Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

It’s Good for the Seoul Past Review

By (University of California - San Diego / UCSD) - abroad from 07/03/2017 to 08/05/2017 with

UC San Diego Global Seminars / UCSD: Seoul- Urbanism and Asian American Identity

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became more independent. Learning to do things by myself like plan weekend outings where I would go explore parts of the country. Before I would just follow my parents or the people around me (go on a tour), but it was different exploring at my own pace and discovering things by myself. It’s nice to have some time by yourself, something I rarely get living with people. It gives you a better opportunity to discover yourself with some solidarity. Every once in a while it’s good to take a step back and observe the beauty around you. It was definitely worthwhile for me. I became more appreciative; instead of complaining about the weather and the walking distance, I learned to admire the people who live through these experiences loke a mundane thing. It really brought me back to reality of how spoiled I was living in San Diego where the weather and traffic and environment is always nice! I grew to be more grateful for my home and family.

Review Photos

UC San Diego Global Seminars / UCSD: Seoul- Urbanism and Asian American Identity Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

The feeling of independence while studying abroad is indescribable and different for each individual. I personally loved the experience because of the people that I was with and my eagerness to deepen my understanding of Korean culture by visiting the country. I enjoyed the food and convenience of the transportation system. If I could do it over again, I would because it was definitely 5 weeks of fun where I missed how school used to be like that for me.

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? $200-$300
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? You can bargain at many side shops.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Other
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?
  • People
  • Food
  • Culture
* What could be improved?
  • Excursions (by destination)
  • Cost
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That there was going to be a lot of things in our schedule. Things aren’t as “close” as you think they are. Their descriptions of proximities are slightly different than ours. We think 10-15 min walk is somewhere close, but they would believe a 30 min walk is pretty close too. They know more English than we give them credit for. Sometimes we just gotta say it with a Korean accent and they’ll understand it better than when we say it normally since some of their words are derived from English.

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.