Transformative! Past Review

By (University of Nottingham) - abroad from 06/26/2017 to 08/03/2017 with

Korea University: Seoul - International Summer Campus

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about myself and it forced me to be very independent. I met so many people from the country and also international students from all parts of the world. I gained so much experience by being around people that live very different lives to me. I also want to revisit Korea because there's so much more to see, and the people were so friendly and welcoming. It was a scary experience at first because I have never done something like this, but it really pushed me to try new things and be adventurous.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The intensity was a good level to keep me busy but allowed me to have free time to explore Korea enough. My professor was great and super friendly!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everything ran smoothly and there was always someone to contact if you needed help. They were very efficient with keep you clued up via email.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I LOVED the dorms I lived in (Frontier House). They were kept extremely clean, with cleaners coming every 3 weeks. The air con was great and there was plenty of storage space for clothing and books. The en suite was spacious, modern and, again, super clean. It was interesting living with a roommate but it was super fun!

* Food:

My accommodation at Frontier House didn't have a kitchen so you couldn't make food, but they had a cafeteria where you could buy a certain number of meals. I did this and the food was SO GOOD, there was always something different available, and the portions was so big and it was just delicious. I also bought food from the convenience store just downstairs which was also great.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Even though we were in Seoul, we were in an area called Anam, which was a bit away from the main city area. There are lots of local shops and food places around and I really felt like I was being immersed in the culture. It's something I will never forget. We were also taken on cultural trips like Taekwondo and Korean cooking, helping us really get in touch with things specific to Korean culture. The locals were realllyyyyy friendly as well and really helped me feel welcome!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I pulled a ligament in my foot. I had travel and health insurance so I went to the university hospital to get it checked out. The doctor English and just gave me a sort of brace. It would have cost about 30,000 won in total for the checkup and the brace, which would have been around £27. It was relatively easy to sort it all out, I didn't have to miss any classes, I just had to rest my foot for about a week or so. The only vaccination I got was Hepatitis A.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in the city. There were no incidents and everyone there is respectful. I also felt safe walking around at night, considering I don't feel safe doing that back home (UK). The city is as alive in the night as it is in the day and there's lots of places open till very late or even 24hours. I would still be careful with keeping phones and stuff close to you as I assume there will be pickpockets no matter which city you visit, and tourists are a target.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

It changed my perspective on so many things, and it showed me what I am capable of. I had a great sense of pride being able to be part of KU and loved being on campus. The program allowed me to study but have plenty of time to explore and have experiences out of the country.

Finances

* 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)

4 - you have to be careful since the money you bring has to last you quite a while, so you have to stretch it out and not get too excited spending all your money in the first couple weeks. I was able to live perfectly fine being able to get food and pay for experiences and items while exploring. I also got a bursary of around £270 from my university as they were a part of Universitas21 with Korea University

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around £150 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Definitely make a budget and try to stick to it somewhat. I knew a few people who blew their money in the first leg of the program. It's also so much better, in my opinion, spending money on experiences rather than items.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The programs were in English so there was no requirement to speak Korean. However, I took a Korean language class alongside my course as I wanted to be able to communicate when out and about in the city.

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? GCSE at high school
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? Learn the alphabet so you can read, it will help a lot when using textbooks and you'll be able to read a bit more fluently. Definitely try learning around the 100 most used phrases, like for ordering food or asking for directions. If you google it it'll come up and give you a headstart.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Being able to study something I have always wanted to try
  • Being immersed in a culture very different from the west
  • Meeting people from different countries whom I never would have met otherwise
* What could be improved?
  • Maybe some more information on transport so we could use it confidently from the beginning
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I feel like I was prepared, I did a lot of research before going and my university gave us some information too.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Korean Cinema and Visual Culture

Course Department:
Instructor: Darcy Paquet
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was challenging for me because I do a science for my degree back home. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and the teacher was passionate about the subject and was very engaging. He has a lot of experience with Korean cinema, writing for magazines and setting up his own website specifically about film in Korea. I enjoyed every class. There wasn't much class participation, but I was fine with that. The assessments were through a midterm, 3 assignments giving our opinions on a 3 movies, a scene analysis and final exam. All of it was doable and the workload wasn't too much at all.
Credit Transfer Issues: I couldn't transfer credits to my institution but I knew this before I went to KU ISC. A lot of my friends transferred their credits though so you'll have to investigate that with your university.