A Recollection of My Experiences with My Abroad Program – Part 1

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Jia Min (Kelly) Zheng

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Annyeonghaseyo <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Brandeis University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2022 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Seoul, South Korea <i>Program provider:</i> CIEE <i>Major/minor:</i> Business and Computer Science <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation <i>Future career aspirations:</i> International Marketer <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> Discover more about Korean culture, learn about how Eastern cultures and customs vary from Western culture, and discover more about myself and my passions.

This week is a quick rundown of everything I have done so far with CIEE, my study abroad program, who helps me understand how to fill out the paperwork needed to come to Korea and who offers the support needed when studying abroad in a new country. This program organizes many fun activities for international students, so that I can better immerse myself and understand the Korean culture.

August 28 โ€“ The first week out of quarantine. I began with the Navigating Seoul activity. I am given a t-money card, a card used for transportation, and a mission to find specific places with my group. My first stop is Insa-dong, home to traditional Korean crafts, eateries, and goods. We can find homemade candies and teas, beautiful hanbok shops, and traditional paintbrushes among many others. Walking through this district, I felt inspired to learn more about Korean culture from the restaurants that serve delicious, homemade kimchi to the shops which show many traditional fans with beautiful designs.

After exploring Insadong, my group and I rode the train to the next destination. The train is quiet which is quite different compared to the United States, where subways are filled with conversations among young and old. After a couple of stops, though, we arrived at Coex, a mall which houses a beautiful library with numerous books to explore. Take a peek behind meโ€ฆ