Mid-Terms

Published:


Jaylyn Briggs

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Annyeong <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Western Kentucky University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Seoul, South Korea <i>Program provider:</i> Yonsei University <i>Major/minor:</i> Interior Design / Administrative Business <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation, Black <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I plan to use my major in interior design to create a furniture collection connecting traditional Korean style with modern American at the interior design firm Danaham, located in Seoul, South Korea. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Language expansion 2. Experience South Korean culture first hand 3. Travel and explore South Korea

This week was not a very exciting or interesting week. It was midterms week which was very stressful and hard. Classes here in South Korea are done in a completely different way than classes in America. So it has been pretty difficult to adjust and understand what is going on sometimes. You are on your own most of the time and the curriculum is confusing. I also didnโ€™t visit many places or do many things this week due to midterms. I went to a couple new restaurants with my housemates and explored around the area I live in. I covid regulations have started to get better here, they are allowing more people to meet together with 4 vaccinated and 4 unvaccinated. And also some restaurants and places are accepting American covid vaccination cards too. Starting November 1st entertainment places can stay open until 12 and everything else is back to 24 hours or their normal hours. I have been starting to feel a little home sick here, but overall it is all about adjusting and adapting. Sometimes I feel like I would love to stay in South Korea longer and other days I really miss home. But, I mostly just miss home and my old life routine. I’m hoping that my upcoming weeks are more exciting and fulfilling before I leave to go home. I think I would like to come back to South Korea once I graduate college, so I don’t have to worry about school when I am here and I can just work. I am still planning to visit Jeju when the beaches are open and the restrictions get better. I believe it will be easier to do more things once the covid restrictions start to get better. It has been a hard week, but I know it will get better over time.