Global life in South Korea Past Review
By Han Eol L (Public Policy Analysis., The College of William and Mary) for
Yonsei University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes; I loved the fact that I was able to meet people from Finland, Denmark, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, France, Canada...etc. I really loved the city life and the food there was amazing!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was extremely light and easy compare to W&M courses. Also, since I took most of English-taught classes that were provided for Korean university students, they usually used simple English words. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The international office was quite a walk from the dorm, but the campus is humongous so it was not a problem. They were very helpful on getting everything situated before I went to Korea and once I got there, too. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a single room where there was a private bathroom with shower, refrigerator, AC/heated floor, desk, closet, and a bed. It was great to have this room that was small, but still clean and personal. Also, if you live in SK Global House, you will get a card that you swipe in when you enter the dorm and you use this card to get electricity once you enter the room. There is an elevator for this 6-floor building, which was nice. There is also a kitchen with a computer and a television where you can watch Korean shows/dramas along with other American movies with subtitles. |
| * Food: |
I really miss the food on campus since they are really cheap with high quality. They are definitely not better than the food that you can purchase off campus, but you definitely get a good quality food for the price that you pay, which is about 3 or 4 dollars for an entire meal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My friends and I organized a 4 day weekend trip to Jeju, which is an island south of the mainland. The weather was beautiful even though we went in November and it is a MUST to travel here since the scenery is amazing! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
It is fairly safe to walk around at night in the city since the nightlight is extremely lively in Seoul and especially around the campus. This is because there are 2 other well-known universities around Yonsei so there will be a lot of things to do around the campus. Also, there is a Health Center in Student Union building so you can make a trip to this place when you get sick and they should be able to help you out. |
| 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? | If you want to save money for food then eat on campus. There is a coffee take-away café in the student union building where you can buy cheap coffee so try to avoid buying coffee at Caribou Coffee that is inside the dorm. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | native |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I did not take the language course since Korean is my native language, however, since I have not used the language outside of my house, it was nice to talk with other local Korean at the university. I did not use the language in everyday interactions, but I did take an English course where the professor used Korean here and there. Most people spoke English at the dorm, but there are many opportunities through language exchange partner to practice Korean while teaching the other English. Also, you can enroll in 2 hour class that is held everyday from 4pm-6pm or you can choose to take the morning class, which is more intensive and starts later in the semester. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Someone who is willing to learn about Asian culture, who is willing to travel to places other than tourist spots to learn more about the culture, and someone who is willing to get involved in the university to improve Korean. |
