McKailyn’s Summer season Overseas in Seoul

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Desperate to step into the footsteps of a school scholar who’s experiencing life in South Korea? We not too long ago caught up with AIFS Overseas scholar McKailyn, a Secondary Math Training main with a minor in Spanish from Ball State College. She spent her summer time break finding out overseas within the capital metropolis of Seoul on our program at Sogang College.

Learn on to be taught extra about her research overseas expertise with AIFS Overseas and the influence of being a world scholar in Seoul.

Selecting a Research Overseas Program Vacation spot & Time period

Deciding when and the place to check overseas generally is a problem for lots of scholars (our staff might help with that!), however regardless of the place you go, you’re in for the journey of a lifetime! McKailyn selected Seoul, which is a spectacular choice for college kids excited by dwelling and studying in Asia. Hear extra about why this dynamic Korean metropolis was ideally suited for her summer time time period overseas.

“I’ve at all times wished to go to South Korea, and sooner or later, I hope to show English there with the Fulbright scholarship and afterward keep and educate math as effectively. I’d undoubtedly advocate going to South Korea to anybody who can! It was wonderful; I met so many individuals, ate scrumptious meals, and the town was so stunning.”

However, why research overseas in Seoul throughout summer time particularly?

“I selected to check there in the course of the summer time as a result of with my main there are courses which can be solely provided in the course of the fall or spring semesters, so I can’t research overseas in the course of the common tutorial 12 months. July is monsoon season in Seoul, and it is usually extraordinarily humid, however actually, it was so stunning and also you alter and adapt to it in order that it doesn’t have an effect on you as commonly (at all times carry an umbrella!).”

Lecturers in Seoul

One of the crucial thrilling elements of finding out overseas is taking distinctive, experiential programs at your host college or establishment! It lets you be in a unique studying atmosphere than you’re used to again at house, and might broaden your perspective. By AIFS Overseas, McKailyn’s summer time programs overseas had been taken at Sogang College in Seoul, a extremely aggressive establishment for native admissions that hosts round 8,000 college students, together with 1,350 worldwide college students.

“Everybody at Sogang was wonderful and very useful! There have been discipline journeys on Fridays that had been guided and transportation was supplied (price was included within the tuition worth). Additionally, there have been buddy actions on Tuesdays with college students from Sogang that went round Seoul. The buddy actions that I went on had been: a Nanta efficiency, laser tag, baseball sport, Coex Mall and Starfield Library, and a farewell dinner (Ok bbq). My courses had been additionally wonderful, and the professors had been nice!”

At Sogang College, research overseas college students aren’t restricted to solely taking courses with college students from their respective organizations. McKailyn acquired to make connections with college students from world wide!

“My courses had been principally composed of different worldwide college students. In whole, there have been 3 AIFS college students between my two courses. A few of my buddies that I made had extra AIFS college students of their courses.”

Finding out overseas presents a novel alternative to take programs in a brand new setting. Whether or not you might have necessities to satisfy to finish your diploma or want to enroll in electives that merely pique your curiosity, there are tons of fantastic studying alternatives! In McKailyn’s case, she centered totally on Korean language and tradition programs to fulfill necessities for her Honors program at her house establishment.

“I took Starting Korean Language and Korean Society. Truthfully, I beloved each of the programs and I can’t choose which one was my favourite. In my Korean Language class, I made fairly a couple of buddies and so many humorous recollections. Whereas, in my Korean Society class we had wonderful discussions, I realized a lot about Korean Society, and so many humorous interactions. Neither of those courses counted in the direction of my main, minor, or college core curriculum, nonetheless, they did rely in the direction of courses that I wanted to absorb the Honors Faculty at Ball State College.”

Transitioning into a brand new tutorial setting will be an thrilling problem! When you’re used to life as a school scholar on your property college’s campus being a sure manner, life as a scholar overseas isn’t going to be an actual duplicate of that have — together with within the classroom. McKailyn’s research overseas programs in Seoul had been arrange a bit in a different way than those she sometimes takes at Ball State College, sharing:

“The courses had been somewhat totally different as a result of they had been three hours lengthy every (10 am to 12:50 pm, and a couple of:00 pm to 4:30 pm). There have been breaks constructed into the courses that helped immensely to remain concentrated. The programs had been additionally very fast-paced, however that was additionally as a result of they had been 4-week programs.”

Language Studying

Enjoyable reality: It’s not a requirement to be fluent in a overseas language to check overseas! Whereas some course choices might require a sure degree of proficiency, we will accommodate language learners of all ranges on our applications. If language immersion scares you a bit, you may at all times select to check overseas in an English-speaking nation, however we encourage you to push your self out of your consolation zone for those who’re in any respect . It may be extremely thrilling to be taught a brand new language as a scholar overseas — each inside and out of doors of the classroom!

Hear about McKailyn’s expertise with the Korean language as a research overseas scholar in Seoul with AIFS Overseas:

“Earlier than touring to South Korea I knew the way to learn Hangul and a few primary phrases/phrases. Whereas I used to be there although, my Korean improved immensely. This was due to the Korean Language course that I took, and being surrounded by the language. An vital factor to work on is your listening, as a result of for those who can not less than perceive what they’re saying you may be capable to level, clarify with fingers, or use damaged Korean to speak.”

Housing

Do you know all AIFS Overseas applications embody housing? Typical choices embody shared residences, scholar residences/dorms, and dwelling with a native household in a homestay. McKailyn’s lodging in Seoul had been in a scholar residence.

“I lived within the worldwide dorm on campus. My roommate was one other AIFS scholar and we grew to become nice buddies throughout our program length. In our room, we had our personal lavatory, bathe, private wardrobes, beds, and desks.”

Making Buddies Overseas

Faculty is usually the primary time many college students are out on their very own, forging friendships with different college students that may change into virtually like household. Due to this, it may be comprehensible that some are on the fence about doing a research overseas program alone or take into account holding off making use of till a pal is offered to go together with them. Clearly the extra the merrier, however we advocate that you just research overseas when it’s handy for you. Chances are high you’ll forge new friendships as soon as overseas, like McKailyn did as a scholar in Seoul with AIFS Overseas.

“I didn’t know anybody earlier than happening this research overseas. Earlier than this system I had spoken to a different woman on and off, who funnily sufficient ended up being my roommate. There have been additionally two college students from my house college that went whom I didn’t know, however I grew to become good buddies with one among them and coincidentally now we have a category collectively after we return within the fall. One other bizarre coincidence was that somebody who went to my highschool however was a 12 months older than me was additionally in this system and we had our Korean Society class collectively.

Aside from these bizarre coincidences, I made quite a lot of buddies by means of my courses, the buddy actions, and simply by going round Seoul. I’m a really introverted individual and I have a tendency to stay to myself, one of the best recommendation that I can present is to not be afraid to go as much as somebody and strike up a dialog, or in the event that they method you don’t run away from the dialog.”

Social & Cultural Actions

Each AIFS Overseas program contains social and cultural actions, in addition to excursions — and our research overseas program in Seoul is not any exception! These co-curricular experiences are a tremendous solution to be taught outdoors of the classroom, and for college kids to get to know their host area and its tradition. Our college students in Seoul can select from a wide range of exercise choices, however McKailyn beloved having the ability to go to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South Korea and North Korea.

“I beloved the DMZ tour that we did, it supplied a visible perspective into the battle between North and South Korea. As a lot as I’ve examine it and realized about it in my Korean Society class, it was utterly totally different from being there and seeing it in individual. Additionally, after we had been on the remark level we had been in a position to see North Korea and even noticed North Korean residents with binoculars. It was additionally intriguing to be taught that individuals truly dwell within the DMZ, not bodily within the energetic army zone, however previous the checkpoint.”

Cultural Immersion

Once you first arrive to your research overseas vacation spot and begin to transition into your life abroad, odds are you might expertise somewhat little bit of tradition shock. Traditions, customs, language, and the general tradition can really feel overwhelming to some — however finally, you end up immersed and actually relishing in a few of the variations! And the reality is, it’s distinctive to every scholar. Everybody experiences it at totally different ranges! In McKailyn’s case, she discovered herself having to get used to some minor variations — however total transitioned into Korean tradition seamlessly.

“I don’t assume I skilled an amazing tradition shock being in South Korea. It did take a little bit of time to regulate to a few of the staring that I obtained and folks being unafraid to method me, however they had been all good experiences.”

However what about cultural experiences overseas, each in every single day life and distinctive one-off experiences?

“I beloved how type, welcoming, and approachable individuals had been in South Korea. Fairly a couple of occasions I had individuals ask me the place I used to be from, why I selected to return to Korea, and what I loved about being there. Individuals had been additionally so type and affected person, particularly after I stumbled by means of the little Korean that I do know.

I beloved going to the palaces and museums whereas I used to be there and realized a lot about Seoul and South Korea total. A variety of the museums had been all free or had been lowered worth for being below 24 or an undergraduate scholar. I additionally beloved how the town was a mixture of conventional and fashionable, particularly within the Jongno district of Seoul.”

Progress by means of Training Overseas

Finding out overseas can result in big development in all realms — private, skilled, tutorial, and extra. McKailyn’s summer time in Seoul made a profound influence on her private improvement and confirmed her plans for the long run.

“I pushed myself additional than I assumed that I’d. I used to be in another country, midway internationally, and nobody knew me there. It was scary at first, nevertheless it was liberating. Personally, I made much more buddies and spoke to so many individuals, that I usually wouldn’t have as a result of I have a tendency to stay to myself or acquainted individuals. Being in South Korea, solidified my want to return and educate English and math there after I graduate from Ball State.”

Closing Ideas

McKailyn’s last phrases of knowledge for future research overseas contributors? Seize the momen!

“Don’t be scared to go to a overseas nation alone. Take the time while you’re younger, and also you by no means know when you might expertise this once more.”

Are you a scholar who’s able to take the leap and research overseas in Seoul like McKailyn did with AIFS Overseas? We’d love that will help you begin your journey!

Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to faculty college students and pre-professionals research and intern overseas. Our applications are extremely inclusive, which takes quite a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site employees, and extra, you’ll take consolation in understanding you’ll have help all through your whole expertise overseas.