Seoul Searching in Korea Past Review
By Charmaine A (East Asian Studies., The University of Texas at Austin) for
Seoul National University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I really enjoyed being in a foreign country and constantly learning something new everyday. After being placed in this situation, I feel more confident in going out and doing something on my own. Unfortunately, I felt like the semester wasn't enough, so I'm planning on returning to teach English after graduation.
Review Photos
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. |
In general the workload was challenging but not unreasonable (with the exception of one class). The lectures were well-structured and class participation and group work was highly encouraged. For all of my courses I had to make presentations to the class, both individually and in a group. I found this format to be highly conducive to my larger classes, as it encouraged the students to interact and participate with each other more. The only negative aspect was the availability of the professors. Their office hours weren't completely specified. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Their internet accessibility for foreigners was very poor, and surprisingly not very many of my classes were as reliant on the internet as they were back in my home institution. Other than that, the international office was very helpful in getting students' affairs in order. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Eating at the school cafeterias provides lots of choices and is also incredibly cheap. The meals are very Korean. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
mountain-climbing on the mountain located on campus, ferry down the Han River, field trip with my Korean class to learn how to play traditional Korean drums, festival of lights near city hall, witnessing the G20 summit preparations and events, traditional Korean music concerts |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Generally safe and clean atmosphere. I never had to use the health services, but I gather that they're pretty convenient. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Other than the gym membership fee, none that I know of. You can live off of a modest budget. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4 semesters (First and Second Year) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
My language class was completely conducted in Korean, including the introductions and the syllabus. Fortunately my class was mostly composed of non-English speakers (out of the 13 students, only 4 spoke English fluently, including myself), so our mutual language was the language that we were there to learn everyday. This made the class highly effective, because not only were we required to only use the language in the classroom, but in our interactions outside of class as well. Also, the class/lecture format was rigidly structured and at times grueling (I took the Afternoon session, which is from 1:30-5:20, complete with breaks in between hours), but not only was it effective in improving my language acquisition skills, I also managed to gain a sense of closeness to my classmates, making time seem like it goes by faster and gaining language practice partners. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Live it up. Take advantage of the unfamiliarity and make a memory out of it. Learn to appreciate the differences. |
