An adventure of a lifetime Past Review
By Rachel Attah (Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/21/2016 to 12/22/2016 with
Korea University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I was able to challenge myself to reach a new level of Korean proficiency. The logistics/style of my Korean class is different from back home, so I pushed myself to perform at a higher level. I was also able to learn more about Korean culture inside and outside of the classroom, which I wasn't able to do back at my home university. Furthermore, I was able to have discussions with other international students about world affairs, current events, and their perspectives on the status of the US, which I found quite intriguing.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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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
To my knowledge, KU is the best at helping international/exchange students integrate into KU and Korean culture. This is mainly due to KUBA (KU Buddy Assistants), whom without, I would probably not have been able to leave my dorm or find food in the area. |
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) |
Sticking to a budget is pretty doable in Korea as the standard of living is cheaper than in the US. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It would be ideal to start saving money at least a year in advance, so you could fund whatever adventures/trips you would like to go on. I enjoyed downloading a budget app, so I could keep track of what I was spending, such as the AndroMoney app. |
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 |
I generally spoke Korean whenever I went to restaurants or needed directions or was returning a lost item to lost-and-found. However, 4/5 of my classes were in English and it was the unifying language that the other exchange students spoke. So I did spend more time speaking English overall I would think. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Beginner's Korean Level 2 |
| 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? | I would practice engaging in conversation with other Korean students/friends at your home university to just get into the habit of trying to not rely on English. You may not possess a wide vocabulary but you can still utilize your knowledge to form basic sentences/requests or questions. It's all about using what you know to form simple sentences. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Nothing really. I think part of the experience was learning that KU and Korea operate in a similar, but different manner and embracing those qualities. That's what makes the experience unique, I would say. |
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. |
