Something I'll carry with me Forever

 College of Arts and Sciences      September 13, 2023

The first day I arrived in South Korea, I was greeted by a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time. I had met her during my first semester as a freshman at WCU. We exchanged so much of our respective cultures that when the end of the semester came, we promised each other that one day we would meet in one of our own countries. Due to the pandemic, there was a delay in meeting again. It had been four years when she came and picked me up from the airport, and we had our first meal together in South Korea, her home county. When I got there, I was exhausted, but so eager to learn everything I could that I asked my friend what is everything that was said while ordering food. They have a culture that focuses a lot on respect, and I wanted to be as respectful as I could be, and like a sponge I took every mannerism and words she showed me and engraved it into my brain. I think because of this, I was able to not face much difficulty in my time in South Korea. I was so excited to be able to see a culture entirely different from mine. My concentration within the International Studies Major is Religions, Cultures, and Civilizations, and studying abroad in a culture that had a language I am not completely fluent in and halfway across the world thoroughly different from my own, I was able to see the influences of different cultures in East Asia all intertwine in Korea but also see modern and western influences from the United States and Europe.

I went to many historical locations like Gyeongbokguung Palace, Namdaemun Gate, Haedong Yonggungsa, and the National History Museum. I got to learn and see so much of Korean history and appreciate it because I know that at some point those historical places had been replaced or destroyed during the Japanese invasion of Korea. In the National Palace History Museum, the bottom exhibit showed us what the dinning experience of royals was through the Joseon Dynasty until the end and during the Japanese Colonial rule. Within the palace and museum, I also dressed in traditional Korean attire, a hanbok. It was such a beautiful experience because it was a group of us who all dressed together and went to the palace, we also went to the night market, and saw the palace at night on one of the first nights they opened it for night viewing and although it was cold, it was so cool, I loved it.

Through Ewha Woman’s University, I was able to part take in many experiences as well. I learned how to cook traditional Korean dishes like japchae and gimbap, as well as went to Korea’s Seoul Festa, where we watched K-pop performances. Some of my favorite artists were there preforming, and I wouldn’t have been able to see them if it weren’t for the university allowing for us to go for free. There were many other events, but those were on days I couldn’t participate, like a baseball game, which is one of the biggest sports in South Korea aside from soccer. There was also a cultural art class that was a part of a bigger event at Gyeonbokgung that I was unable to participate in, but I know it was fun as it was part of the cultural festival that was happening throughout all the palaces in Seoul. I am grateful for all the opportunities that Ewha has given for us students to participate and enjoy in Korean culture.

The classes I took, although they were taken intending to complete the courses I need to graduate, they were wonderful classes with professors whom I quickly came to admire, especially for my business communications course and human being and philosophical thinking course. Through these, not only was I able to learn about the Korean perspective, but I was able to make friends. Many of the friends I made were through class and would hang out after class. We would frequently exchange our cultures in class and after class. We would boost each other’s confidence to go outside our comfort zone or do the things we have always wanted to do.

Overall, my experience and education in Korea are something that I will carry with me forever in my most cherished memories, and I am so glad I was able to study abroad. Before, I was hesitant and afraid of studying in another country or living in another country, but my friends at Western, as well as professors, encouraged me and gave me the courage to do the trip. I am so grateful to Western's Global Engagement Program and the opportunities they offer that allowed me to study abroad. I truly enjoyed every second until I left Korea and feel like I grew so much as a person and as an academic.