Hanyang University Exchange Program Past Review
By Hannah P (Outdoor Adventure Leadership, Ithaca College) for
Hanyang University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying and traveling in South Korea opened up a whole new world. I saw and did things that I had only ever seen before on TV. It forced me to be open, excepting, and to question everything. By taking a leadership course that forces you to explore what it means to be a leader in todays globalizing world; living with a punk-loving, foward thinking swedish roomate that dresses in crazy colored missmatched outfits and questions absolutely everything; while being dumped into a foreign country where it's very difficult to communicate and nothing is familiar; you learn to look at the world in a new light.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
All of the classes I took were in English so all but one of my professors were American. Unlike in the U.S. where professors love to assign tons of quizes, papers, and projects throughout the semester, in South Korea the focus is almost completely placed on the midterm and final exam. The standard Korean format for the classroom is lecture, where the professor talks and the students take notes. No questions and no discussion. The American professors and most Korean professors that spent any time studying in the U.S. blend more with the American format. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone was very welcoming and friendly. I was in contact with the study abroad office and program director prior to leaving the U.S. Everyone in the study abroad office including our program director was very accessable and welcoming. Because it was a new program they were unorganized at times. They also put on various programs for the international and local students throughout the semester to see and learn more about the country. These programs were all very fun. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was arranged prior to leaving the U.S. All international students live in the international dorms, which is situated on the edge of campus near two cafeterias. From dorms it is a 15 minute walk to class or a 10 minute walk to tons of restaurants, bars, grocery store, and subway. A bus is also available from the dorm to class and to the grocery store/subway. From the subway you can get to just about any part of the country you would like. Seoul is a very safe city and I felt safe traveling alone at night. Most dorm rooms have individual bathrooms with a shower which is very nice, and laundry is included, although there are no dryers. |
| * Food: |
Most Korean food is very spicy. They eat a ton of rice and pork is the cheapest meat around. Korean BBQ is fantastic! Also, as a general rule, the qauntity of food served at restaurants is huge while this cost is quite low. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Hanyang international office offered a few field trips and programs to meet each other, and to see and learn more about the country. There is atleast one break that allows for a week of traveling and a weekend is really all you need to get out and see the other cities and villages of South Korea. There are also tons of festivals all over Seoul all year round. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
I got international health and travel insurance through my home university. Seoul is a very safe city and, regardless of whether is was smart or not, I felt comfortable traveling alone at night. South Korea is incredibly hot and humid in the summer/fall and very dry and cold in the winter, which meant catching a cold was pretty easy. As long as you are up to date an all your vaccines, there are no additional vaccines required. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I don't remember specifically how much I spent but food is very inexpensive, especially if you eat in the cafeterias on campus. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Entry fees for clubs can sometimes be a bit expensive but not too bad. Definately take into account any travelling you intend to do and if you plan to travel outside of South Korea it would probably be easier to start planning ahead of time to make aquiring flights and visas easier. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | South Korea opened up my world to so many new things: people, places, food, music, etc. Traveling to South Korea requires someone to be very open to new ideas and really ready to jump in and try new things. |
