Nami Island

Author: Christina Lim | Major: Animal Science | Semester: Spring 2023

This semester has truly been a transformative one. Spending my second to last spring semester at Yonsei University has help me develop my independence, individuality, and cultural understanding of my own home country. I was born in Korea but moved to the US when I was only 2 years old. Although I’ve gone back to visit every few years, I still feel a great detachment from the place the I once called home. To rekindle the relationship I once had with my mother country, I decided to spend a semester learning about the culture I was so unfamiliar with.

While I was attending Yonsei University I took many courses focused on Korean society and culture. The class I most enjoyed was the Korean Traditional Culture and Music class that took place once a week. We learned about Korean folk music and the different variations originating from different provinces. Outside of class I spend a great deal of my time hanging out with other exchange students and exploring the country. I went to Busan, Jeju Island, Daegu, and many other cities outside of Seoul.

A normal day would consist of going to class and then heading to Sinchon for dinner. Sinchon was a very popular area next to the Yonsei campus that many college students and tourists frequented. There were unbelievable amounts of cafes and restaurants around every corner. My favorite restaurant was a small family-owned place called “Strawberry” right next to the dorms. They had good traditional Korean food for a cheap price. On the weekends my friends and I would either go on one-day trips or simply explore Seoul. Personally, I had never experienced a city as big and advanced as Seoul, so adjusting to the new environment was difficult at first. Learning how to navigate the subway and bus systems was an ordeal for me. However, as time passed, I became increasingly comfortable and now and confident in traveling by myself.

Besides the interesting classes offered at Yonsei, I really enjoyed learning how to live and problem-solve on my own. There were several moments during my time in Korea where I had regretted coming. I was the only person from the U of A who was in my program and knew no one among the exchange students. I didn’t realize how many people studied abroad with their friends. The first few days were pretty lonely, and I really missed the friends I had back home. However, as time passed, I made many new friends that I still keep in contact with today.