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.