South Korea: I would go back again~ Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload is light compared to UH. They do quite a few group projects, and those may be a problem. For me, I seemed to have the worst luck because I would be grouped with regular students that wanted to avoid English as much as possible. They speak in Korean between each other and try to fill you in once they make a decision... you have to really stand up for yourself and force them to speak to you because most likely it is an English taught course... so they should have to use English. Also, applying for courses are a little hard. The choices were not very diverse, and many of the English taught courses will end up being online. Others are restricted to a number of people, but you might not get in because international students are the last to register. Also, some are taught in English, but the work is in Korean. They may even change the syllabus within the semester. Just be ready to change things around because you never really know what you are getting into.

On-site administration of your program

I got more from outside sources than from going into this office because they really tell you the round-about way of doing anything. It takes a long time to get information on with them. Just look online or ask friends/classmates because from my experience, no one really went to this administration and got any worthwhile information~

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorm is a dorm, nothing fancy. They will usually house you with other international students which is fun, but you have to look for people to practice the Korean language. There are common areas on each floor and each one is equipped with a microwave, toaster oven, and water dispenser (hot/cold)... so no real cooking here, but you get by. Just be creative, I learned quite a few tricks about cooking with just these appliances. There is a TV on every other floor, but channel surfing is a little tricky. There are only a few channels that are in English or have English sub-titles. For everything else, you understand the gist of the storyline with their actions and the background music (>.<) The housing office is nice enough, and the maintenance staff is super friendly... they just don't speak much English. Sheets are provided along with one pillow. A thicker blanket can be rented from the office, but I never needed it. The dorm is right on campus, so classes are nearby, but since the whole campus is on a mountain... the dorm is on the bottom, and you are walking uphill most of the time. The nightlife is nearby! Right off campus and walking distance to some of the best places for good eats! Plus, you're at a women's university... the place is surrounded by good food and good shopping (at least for girls). Guys are on the other side... closer to Yonsei is where they want to do their shopping.

I don't eat pork, so in Korea, I classified as a vegetarian~ There are a lot of vegetarian places, you just have to look. I found a lot of places to suit my taste buds everywhere! My favorite foods came from the food stands that line the streets at night. Korea's food is mainly beef or pork. Chicken and seafood are in a lot of things, but most dishes feature pork or beef. My advice is to be adventurous and if you don't eat certain things, find out how to say "no ..." before you start (>.<) The food will be one of the best things about traveling to Korea! Generally cheap and easy to find eats!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Korean Tourism Organization website is generally up-to-date on all things going on in Korea. I would apply for membership before going and get on their mailing list. It is free to sign up and they have awesome promotional discounts. It was through the site that I got a lot of information of concerts, events, and contests. I got to do hanok (traditional Korean house) stays, Korea tours, temple stays because of different advertisements from the site.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had a problem with the safety. I always felt safe no matter where I ended up, but i wouldn't take that for granted. The healthcare is hard to explain for me because for international students, it is a little difficult. Just have your documents ready for anything because quite a few of my friends had to go to the hospital for random reasons and they each have their own experiences to tell~ Just try to keep your health up, and if you're uncomfortable taking unfamiliar medications, bring your own because I didn't see any Advil or Tylenol anywhere. They have their own brands, but you might have trouble finding a pharmacy. The clinic on campus is limited also because their English is limited, they might not be able to help you as much. Bring someone with you if you can.

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

Practice was everywhere, but English was very widely accepted. Everyone knows very basic English, so I was at least able to get around. A few phrases would help to find things, but I think English can get you by.

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• Dorm

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• International Students