I cannot believe that my time in Seoul has come to an end. Frankly, wrapping up this blog series made me reminisce about all of the good memories that I made, and it’s extremely difficult to not think about how much I will miss Korea. My journey in Korea has ended, but there is always room for reflection.
ten helpful things to know when studying abroad in south korea
After learning so much and taking my own fair share of “L’s” while being abroad, here are my own personal tips that I believe every Korea-bound student should know.
#1 - Always “sharpen your ax” when making big decisions.
Anything from planning out-of-town trips, registering for classes, or even going out with a group of friends, always prepare ahead of time. Doing your homework and research beforehand will help prepare you for the unexpected. As anything could happen while abroad, it’s always best to have contingency plans especially when in a new environment. Additionally, make sure to stay updated with local authorities and government guidelines. These things change constantly and can hugely influence your plans and experiences.
#2 - Do not be afraid to take solo adventures.
One of the things that I loved about Korea was the norm of doing things alone. As Seoul is a relatively safe place, don’t be afraid to embark on mini adventures by yourself. There’s lots of sights to enjoy and foods to try, so if your friends can’t find time to go with you, it’s totally okay to go on your own. I’ve had many fun experiences in Seoul while being alone so don’t wait around for other people otherwise you will be missing out on some cool things!
#3 - Learn the basics of the Korean language.
Translator apps can only go so far in helping you communicate with non-English speakers in Korea. You’ll never know when these apps aren’t readily available. And you’ll find yourself interacting with non-English speakers on a daily basis so it’s imperative to know even just the basic greetings. Moreso, attempting to speak in Korean shows an immense amount of respect for the language and the culture.
#4 - Understand and honor the cultural habits of Korean society.
Knowing and implementing the cultural habits of Korea is crucial, especially if you will be living there for a long period of time. Short-term visitors often get slack for not understanding the unique habits of Korea, but for longer-term expatriates, it would be immensely disrespectful to not honor the habits of the Korean people. These are some of habits that should be followed:
#5 - You will experience embarrassing moments, but don’t let it hinder you from doing things!
Being in a foreign country is tough. The language is different, the environment is unusual, and there are moments when you simply don’t know what to do or act. If you ever find yourself embarrassed because of a cross-cultural misunderstanding, don’t be ashamed! This is all part of the study abroad experience and sometimes the best way to learn is to experience these embarrassing moments first-hand. They also serve as a great memory to laugh at once the weeks pass by!
#6 - Don’t be shy. Go meet new people and make new friends!
You won’t be the only person flocking to Korea for a study abroad experience. Hundreds of other exchange students pour in from all over the world, fostering the perfect environment to make friends from all over the world. What a great opportunity to meet new people and even build a chance to visit them in their home countries in the future. Just in my own experience, I’ve made friends from the following countries: Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, and the mainland USA. This doesn’t include the Korean friends that I’ve met through KU.
#7 - Study your geography and review your HWST 107 materials.
As you’ll be meeting people from all over the world, it will be important to know where in the world they are from. Refreshing your geography knowledge might save you some awkward moments when meeting people from foreign countries abroad. Furthermore, being from Hawaii garners lively interest among people from opposite corners of the world; they will have tons of questions regarding life in Hawaii and its history and culture. So take out those HWST 107 notes - trust me when I say that they came in handy when sharing knowledge of Hawaii with others.
#8 - Brace yourself for crowds and “foot traffic.”
You’ll experience a different form of traffic in Seoul. As you board the subway during peak rush hours, hundreds of people will be attempting to hop on and squeeze in, and thousands will be rushing and hustling between transfer stations. Get ready to walk a bit faster when the entire crowd adopts a faster walking pace, and be sure to give way to those who are sprinting - they’re trying to catch the train on time and you don’t want to be the reason why they missed it.
#9 - Have a firm understanding of your spice tolerance.
One of my biggest lessons was this: if Koreans say that the food it’s not that spicy, there’s a big chance that it will still be spicy. Korean’s spice tolerance is relatively higher than the average human being, so keep this in mind especially if you’re like me: below average. Don’t be shy to ask about how spicy some foods will be and don’t be ashamed to ask for less spice. You wouldn’t want to cause a ruckus in a restaurant all because a foreigner couldn’t handle some flames!
#10 - In everything that you do, carry a grateful heart.
Every now and then, just remember how fortunate you are to be able to study abroad. Many people around the world dream of making their way to Korea, and you being there is a privilege that not many students are able to experience. So always carry a grateful heart for the experiences and memories that you will endure and cherish.
ten helpful things to know when studying abroad in south korea
After learning so much and taking my own fair share of “L’s” while being abroad, here are my own personal tips that I believe every Korea-bound student should know.
#1 - Always “sharpen your ax” when making big decisions.
Anything from planning out-of-town trips, registering for classes, or even going out with a group of friends, always prepare ahead of time. Doing your homework and research beforehand will help prepare you for the unexpected. As anything could happen while abroad, it’s always best to have contingency plans especially when in a new environment. Additionally, make sure to stay updated with local authorities and government guidelines. These things change constantly and can hugely influence your plans and experiences.
#2 - Do not be afraid to take solo adventures.
One of the things that I loved about Korea was the norm of doing things alone. As Seoul is a relatively safe place, don’t be afraid to embark on mini adventures by yourself. There’s lots of sights to enjoy and foods to try, so if your friends can’t find time to go with you, it’s totally okay to go on your own. I’ve had many fun experiences in Seoul while being alone so don’t wait around for other people otherwise you will be missing out on some cool things!
#3 - Learn the basics of the Korean language.
Translator apps can only go so far in helping you communicate with non-English speakers in Korea. You’ll never know when these apps aren’t readily available. And you’ll find yourself interacting with non-English speakers on a daily basis so it’s imperative to know even just the basic greetings. Moreso, attempting to speak in Korean shows an immense amount of respect for the language and the culture.
#4 - Understand and honor the cultural habits of Korean society.
Knowing and implementing the cultural habits of Korea is crucial, especially if you will be living there for a long period of time. Short-term visitors often get slack for not understanding the unique habits of Korea, but for longer-term expatriates, it would be immensely disrespectful to not honor the habits of the Korean people. These are some of habits that should be followed:
- Always using both hands when giving and receiving items, especially cash
- Use the left side of the escalators when walking, the right side for standing
- Bowing when greeting others, especially those who are older
#5 - You will experience embarrassing moments, but don’t let it hinder you from doing things!
Being in a foreign country is tough. The language is different, the environment is unusual, and there are moments when you simply don’t know what to do or act. If you ever find yourself embarrassed because of a cross-cultural misunderstanding, don’t be ashamed! This is all part of the study abroad experience and sometimes the best way to learn is to experience these embarrassing moments first-hand. They also serve as a great memory to laugh at once the weeks pass by!
#6 - Don’t be shy. Go meet new people and make new friends!
You won’t be the only person flocking to Korea for a study abroad experience. Hundreds of other exchange students pour in from all over the world, fostering the perfect environment to make friends from all over the world. What a great opportunity to meet new people and even build a chance to visit them in their home countries in the future. Just in my own experience, I’ve made friends from the following countries: Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, and the mainland USA. This doesn’t include the Korean friends that I’ve met through KU.
#7 - Study your geography and review your HWST 107 materials.
As you’ll be meeting people from all over the world, it will be important to know where in the world they are from. Refreshing your geography knowledge might save you some awkward moments when meeting people from foreign countries abroad. Furthermore, being from Hawaii garners lively interest among people from opposite corners of the world; they will have tons of questions regarding life in Hawaii and its history and culture. So take out those HWST 107 notes - trust me when I say that they came in handy when sharing knowledge of Hawaii with others.
#8 - Brace yourself for crowds and “foot traffic.”
You’ll experience a different form of traffic in Seoul. As you board the subway during peak rush hours, hundreds of people will be attempting to hop on and squeeze in, and thousands will be rushing and hustling between transfer stations. Get ready to walk a bit faster when the entire crowd adopts a faster walking pace, and be sure to give way to those who are sprinting - they’re trying to catch the train on time and you don’t want to be the reason why they missed it.
#9 - Have a firm understanding of your spice tolerance.
One of my biggest lessons was this: if Koreans say that the food it’s not that spicy, there’s a big chance that it will still be spicy. Korean’s spice tolerance is relatively higher than the average human being, so keep this in mind especially if you’re like me: below average. Don’t be shy to ask about how spicy some foods will be and don’t be ashamed to ask for less spice. You wouldn’t want to cause a ruckus in a restaurant all because a foreigner couldn’t handle some flames!
#10 - In everything that you do, carry a grateful heart.
Every now and then, just remember how fortunate you are to be able to study abroad. Many people around the world dream of making their way to Korea, and you being there is a privilege that not many students are able to experience. So always carry a grateful heart for the experiences and memories that you will endure and cherish.
bucket-list check-up
In my About section of this blog, I made a bucket list of items that I wanted to do while in Seoul. Let’s take a look at the things that I’ve done:
Here are my top ten bucket list items:
In my About section of this blog, I made a bucket list of items that I wanted to do while in Seoul. Let’s take a look at the things that I’ve done:
Here are my top ten bucket list items:
- ✔️ Visiting Korean Drama landmarks (especially those shown in Itaewon Class, Start-Up, and Vincenzo). I visited the pub from Itaewon Class, and the Geumga Plaza from Vincenzo. It was so cool to see these filmed sights in person!
- ✔️ Eating every item from every street food vendor and marketplace. Gwangjang Market, Namdaemun Market, and Dongmun Market (Jeju) have been my favorite places in all of Korea. They’ve filled my stomach with so much joy and gladness.
- ✔️ Trying to find the best restaurant with the best chicken & beer dishes. BHC Chicken restaurants have been my favorite. Always a good meal when getting chicken and beer!
- ✔️ Indulging in different popular KBBQ locations and testing my stomach capacity. The amount of KBBQ that I’ve had is surreal. I might need to take a two-month break to balance out all the KBBQ for the rest of the year!
- ✔️ Checking out various cafes with different themes (there are dog cafes, cat cafes, even poop cafes!) Visited a dog cafe and a poop cafe.
- ❌Visiting the DMZ and catching a glimpse of North Korea. Wasn’t able to book a tour due to changing COVID regulations and being busy with school. I’ll be back one day!
- ✔️ Singing my heart out in Karaoke booths. My friends had the rare chance to hear my renditions of Frank Sinatra’s My Way and Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.
- ✔️ Visiting both historical and entertainment museums. Visited the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- ✔️ Emptying my wallet shopping for clothes and accessories, especially for an assortment of prescription glasses. Didn’t buy an assortment, but I did manage to get a nice pair of Raybans for a decent price!
- ✔️ Taking new stylish and aesthetic photos since I need to update my profile pictures. Profile pics have been updated! Looks like I won’t be updating them anytime soon!
감사합니다!
Kamsamnida - one the most frequented phrases to express thanks. Though the intensity of appreciation varies based on the situation, this final section of my blog is meant to showcase my utmost gratitude for the many people that have made my time in Korea worthwhile.
Kamsamnida - one the most frequented phrases to express thanks. Though the intensity of appreciation varies based on the situation, this final section of my blog is meant to showcase my utmost gratitude for the many people that have made my time in Korea worthwhile.
to mr. kim and to the coco family
I am so glad to have booked my accommodation at Coco Livingtel. Living there for five months granted me the opportunity to meet and live with so many amazing people from around the world. I’m truly grateful for the chance to call so many Europeans friends, and I can’t wait to visit you all one day! Mr. Kim - thanks for being one the best and chillest landlords Korea has to offer. I’m thankful for all of your bulgogi dinners, your generosity and kindness in guiding me through “I-need-a-Korean-speaker” moments, and your sassy sense of humor which I’ll never forget. Thanks for all the memories, Coco! to my professors at KUBS In all honesty, you really challenged my academic capabilities. Nonetheless, I’m appreciative of the opportunity to be challenged, and I’m truly grateful for your passionate lectures and sincere interest in imparting knowledge onto students. Special shoutouts to Professor Tony and Professor Jin Wook for being exceptional professors during my time at KUBS. Professor Tony, I will miss having you pick on me and my classmates when you use examples. Professor Jin Wook, I will miss your sarcasm and sometimes awkward sense of humor in your lectures. I’m leaving KUBS with a better attitude as a student, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities to grow academically and personally! to my chingus Dakota, Elise, Sam, and Fran: thanks for being such an awesome group of friends and for making my time in Korea so worthwhile. Truly, my favorite memories in Korea were when we would all simply hang out and enjoy each other’s company infused with some drinks. I will truly cherish all the times and memories that we spent together - just know that you all hold a special place in my study abroad memories. Cheers to lifelong friends rooted in soju, makgeolli, and academic struggles! |
and to you, readers of my blog
Thank you for taking the time to read and bear with my amateur blogging skills. I hope my content kept you interested and entertained, and I hope that it was of beneficial help for any Korea and KU-bound students. Though the Korea journey has ended, its lessons carry on and enhance my overall journey of life that’s ahead of me. I’m looking forward to everything that is ahead, and I wish you all the best as you continue traversing on your own journey of life. Cheers!
Thank you for taking the time to read and bear with my amateur blogging skills. I hope my content kept you interested and entertained, and I hope that it was of beneficial help for any Korea and KU-bound students. Though the Korea journey has ended, its lessons carry on and enhance my overall journey of life that’s ahead of me. I’m looking forward to everything that is ahead, and I wish you all the best as you continue traversing on your own journey of life. Cheers!