incomparable experience Past Review
By Lilit Gevorkyan (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 03/02/2016 to 06/16/2016 with
Sungkyunkwan University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned so much about the traditions and cultures of Korea. As mentioned, due to the contact of international students, I also learned a lot about the world while being abroad. It was 100% worthwhile and I would not trade it for the world, if anything I would wish to extend my stay.
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. |
The academic experience I had abroad was really appreciated. It was very interesting getting to see how Korean students studied and how the classrooms and courses were setup. There were several differences and similarities I noticed between UT and SKKU. While I enjoyed my time abroad, I also realized that the courses I was enrolled differed than those of the native Korean students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The registration process went pretty smoothly for me. However, I did hear about several complaints of unorganized staff and misinformed students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing arranged differed than that of most students because I did not choose to stay at the dormitories. I stayed in a private room at a hostel for 4 months because I wanted to live closer to the city and meet people outside of the university. Overall, I am really glad I made this choice because I got to experience the part of Korea where most locals lived. |
| * Food: |
Food is my favorite part about travel. I really loved the Korean cuisine and the different types of spices that Koreans used in their traditional dishes. The language barrier made it difficult to try different types of dishes and choose certain preferences but personally, I really loved the authenticity of Korean cuisine. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Korea is not completely dependent on tourism. Therefore, Koreans are not exposed to many foreigners very often. I had difficulties at certain times when there was a language barrier involved and in certain cultural differences. As I learned more about the culture and interacted with more locals, I quickly began to realize that as a foreigner adjusting to Korean traditions would take some time. However, due to the lack of foreigners in the country, Koreans were always interested to learn more about my culture and speak to me about the routines and habits of foreigners. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was enrolled in an international health care program through UT which I had a great experience with. The providers were extremely helpful and caring. The staff and the doctors at the hospital I was referred to was very nice and cared about my wellbeing. |
| * Safety: |
I cannot stress enough about how safe I felt in Korea. I felt even much, much safer while I was abroad than I do in my home university. As a young female, I did not feel any threats even when I walked home alone late at nights. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I was surprised at the lack of American exchange students I encountered. I believe the people in the US have a bit of a scare due to the complications with the neighboring country. However, I am extremely pleased with the decision I made. Not only did I make local Korean friends and learn about the Korean culture, but I also made several international friends whom I keep in touch with and hope to meet again sometime in the future! |
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) |
Overall, I felt that most expenses in Korea were cheaper than that of my spendings in the US. Korean cuisine, especially, was extremely affordable along with shopping for clothing. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | While I stayed at a hostel, which was a bit pricey due to the circumstances I chose, if you choose to live in a goshiwon you can save plenty of money. I found that I saved more money by eating out that grocery shopping because most produce and products were relatively expensive, especially if you are just cooking for yourself. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I really, really wished I learned at least basic Korean and I enrolled in the Korean courses. The language barrier was the most difficult part of the study abroad for me. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
