Summer Abroad in Korea Past Review
By A student (International Relations And Global Studies, East Asian Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 07/02/2013 to 08/08/2013 with
Yonsei University: Yonsei International Summer School
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a little more insight into my personal background as a Korean-American and a look into cultural customs. It was worthwhile and a memorable experience! The only reason I wouldn't choose the same program is because of personal reasons; as a Korean-American I wish I had chosen somewhere a little more out of my comfort zone so that I could experience going abroad to a truly foreign country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | A little over $100 a week but that was including food and personal budget (clothes, gifts, etc.) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Know when to splurge, you can save a lot of money on food because it's so cheap in the surrounding areas! |
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 would have been difficult to get around and communicate if you didn't have basic knowledge of the Korean language. There were language courses available and it seemed the majority of people took these courses. However, these courses were not mandatory. |
| 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? | I didn't take any Korean language courses as it wasn't required. However, I am conversational in Korean as I speak it at home. |
| 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? | Study!!!! It's important to know some Korean to be able to get around and enjoy the experience to its full extent. However, no matter how much you study, there's only so much you can do. You'll learn the most through application of the language during your study abroad stay so just think of it as a learning experience when you make mistakes or pronounce things incorrectly. |
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?
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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 to put myself more out of my comfort zone and applied to study abroad somewhere I had never been before. Although I enjoyed my stay in Korea, I feel as though I was already used to the country and so couldn't get the full experience of soaking in a new environment and local culture. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
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