Delicious Journey through Korean History and Culture September 09, 2026
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/22/2026 to 06/22/2026 with
CIEE: Seoul - Arts + Sciences (Yonsei University)
I learned about myself and I learned a lot about Korean history and culture. It was the most worthwhile thing I could have done with my time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Study abroad only courses are very easy and approachable but general Yonsei courses are very intensive and follow a traditional structure that is very exam/paper heavy in the grading system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Really good support leading up to leaving but once in the country, the support system was lacking. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Really enjoyed staying off campus at the Mangrove in a single with access to a kitchen and private bathroom. Enjoyed the opportunity to explore outside of Sinchon and get to know more of Seoul as a whole. |
| * Food: |
SCRUMPTIOUS AND SO CHEAP. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The local culture has a lot of unspoken rules and strict expectations. However, students are really friendly but not personable until you really get to know them. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The CIEE staff were unhelpful but local clinics and pharmacists were very helpful and efficient and inexpensive. |
| * Safety: |
There was never a time I felt unsafe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Food and daily living were inexpensive but traveling around Korea would start to add up. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $175-200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget out each week and leave wiggle room for more or less spending. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Korean 1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Just keep speaking even when native speakers want to switch to english. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | I wish I knew more Korean. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
