Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An incredible Experience! September 30, 2022

By (Professional Pilot Technology, Vermont Technical College) - abroad from 07/05/2022 to 07/31/2022 with

The Experiment: South Korea: K-Culture and Peacebuilding

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about the culture and the history of the country. It was very eye-opening and definitely worthwhile.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The program was awesome and I learned so much about the culture and the history of South Korea.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The in-country leaders were constructive and fun to be around. They joined in most of our activities and made them more fun.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was pretty good. There were definitely some better and mediocre places we stayed at, however you move around so much you don't really think about it.

* Food:

The food was definitely one of the best parts of the trip. Korea has such an intriguing cuisine and the food tastes amazing.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Everyone in South Korea was very friendly. We met with a few Korean students and had an incredible time touring different places with them and learning from them.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The group leaders were great when it came to health. We constantly did wellness checkups throughout the day to see how everyone was doing. Luckily on this trip, no major health issues needed to be addressed.

* Safety:

I felt incredibly safe in Korea. The streets were very clean compared to the USA and there are cameras everywhere for public safety.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The program was amazing and very accommodating. If there was one thing I could change it would be to do it a couple of years earlier. I definitely recommend this program and I would do it again if I could.

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)

Korea was very cheap to get stuff in and I never found that I had to break the bank at any point to get anything.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Each week I probably spent a little more than 50 dollars a week on food and other expenses throughout the entirety of the trip
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't buy anything that you can get in your home country. save your money to get a country-specific item that can act as a memorabilia of the trip.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Throughout the trip, there weren't many times that you needed/could use the language. But, in the times when it was appropriate, the group encouraged you to try to speak in the country's language.

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? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had taken a few classes in the language and could understand a lot more than what I could speak.
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? Bring a language travel dictionary and try to use different phrases from it to interact with people.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Host Family
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • The places we went
  • The people we met
  • The amazing food
* What could be improved?
  • Going to less touristy spots
  • More free time to explore
  • A little more organization during the program
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how large of an age range would be attending the program. I did the program on the later side and the ages ranged from 14-18 years old.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.