South Korea during COVID January 26, 2022
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/23/2021 to 12/21/2021 with
CIEE: Seoul - Arts and Sciences
I learned about non-westernized culture and was integrated a way that I was not able to when touring or studying in my home country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Courses are well structured. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Dorms were equipped with everything I needed. Only downside was that it was not close to the main gate and was to the very edge. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There were plenty of opportunities. However, signing up and receiving a slot was stressful because there was not enough space. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I want to experience it once again without COVID being an issue. |
Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $400 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Start saving money ahead of time (I did 1 year) because it makes your experience better and not feeling like you can't experience it to the fullest and have fun because you have to be frugal or can't afford it. Some people were stressed out abroad because of financial reasons and would frequently opt out of experiences. I was able to do everything I wanted without money being an issue. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | n/a |
| 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? | Make foreign friends. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I was able to learn the language at a beginner level more so I could practice with local people. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
