Crazy, messy, joyous, overflowing with love August 29, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The KU system was definitely a different experience for me. I didn't have homework to do every night and my final grade depended almost entirely on my midterm and final exam scores. Class participation was a very small aspect of the grade. It was weird to not have nightly homework to occupy myself with and to basically have full control of my study habits (as in, it was up to me to prepare for my midterm and finals). There was no hand-holding, just the expectation of performing well on those two major exams. However, in terms of difficulty, I didn't find KU to be much more different from my home university. I actually thought it was easier due to the lack of nightly homework assignments. Overall, a solid academic experience but I do wish grades didn't rely solely on two tests.

On-site administration of your program

The on-site staff were absolutely amazing. They were so helpful and always available for communication. We also had a lot of excursions together, so I felt like I was able to foster a more close-knit relationship with them. I felt very comfortable going to them for any advice or just friendly chats.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It was really nice to have the bathroom inside my dorm (at my home university, I have to share a bathroom with the entire floor). The privacy was greatly appreciated. I also enjoyed the amount of storage space given as well as an in-dorm A/C and heating unit. There was also a kitchen on the floor with many appliances and fridge space. However, a lot of the appliances in the dorm were old and the dorm also looked very shabby from age. The gym in particular had very old equipment.

I love how cheaply you can buy good and satiating meals in Korea. And there were so many food spots around campus, I was always spoiled for choice. The food scene is what I miss the most about Korea. My camera roll is still full of pictures of all the delicious meals I was lucky to have with friends or exploring alone!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

While I do think, as a non-Korean person, I definitely did get the permanent foreigner treatment, I actually didn't feel like an outcast. Since I have proficiency in Korean and continued to practice my skills while there, many locals warmed up to me easily and it was easy to navigate Seoul regardless of where I was. I also had a lot of random conversations with people who were curious about me and excited to learn/exchange cultures with each other. So, I actually had a very positive experience integration-wise!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had an incident related to alcohol that landed me in the ER. I was so concerned when I woke up about what the health bill would be, but to my shock, even without using any health insurance, the hospital bill was extremely affordable. I paid $180 for a fully comprehensive overnight stay and check on my health. This is impossible for me to do in America. Prescriptions meds were also super cheap and easy to get at any pharmacy. I was blown away by the efficiency and the affordability of health care in Korea!

I felt super safe in Anam and Seoul in general! I had many, many late night adventures and walked around by myself and felt totally safe (which—as a woman—is something I never thought possible). Of course, I kept personal safety in mind and was still cautious everywhere I went. But, truly, Seoul is one of the safest places I've ever been in.

TEAN's program did more than just drop us off in the country and leave us alone. We had excursions that introduced us to cultural practices, cultural sites, various meals, and places outside of Seoul as well! They gave us the complete package and the staff were so amazing and the program participants were also one big group willing to help each other. Definitely an amazing experience.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

My program recommended saving at least $5k for the program and I thought that amount was fine, however it can definitely feel a bit stifling and you do have to keep track of a tight budget. Rather than the program amount, I think $7k is needed to be able to have a financially stress free semester and not restrict yourself in terms of the activities you want to do, the food you want to eat, and whatever personal shopping you want to partake in. I will say, though, that since the USD is more powerful than the KRW, all expenses in general were significantly cheaper than in the states. So, daily living actually felt much less financially burdensome.

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

We definitely weren't forced to learn Korean if we didn't want to, but they encouraged it and guided us along on how to sign up for classes. I've already been studying Korean, so I just took this as an opportunity to get even better!

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• Dorm

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Food
• People
• Many opportunities for core memories

• I wish the Busan trip was longer or that we spent more time in Busan, rather than Ulsan

The Outright Urbanite