Another chapter of my life in South Korea ( Student Exchange Program)

“Time flies so fast…”

It almost feels like as if it was just yesterday when I was on my own on a plane not really knowing what to expect but excited for what the future had for me. Now I'm back home with a ton of memories and a lot of stories to share. I don't even know where to start now that I'm writing about my experience of being an exchange student in Gumi, South Korea for one semester.

International student welcoming party. This is my team LOL

Well, I’ve the determination to study abroad since I was in my high school. I applied many study abroad programs with scholarship and attended many interviews for this program. Unfortunately, I am not qualified because I did not pass the interviews.  However, that didn’t stop my dream to study abroad, so I applied for the UTM Mobility Program under my home university, so that I can experience of living somewhere else for a while and having friends from another country would be the coolest thing in the world. The most interesting part is I got my financial support from Government Korea Scholarship during my study in South Korea.

Chuseok Festival in KIT

                While it is the blessing to live in South Korea, it is also a challenge. I am not a social person and hardly to talk to people which will make my adoption process takes time. When I first arrived, I am afraid that I would not fit anywhere but throughout this experience, I have met friendly and welcoming people who have made this easier. The first Korean I talk to is my buddy. She’s so soft-hearted and helpful during my study period in South Korea. Icing on the cake, I feel grateful for having such understanding roommates from Indonesia, as we get to know each other much easier.

The Malaysian ( UTem and UTM)

My buddy

                During my study period in Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), I met a lot of student from different background and different cultures. But, we still respecting each other since we come from a different life background. I am making a lot of Korean friends and get to know them easily. I also have the chance to talk, share the same interest, get to know each other background and playing sports during the weekend. I also have the chance to celebrate some traditional event in my university, for example, the Chuseok Day. During the event, all international students have the chance to wear the Hanbok, make and eat the traditional food, and learned few things on what do Korean do during the Chuseok Day. We also laughed and performed a dance, and it was thrilled to bits!

A visit to one of the largest company in South Korea, Samsung. Photo was taken using Iphone JK

                In the other hand, the teaching styles at Korean universities depend largely on the professors. Some traditional professors do not encourage classroom discussions. This style stems from Korea’s Confucian culture, which emphasizes the hierarchy of the “ruler” over and the “ruled” in order to maintain social balance. In the classroom, professors may not appreciate questions or comments that could be deemed as a challenge to their teachings. Professors who teach in this manner prefer students to approach them privately with questions or comments. Group work is also a large component of Korean university academics, mostly in undergraduate programs. Assignments like team presentations or group essays are commonplace. Again, this echoes Korea’s Confucian-based culture, where the importance of the collective whole is stressed over individual expression. While the group is assigned an overall mark, some professors might also give members the chance to anonymously submit evaluations of their teammates, in case the work was unfairly divided.

English Cafe

Thank you GKS ( Global Korea Scholarship)

Apart from that, the life in South Korea is so convenient compared to my home country. You can go anywhere you desired by using the public transport. All that you need is the electronic card, we called it as T-Money card, where you can recharge it at any nearest convenient store. Besides, the public transport provides more mobility to the students especially the foreign student for buying their necessities at the nearest supermarket. As from my personal experience, I usually ride the train to travel outside of Gumi because it’s very easy and cheap. Aside from that, there is also paths for cyclists and pedestrian walker especially in my university area. A lot of students own an electric scooter and most of them prefer walking around the university instead of driving the car.

Make a snowman in Nami Island !

                During my study period, I also have the chance to travel to some famous tourist spot in South Korea with my both Korean student and exchanged students. We traveled together, taking many photos together and try out all the Korean food! I can’t be grateful enough for all the people that crossed my path and have made my life in South Korea even more memorable with such awesome experiences. Also within a short period of time, we are able to form a strong bond together to have fun and survive together as a foreign student. In KIT, my favorite place would be the English Café, located at the university library, because I can interactive with the Korean student who want to improve their English. As for my personal experience, that place is the most preferable place to hangout with both international and Korean student. Plus, there’s some party will be held at the English Café as a part of the International Department activities for the international students.       

     

Being away for approximately 4 months and living ‘outside of my comfort zone’ in a completely different world has taught me a lot of things. I have grown, and my perspective has changed in ways I never would have imagined. I now can say that I am independent, appreciate my beloved family and making more friends from different background, open to new ideas, aggressive and be more confident about myself. Plus, the journey that I have been though has proved to me that anything is possible and that I can do anything beyond my thoughts. My Korean language has been improving day-by-day, every day I learn a new word, meaning or slang. This exchange program would be another great chapter of my life and I will always remember every single moment in South Korea should be something that I will cherish in my life-time.

Hiking at Palgongsan Mountain

This experience is not yet done, but I can tell you that I have been through many challenges and all I have gotten from them is to know that we need to enjoy the moment, enjoy every second of our life because any day, hour, minute or second is not going to be the same as the previous. Time goes by so fast and when you least expect it, it is all over. God has placed me in the hands of amazing people that I am so glad to know and grateful to have in my life. This hasn´t just been “Life as an exchange student”, this has been “another chapter to be remembered”.  I am going to take with me everything that I have learned from this beautiful country and teach it to people back home. Many people ask me “How can you do it? I´ll never do it”, all I can tell you is that if someday you have this opportunity, take it. You are not going to regret it, you need to be brave and risk because nothing can substitute experience.

Last but not least, I just want to finish my story by thanking all the people who made this experience special in some way. Thanks for opening your hearts and your minds to a new culture. But mainly, thanks to my parents who worked so hard to make this possible; words can´t even describe how much I admire them. The story behind my journey has come to an end. 

If I am not mistaken, the pandas name is Lin Lin ? LOL

고맙습니다, 한국!

Do check out a video that I've made on Facebook HERE