A week in KU's ISP

Hi Sharks, it's Tiffany again and let me speed run through what a week in the International Summer Program with Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea looks like. 

Here was the tentative schedule KU provided:

      

As you can tell, the schedule was packed for such a short stay. I initially thought that a month's stay was good enough for me but I quickly realized I NEEDED a full semester. Korea is the country I have always wanted to visit and what's crazy is that in 2021, I wrote that I plan to study abroad in Korea for a scholarship essay, and the fact that I did just that this past summer is actually unbelievable. It was mainly hopeful wishing because I did not think it was feasible, especially because of money. Manifestation at its finest 🤞🏽. But all it took was making an appointment with Melissa because she literally helped, supported, guided, answered, reassured, and everything in between me to make studying abroad possible. Shout out Melissa, everyone say thank you Melissa 🥹. Anyways, I digress.

From Incheon Airport, I took the airport shuttle to the school. The airport shuttle has multiple stops throughout Seoul and thankfully there was a stop near. I dragged my luggage up a hill to the girls' dormitory and got settled. I also used this day to buy necessities and explore a little. The next day was Orientation, which took the bulk of the day and I got to meet my buddy. Each student had a native student of the school, a buddy, to help us around KU and Seoul in general. That day, our buddies showed us some spots near the school. We went bowling, played board games, and ate sushi for dinner.

Next, we had a two-day field trip to Jeonju where we ate good food and played dress up.

Then the first class of the program came. I only took K-Psychology, which was three hours, and fortunately, it was in the morning so my afternoons were free. 

Next, Waterbomb!! Waterbomb is a popular music festival involving a lot of water to cool off 😎. I saw KISS OF LIFE, Lee Younji, Jay Park, Kwon Eunbi, and so many more artists! And I left drenched from head to toe.

Lastly, weekends were dedicated to me and my downtime 😌. 

The subsequent weeks followed this general format but were filled with different places, experiences, and food. I really liked how the field trips were educational and helped me learn about Korea's history. Now I feel smarter whenever I watch K-dramas and the Joseon Dynasty is mentioned. At the same time, they planned fun activities such as amusement parks like Lotte World and Everland, and a baseball game (Korea does not play when it comes to baseball - each player had their own chant and EVERYONE knew word for word). The food was amazing and cheap. Transportation was fairly easy to navigate but the apps they use are different, instead of Google Maps, use NAVER maps. The majority of the people were nice and knew some English; however, there was only one incident where I was refused service because I could not effectively communicate. To be honest, I understand. I only knew what Duolingo, K-dramas, and K-pop taught me, which are the basics. I believe when traveling international waters, it is important to know how to communicate the basics so you are not completely lost. But other than that, it was not too bad 😅. When in doubt, use Papago (the better version of Google Translate).

Although this jam-packed schedule felt hectic and tiring at times, I absolutely cherish my time there with all the memories I made and every person I met. Today, I still keep in touch with the group of friends I made (we bonded over our love for food - we would stay up into the AM at the campus's convenience store and big back (eat) EVERY NIGHT (not an exaggeration)) and even KU's Senior Associate of International Office, Lucky. 

Love Korea, love my big backs, love Lucky, love Melissa, and love me 😍.

Prepare for a Summer in Korea

Hi Sharks, my name is Tiffany and I studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea this past summer! My International Summer program was one-month-long with Konkuk University. Here are my experiences and tips for preparing and packing for a month in Korea.

Entry requirements: I did not have to apply for a Visa or a K-ETA since it was only a month-long program; staying longer than 90 days required those mentioned. Things change and sometimes requirements are lifted but please do your due diligence and research any entry requirements. 

Important things to pack: First, I brought my passport and an additional form of government-issued identification such as my driver’s license. My passport was on me everywhere I went since certain places were tax-free. Next, I had physical copies of important documents such as my health insurance and official documents from my host university to show proof I was a part of the program. Although these documents can be accessed electronically, I printed out paper copies just in case. Also, it is required to get international health insurance if your current plan does not cover international. Especially at the airport, I kept these documents readily accessible just in case I ran into any trouble (I had no problems at the airport). Honestly, I think having your passport and one more form of ID is all you really need, the extra documents I brought were because of anxiety. Lastly, payment options. I had credit cards and both US cash and Korean won on me. Exchange rates are better there so I recommend doing it over there. There are even better rates in Seoul so try to find places besides the airport but even the airport is not that bad. Korea is card-friendly but some places only take won like your T-Money card. Also, from what I remember Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted, just remember there might be foreign transaction fees. If you go to Costco, it is only Visa or won. 

Other things to pack: The month was July and it was during their monsoon season; therefore, it was hot, humid, and rainy. So pack according to that 🙂.

Phone Data/Calling: There are plenty of options when it comes to your phone. Your phone carrier will have international plans but it will likely cost a lot. Other options include phone rentals, eSIM/SIM cards, and pocket wifi, and fortunately, these all can be purchased at the airport. If you search around, some websites offer discounts and pick-up at the airport for convenience. I think eSIMs are most convenient but your phone has to be unlocked for it to work. There will be certain conditions depending on your plan; for examples, a plan may or may not give you a Korean phone number, another may allow free incoming calls but charge for outgoing calls, or a certain amount of messages per month will be permitted and any extra will be charged, so check and carefully pick your plan according to what you think you need. If you want to call home back in the US, I suggest third-party apps such as Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, or even Instagram for contact because those are free. *Having a Korean phone number depends on you. It was not necessary for my situation but I assume for a full semester stay, having one would be helpful.* Korea usually has wifi everywhere like in shops, restaurants, and bus/train stations, but it is not strong so I would not chance it and rely on public wifi. 

Transportation: Plan on getting a T-Money card, their version of our Holo card. You will be walking and using public transportation a lot so prepare with cushioned shoes and Korean won. A T-Money card can be purchased in most convenient stores and you refill them with won only, there or at the stations.

Trip to Normandy

I think the trip to Normandy was such an amazing experience and I truly recommend everyone to go there, not only because of it's historical significance during World War II, but also because of it's beauty and relaxing vibe that anyone will enjoy.

Omaha Beach

After four weeks of classes, my friend and I decided to take a weekend trip up north of France to Normandy.  We decided to stay in Bayeux. The first day we were there we decided to just get settled in at the hotel and explore most of the town. The town was so cute because of the many small shops ranging from crêperies, souvenir shops, and antique stores. We also found a farmer's market as well. It was very interesting because there were just so many different things going on. People were selling live animals, there were cheese stands that sold many different types of cheese, and there were even food stands that served from huge cooking bowls. It was amazing.

On the second day, we planned to head down to Juno and Gold beach. Unfortunately my friend and I missed the bus. Luckily we were able to catch another bus that took us back to Omaha beach. So most of the day we just explored that beach and collected sand as souvenirs. The descent to Omaha beach was tiring. It was even worst going back up. I'd imagine how hard it was for those soldiers to climb up the slope from the beach back then.

Juno Beach

Also, I was able to collect a lot of shells from that beach. The shells were really pretty and big; different from that of back home where I would find shells in pieces. Because we had so much time, I even walked further towards the water. It was quite a walk as the sand area extended quite far before hitting the water.

On Sunday my friend and I were finally able to go to Juno and Gold Beach. The first one that we went to was Juno. We were actually dropped off at a port side town so we were able to do a bit of exploring before heading to the beach. The town was really interesting because like Bayeux we went through many little shops and farmer's market there. Once we reached the beach the first thing I noticed was how different the sand was from Omaha. The sand at Omaha was more soft and fine. At Juno, the sand was more rough. You were able to tell the difference.

Gold Beach

After Juno, we headed to Gold beach. I think this was my favorite because of the remains of history you can find here. On the beach itself, you can see remnants of the D-Day landings such as the floating bridges. My friend and I then walked up a hill to the Arromanches 360 for a better view of the beach. It was amazing. Going to the town was great too because it felt like I was in a movie.

Town near Gold Beach

Going to Normandy was the perfect way to end my study abroad program. Being able to experience the city life and exchange it for a simple country life in the end was very fun and relaxing. Normandy is an amazing place. I've only explored a small part of Normandy and didn't try everything yet what I've experienced was enough to make me fall in love with the place. Before going on this trip I never knew about the history and beauty this place holds and I'm glad I was able to experience it. I walked through history and it touched my heart. What that place went through and the soldiers that gave their lives that day sent chills down my spine as I walked those streets. This place is full of treasures and I would definitely come back in the future.


- Allysha Mae Martinez, Summer Study Abroad ESCE

Paris Favorites

Paris is full of mesmerizing and enticing wonders and it is difficult to choose what my favorite places and foods were during my stay here in this beautiful city. Some of these things are not available back in Hawaii so it’s something that I will miss a lot. It was definitely a great experience and it is something that I will look forward to in the future if I ever decide to come back to this beautiful city. So here are some of the many favorite things from France.

 Pain au Chocolat

The one place that I would go to for a quick snack or a cheap breakfast meal is a Boulangerie.  These bakeries are literally on every street and they sell such a variety of pastries and bread; some that aren’t even sold in Hawaii. A pastry that I have come to love and would always order is the pain au chocolat. It is pretty much a croissant filled with chocolate. They are sold in many sizes depending on the boulangerie that you go to but all the same it is delicious. Because I loved it so much I bought myself a pack at the local Monoprix to eat in my dorm. I even brought a pack home to Hawaii to share with family (but mostly for myself).

Kinder Bueno

This was my go-to snack when I got really hungry in class. During breaks, I would go to the vending machine and get this all the time. The pack comes in two and it’s a chocolate wafer filled with hazelnut. What’s even great is that while walking around the little shops, my friend and I found a huge candy store and I found that they were selling packs of these kinder Bueno. I ended up buying three packs of nine to bring home. These are really addicting.

Baguette

Everyone knows what a baugtte is and honestly it was pretty much what I ate during my stay in Paris. I haven’t really tried baguettes from bolangeries or other shops but I have tried to the ones that were sold during lunch at my school and they were delicious. There are different types such as ham and cheese, curry, and bologna and pickles. These things were really big and filling and were at a cheap price. Baugettes are very popular. Almost everywhere I go, I would see someone carrying two to three baguettes with them. I can see why though because you can fill it up with almost anything.

Château de Versailles

It wasn’t just food that I’ve come to enjoy but there are many places that I have visited that I’ve come to love. Aside from the typical well known tourist spots such as the Eiffel Tower or the Lourve, there are so much more places to see. For me one of my favorite places that I’ve visited was the Château de Versailles. This place is about 30 minutes away by train and is such an amazing sight to see. This estate used to belong to King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and it is HUGE. Compared to the ‘Iolani Palace, the Palace of Versailles is probably 10 bigger, not including the acres of gardens and fountains around the palace. They even offer golf carts and bike rentals for visitors because the walk around the whole estate can be quite tiring. At one point, my friend and I rented bikes and pedaled all the way to the other side of the estate near Mary Antoinette’s estate. The gardens are marvelous. It was an adventure getting through some of them because it was like the maze in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Also, what I thought was really amazing was the classical music that played throughout the gardens. It gave such a relaxing, enchanting vibe. This place is definitely worth going to and I would definitely go again.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Another place that I think is worth going to is the Notre Dame Cathedral. Yes, it’s just like the cathedral from the movie Hunchback of Notre Dame (that’s the first thing I thought of when I saw it). I think this is one of the most beautiful cathedrals I’ve ever seen. The architecture is truly amazing. Though the line to get is may be intimidating because of how long it gets, it’s still worth it because it’s free and the lines go by really fast so you would only be standing in line for a couple of minutes. Once you go inside it’s so mysterious and very gothic looking. There are many sculptures and paintings throughout the cathedral and you are able to light up candles to pay respects.

Catacombs

Probably not a place a lot of people would like to visit but I thought this place was by far amazing. The line for this was ridiculously long but luckily my school was able to book a tour prior so we were all able to go get in quite fast. The Catacombs was quite a sight to see. I didn’t realize how deep underground we had to go but it was quite a walk. We descended almost 20 feet underground and a few more after to get to the remains. We learned a lot throughout the tour. We learned that over six billion Parisians from around the 17-18^th century was buried there because there wasn’t enough space in the graves above ground. What I found interesting was the fact that there are more Parisian remains that the population of Hawaii.

Though there are many more things that I enjoyed on my trip, these are the few that I really enjoyed and recommend to those who are planning to study abroad in Paris, France. There are so much more things to do and explore in this beautiful city and I loved every second of it. It was fun experiencing new things and exploring so many historical places. It’s something I will definitely do again.

- Allysha Mae Martinez, Summer Study Abroad ESCE