Unforgettable memories and experiences. Past Review
By joanna.poget (Linguistics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/24/2013 to 06/20/2013 with
Ewha Womans University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
My time abroad was definitely worthwhile. I gained many new friends, discovered a whole new country and culture, discovered a delicious new cuisine, became more independent and confident, proved myself that I can thrive outside of my comfort zone, proved to myself that I can live in a completely different culture / country, broadened my horizons, and gained more flexibility and adaptability.
Review Photos
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. |
The classes I took were fun and informative while not being overly stressful and time consuming, leaving time to explore the city and meet new people. The teachers were fun and engaging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the most part interactions with the administration went well. However on certain occasions communication was not always clear, and sometimes it seemed as if the administration did no quite know how to react to certain situations and problems that arose. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing was clean and nice, with good facilities. |
| * Food: |
Both the on campus and off campus food was very good and quite cheap too. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Overall I felt extremely welcomed and at home in Seoul/Korea, even though there was a constant feeling of being "other", being different from the norm, not quite fitting in. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to get a Hep A and Typhoid vaccinations before leaving which were painless and quickly done. I did not really need to use the health services while I was abroad, but on the one occasion I did have to use them the service was good, communication went well and my health issues were addressed. Hard to compare to my home health services as I do not often use health services at my school. |
| * Safety: |
I felt completely safe during my entire time abroad, and never had any moments where I felt scared or threatened. Seoul is extremely safe, during the day as well as at night. |
| 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) |
I was able to live very easily on a student's budget. On campus dining options are very cheap (2-3 dollars a meal), restaurants around the school are also fairly cheap (5-10 dollars a meal), and many of the stores around the university are not very expensive, since they are catering to college students. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | For food probably about 150 dollars a week. For other expenses (transportation, leisure, etc.) it really depended on what I was doing the at week; probably anywhere from 20-200 dollars. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Although it can be hard to know exactly what you will be spending until you arrive at your destination, it is good to plan ahead how much you want to spend for what (food, souvenirs, concerts, transportation, etc.) so that way you won't run out of money. Pacing yourself is another good way to not overspend. You might be tempted to buy a lot of things when you first get there, or cram in souvenir shopping right before you leave, but it will be easier for you and your pocketbook if you pace yourself throughout the whole trip. |
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? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had gotten half way through my third year of Korean. |
| 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? | The best way to practice your language skills is to listen to a lot of music in that language (while reading the lyrics), watch television programs/shows in that particular language, listen to it on the radio if you can, and most importantly, make a lot of friends from your study abroad country (via clubs, parties, etc.) with whom you will be able to practice speaking and get a feel for how the language is used in "real life" as opposed to only in the classroom. |
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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* 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? |
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 honestly cannot think of anything in particular right now. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
