A Veteran Returns to Korea Past Review
By Kenneth Nienhuser (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/17/2016 to 12/22/2016 with
Korea University: Seoul - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Learned a lot more Korean, made some good friends and saw a lot of things I did not experience my last time there.
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 like the program, and the campus itself is one of the top schools in Korea. The courses are intense if they are related to your major, but the general ed courses are pretty easy. If you want to work, this can be a worthwhile challenge. If you want to just enjoy being abroad, there are definitely classes and workloads to ensure that this will be one of your most enjoyable and eye-opening semesters. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They pretty much take care of everything for you, just make sure you sign up for your alien registration card appointment. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
On the smaller side, but cheaper and cleaner than US side campus living. |
| * Food: |
Seoul has a lot of amazing food and drinks to offer. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You're buddy will always be able to speak in English and helps you every step of the way, so that can take out of the immersion a little bit (though for most its necessary), but outside of that your groups will make sure you get the best of what Korea has to offer and make sure you enjoy a semester or two in the life of a university student. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Grab a buddy to take you to a hospital if you need to go, its not something you can do on your own. |
| * Safety: |
Safest large city I've ever lived in. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Love the campus and the atmosphere, can not rate it perfectly due to issues with credit transfers and some of the bad teachers, but overall was an amazing program. |
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) |
Cheap accommodations, cheap food, cheap transportation. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you want to save money, you're going to have to accommodate your tastes to cheaper Korean foods. American foods/products can be expensive, especially milk and peanut butter. |
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 |
It's what you make it. Your buddies will speak in English unless you tell them you want to speak Korean. Most classes are in English, taking Korean courses is a real challenge, would not recommend unless you are already fluent. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Stay away from the other exchange members if language practice is your goal, most came to enjoy themselves, not learn the language. There are plenty of language exchange groups in the area. |
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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| 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? | That no Korean professor uses a guide or lets you use powerpoints outside of class time (not accessible online, at least in the two courses I tried to take [IPE and Asian History]). Makes taking courses there in Korean impossible without already being fluent. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
