Seoul, South Korea: some of the best months of my life! Past Review
By Kristen J (Economics, East Asian Studies, Barnard College) for
Yonsei University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes, I would be interested in possibly moving to Korea sometime.
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. |
I would study abroad at Yonsei again if I could! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
In Korea, people do not answer emails as quickly as in the US and everything seems to be less efficient. It can sometimes be frustrating, especially when the problems are urgent. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Sheets, covers, pillows and pillow cases are provided. There is a supermarket open 24/7 and a few restaurants, a stationary shop, a travel agency, a flower shop and manicure shop on the ground floor of SK Global House (the dorm). Very convenient. On each floor of the dorm there is a kitchen/lounge with a fridge and stove tops. If you get a single, there is a fridge in the room, which doubles don't have. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
There are numerous festivals in Korea: mud festival, strawberry festival, lotus lantern festival, ... They are forth checking out. They show how much Koreans are proud of their culture and how much they invest in these events. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Seoul is a rather safe city. It's just as anywhere else: be careful at night, and do not take unnecessary risks. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | If I cooked in the dorm kitchens: about 30 dollars a week. If I went out to eat: about 5 dollars per meal. Some students said that they spent just as much cooking than eating out! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | None that were significant. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Korean Intermediate I |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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