Hey everyone! South Korea has been an amazing journey so far. I always knew studying abroad would be a part of my undergraduate experience, but I never really knew where I wanted to go. I am extremely grateful to have chosen Yonsei University in South Korea. My experiences here have been so amazing. Although I was nervous about meeting new people, I have made so many new international friends whom I've grown very fond of.
When I first arrived in Seoul, my friends and I immediately went out to explore the city. We checked out the very popular convenience stores located all over Seoul and ate some noodles and kimbap. It was delicious! We went to a very popular city in Seoul called Hongdae. Hongdae is known for shopping, delicious food options, and extravagant nightlife activities. We checked out so many shops and I bought some sunglasses and jewelry. There was so much to see. I was shocked at the amount of walking people do in Seoul. Public transportation and walking is very popular in Seoul and mostly everyone uses public transportation to get around the city. It is very clean and efficient. Also, in most of the places you go to in Seoul, someone will probably speak english. In my experience, almost every place I go to, I am able to get around without speaking Korean. So, if you don't speak Korean don't let that hold you back from studying in Seoul. However, I have been learning Korean and taking a class at Yonsei because I love Korean language and culture.
Yonsei University is a gorgeous campus. Yonsei has so much school spirit. There is a specific fall event called the Yon-Ko games. The Yon-Ko games are an event where students from Yonsei and Korea University come together to cheer on their sports teams during rivalry week. There are a series of sports games held in a week and it has been an annual tradition and many students look forward to these games during the year. It was amazing to see all the school spirit and support the students give to their players. My friends and I were able to go to some of the games and events throughout the week. It was so exciting to see because the soccer and rugby game was held in a huge stadium!
Yonsei is conveniently located in Sinchon, which is a very lively city and close to other major cities. While exploring Sinchon, I have seen Korean busking, which is where dancers, singers, and other entertainers perform to the public. There are also so many Korean BBQ places and other food options in Sinchon. I've been here for a while and I still haven't been to every single restaurant in Sinchon, but I have eaten so much Korean cuisine and it is so good for cheap prices compared to the United States. There are so many things to do in Seoul, it can be overwhelming at times, but if you allow yourself to have a calm day in between you are able to have fun while still seeing the sights. There are also major food markets. I've been to the Myeongdong Night Market and the Gwangjang Market which are very popular markets for food. Myeongdong is also a very popular spot for shopping. Another very popular thing to do in Seoul is photobooths! Photo Booths are super cheap here and are located almost everywhere. I was surprised to see how convenient they are, but I love them so much now!
During my first month in Seoul, I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Jeju-do. Jeju is a very popular vacation spot in Korea. My friends and I all went together and we were able to go to the beach. The weather was pretty similar to DC weather in the fall, which I was surprised to find out. The beach was warm and we saw the prettiest sunset. We went to the Jeju Dongmun Market, which is the most popular market in Jeju and we ate so many delicious foods. Jeju is also known for having the most delicious mandarins when they are in season. There were several mandarin flavored foods and souvenirs. I had the most refreshing freshly squeezed mandarin juice. My friends and I were also able to go to an Alpaca farm! It was my first time seeing alpacas and we were able to feed them. We went to see some waterfalls and saw a beautiful temple.
Seoul has been an unforgettable journey so far! These are a few of my adventures during my first month and I cannot wait to share more amazing experiences with you all.
Jasmine Hernandez
Fall 2023
GW Exchange - Yonsei University
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
Political Science and International Affairs Major