Q & A

I've actually gotten quite a few good questions asked of me about actually studying abroad. I figured I'd put together a few questions and answer them for everyone reading.

• How did you get to Korea?
• I applied to my home university’s study abroad program for a few years in a row. They had an exchange program with Yonsei University, so I took advantage of that! If you're in University, search out your study abroad department! If you have yet to enter University, study hard and when you get to your college start planning for what you want to do! When the time is right, find your study abroad office and go ahead with youre plans!

• How did you get to study in Korea through your study abroad?
• I worked very hard and was persistent. I was very passionate and wouldn’t give up on my goal to study in Korea, so I did my best in my classes and on my application to study abroad. It’s a little complicated, but after three years, I was able to be accepted and was then sent on my merry way! My advice for those who want to study in Korea is to not give up. I could have given up four times before I was accepted, but I didn’t and that’s the reason I’m here now. Someone who has convinced themselves they have failed are only holding themselves back! Believe you will fail and you already have failed…believe in yourself and your goal and you’re already halfway to success~! Just keep trying!

• How much did it cost to study in Korea?
• This is a sketchy question but I’ve been asked it quite a bit. As an exchange student through my university, I paid tuition to my home school. So I paid whatever it cost back home for tuition, not what it costs here. It was about $1,500 for a plane ticket (a little over, I think), and my single dorm room on campus cost around ~$2,500. Korea itself is also expensive: clothes, eating out at restaurants, drinking….all of these things can make a significant impact on the wallet.

• What is your major/minor
• My major is English Literature and my minor is Asian Studies.

• What classes are you taking at Yonsei?
• Mostly Korean studies courses. Taking these will finish my minor for me. I am currently taking Introduction to Korean Studies, Communication Media in Korea, Contemporary Korean Cinema and Society, and Early Modern Korea and its Historical Sites in Seoul.

• Do I have to know Korean to apply to Yonsei?
• To apply to Yonsei as an exchange student (or to the KLI program) you don’t have to know any Korean at all. They offer English courses (all of mine are taught in English only). If you are wondering about applying to Yonsei University as a regular student, I would think you’d have to know Korean, but I’m not sure.

• Are you in KLI (Korean Language Institute)?
• No, I’m not….so I probably won’t be much help for those with KLI questions!

• Pros/Cons of Korea?
• Pros :
• Everything is insanely convenient. Food everywhere, shops on every floor of every shopping building, the subways…everything!
• The food. The food is so good here. Korean food tastes best in Korea, and the bad-for-you foods taste just as amazing! There are a good variety of foods to try every day because there are so many places to choose from.
• The nightlife. I’m somewhat of a fun-killer, I suppose, as I don’t drink much or party at all…but the nightlife I’ve experienced is great! Myeongdong is super exciting, and hanging out at bars with friends is a great night to be had!
• Cons :
• No Netflix in Korea. Haha, kidding. (I’m not kidding Netflix. Fix this.)
• You feel very much like an outsider in Korea if you don’t look Korean.
• The food. Wait, food can’t be a pro and a con! Yes, it can and it is. They have such good food that you can put on weight very easily. Be careful…you won’t lose weight just by coming here!
• Korea is expensive…Koreans love brands and designers. Some of the quality of clothing is like what I’d pay $15 for back home, but it’s marked here as $80. They love the idea of designer and brand here!

If there are any other questions my readers have, please tell me and I'll gladly answer them! I hope that these answers were helpful! They can be questions about me, about Korea, or about study abroad! I'll be glad to help you all out!