안녕하세요 여러분!
Hello everyone, my name is Alex Olson!
During Fall 2022, I spent the first semester of my senior year at Sogang University (서강대학교) in South Korea and it was one of the best experiences of my life! I met so many wonderful people and I was able to experience being in a foreign country by myself for the first time; I learned so much about myself and a culture that is beautifully and significantly different than my own!
Sogang University
First, I'll start off with talking about my university! Sogang University is located in the center of Seoul, it's actually a great location by surrounding areas of must-see sights and tourist attractions. It's also easily accessible to many of the subway lines.
While studying there, I took two classes to receive credits for my minors in English and writing. I also took a US history class for my History Gen. Ed. credit, which sounds peculiar, but it was actually very eye-opening, fascinating and educational to hear history about the US from an outside perspective! I also took a beginning Korean Language class. Sogang University is known for its Korean language courses and offers classes to not only students at Sogang, but other foreign language speakers from outside the university's association. It's a pretty prestigious program that lived up to its reputation because I felt like I learned quite a lot in a short amount of time and I was able to hold many fluent conversations in Korean by the conclusion of the program; It was also very fun, and my teacher was extremely nice, helpful and encouraging!
The university itself is very small and its buildings surround their huge soccer field and basketball courts. It also has large hills that lead up to the library and older buildings that haven't been renovated like the buildings closer to the main parts of campus. There are several ways to enter the university campus, which is convenient depending on which building your classes are in. The main campus entrance is greeted by a huge gate and a monument that symbolizes the university. Accommodations are also available on campus and close to many buildings that hold classes.
Accommodation and Location
During my time in Korea, I stayed in a long-term Airbnb near my university. If you want to stay in the dorms on campus, apply EARLY because they fill up fast! I stayed in an area called Hongdae (홍대), which is a popular area for younger people and is known for its restaurants, fashion street shopping areas, bars and clubs. It's about a 10-minute subway ride (2 stops over) through Line 6 (Sangsu station) and a 30-minute walk from my university. The accommodation itself was very affordable and it was conveniently near many places to visit; I never ran out of anything to do! Hongdae is also near Sinchon, which is another area full of restaurants and shopping areas; Sogang University is located in between both areas but directly next to Sinchon. All of these areas are within walking distance of each other but are also accessible by the subway Lines 2 and 6 (Sangsu and Sinchon stations). In these areas specifically, everything is very close together!
Traveling
Traveling around Korea is extremely convenient and organized. Everything is labeled in English and Korean, and the subway lines reach all around Seoul. Other forms of transportation also involve buses and trains that help you travel outside Seoul. Transporation is fairly cheap but adds up depending on how much you travel. I used subway lines more than buses because I felt like they were faster but sometimes, it's more convenient to take the bus. I was able to travel outside in rural areas such as Pochon, Daegu, Pohang, Gyeongju, Ulsan and even Busan, which is on the southern part of Korea. I used overnight buses to travel because they were cheaper. Fast trains are offered as well but more expensive. Traveling is very easy and accessible; it really just depends on preference and convenience of how you want to get somewhere and what time of day you're traveling!
Money
When I first got to Korea, I was advised to open a short-term bank account so I could access and transfer money easily. I tried to do so multiple times but with the language barrier and other requirements needed as a foreigner, I found it to be very difficult, so I just used the credit cards I brought with me that had no foreign transactions fees on them and then took out cash when I needed it. I think it would have been better to have a bank account, but it ended up being easier just to use cards with no fees and cash. One big source of money I do recommend using is the T-money card. T-money cards are reusable cards that you can transfer money onto and refill with money continuously. They're available at any train station or convenience store and you can keep adding money to it whenever needed. T-money cards are especially helpful for subways stations where you can just tap them and go!
Some Tips for Korea!
#1 - Be sure to get your visa early enough before going to Korea! Sogang University also requires foreign exchange students to have evidence of having $5,000 minimum of pocket money in order to instill financial stability while you're studying in Korea, so be sure to save up!
#2 - The only necessities I couldn't get in Korea were charging converters and full-body towels! I got charging adapters off Amazon for a very reasonable price before I left, but when I arrived in Korea, I was shocked to learn people use handcloths instead of bath towels after showering. Full-body towels were hard to find and if I did find them, they were expensive! So, be sure to think about those necessities before going!
#3- Beware about cultural differences! For starters, so many people in Korea smoke cigarettes, they're everywhere! If you are someone that has breathing problems, just be mindful of areas you are in as the congestion of the air in the city of Seoul is not as good quality as other places. Also, Korea is a Confucius society based off of major principles surrounding respect, especially for those older than you, so keep that in mind when addressing people there.
#4 - There are designated areas on public transportation for older and pregnant people, don't sit in those seats! If there are no pregnant people using them then it is fine, but the seats at the end of each train carton are specially for elders only; Don't sit there, I've seen youngsters get scolded!
#5- Learn Hangul if you can! Hangul is Korea's beautiful, national language. There are similarities between Korean and English as some words in Korean are borrowed from the English language, therefore, learning Hangul will make it easier to communicate with others and navigate the city. People in Korea also tend to be more conservative and keep to themselves compared to people in America; Learning how to communicate in their language breaks that barrier and really helps you immerse in your experience in Korea as well as make it easier to connect with people that you meet there!
#6 - Download Kakao Talk, Kakao Maps, and Naver Maps! Google maps doesn't work in Korea so downloading those map apps are extremely useful for navigating the city and Korea in general! Kakao Talk is also everyone's preferred use of communication so it's nice to connect with others through that app. Otherwise, you can text people off your phone if you purchase a SIM card, which I recommend you doing!! SIM cards can be purchased at airports but mostly only last one month. There are areas in Hongdae or in city areas where you can purchase long-term SIM cards that give you a Korean phone number and unlimited internet data (which are cheaper than the ones at the airport!).
#7 - Be prepared for the weather! I came at the end of the summer, and it was burning hot, then fall came and it was beautiful and cool; then I experienced the coldest winter ever - the wind chill is no joke! Pack necessities to brace these weather changes. I remember getting sick twice during the semester because of the changing weather so be sure to protect yourself with your attire!
#8 - HAVE FUN! Explore as much as you can and eat all the delicious foods that Korea has to offer! The culture is so rich, and their history is full of stories that have developed their way of life. I seriously had the best time just learning about a country that is so different from the one I was raised in. I loved connecting with everyone I met there and learned so much about others different from me; I can't wait to go back in the future!
Studying abroad in Korea was the best experience for me; It was the best place to go by myself for the first time and I learned so much about traveling, independence, and of course, Korea! I'm very grateful that I was able to have this opportunity through HPU's Study Abroad Program. I hope my blog post helps those in the future who wish to study at Sogang University or traveling to Korea in general!
Until next time...
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