation with my first roommate in which I feared for my safety. As soon as I told the program administrators of the issue it was addressed, however.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Absolutely, the program coordinators were honestly one of the best experiences of the program. I can't imagine going anywhere else and not having met them.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)	I think it should be noted that without scholarships I would not have been able to afford studying abroad. However, scholarships were relatively easy to obtain.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Approx. $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Whatever money you bring you will spend, so, of course, bring enough money to survive and to shop and to do all the things you want to, but you should not bring your entire savings.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	1
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Learn Hangul, the Korean alphabet before you leave for the country. It is very easy and straightforward and easy to memorize and it can be quite helpful as far as navigating goes.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Program coordinators Food Location
* What could be improved?	Dorm Registration for classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had known that after a month or so that I would miss working. I am someone that likes to stay active and so after a couple of weeks I felt like I didn't have a purpose because I wasn't finding ways to stay busy. Of course, the balance is exploring and doing the things you want to do while abroad while also doing the work that you are passionate about to keep you energized and inspired.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Korean Cinema
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Though it was an interesting class and arguably well taught, I think that potential students should be given a trigger warning as several of the films contained explicit content.
Credit Transfer Issues: