This summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea. Due to the fellowship competition Ohio Northern provides every year to its students, myself and a group of others from different colleges within ONU were able to study in South Korea for one month at Hanyang University. The trip was so life-changing for me that I recommend everyone to study abroad while they can.
Not only is studying abroad an opportunity not to pass up, it also raises one’s confidence. By traveling alone, a person is forced out of their comfort zone and they may experience things alone that would be different with another person there. When one does not know where they are, this makes them take initiative into asking strangers for directions. After a while, I believe this raises one’s confidence and makes it easy to ask anyone questions.
As a person experiences personal growth while studying abroad, it is likely that they become open minded to new concepts or ideas they had not thought of before. For me personally, I had no idea of the Korean culture before I studied there.
I experienced a culture shock when I arrived. For example, when shopping for groceries, I had to bring my own bags so I did not have to pay for the plastic bags. This is unheard of in America, where plastic bags are free and limitless, but is the norm in
South Korea. Another aspect that was slightly surprising was how Koreans referred to Americans as “Westerners.” I had never heard that phrase used for Americans before, but I heard it many times in Korea.
Although the culture was different, this didn’t make it difficult to make friends. One of the greatest things about studying abroad is the connections one makes. I made friends from South Korea, Australia, Singapore, and even Texas. Our backgrounds may have been different, but we still found ways to relate to one another. My favorite times together were sing- ing karaoke and just wandering around Seoul with no destination. Without studying abroad, I would not have met the wonderful people I made such great memories with.
Part of the reason why making friends was not difficult was because we were all put together with a common theme: studying abroad–excluding, of course, the South Korean friends I made. No matter who I conversed with, the topic of studying abroad was always a good talking point. It could be why I chose to come, how I liked it so far, or even would I ever live there, this was always a common interest that was shared.
Studying abroad is special to each person who experiences it, and is always a good conversation point. Whether it be a boss, friend, or family member, traveling to a different country makes for good stories. One can always get someone talking about their experience abroad because most of the time, this is something the person is passionate about, and they have either good or bad memories of it. I know I have many memories that I will not soon forget, and if I got the chance, I would do it all over again.