Okay, okay, I know I said in my last blog post that I wouldn’t post anything until the fall, but I couldn’t hint at my study abroad experience throughout several blog posts this semester and not talk about it!
Of course, I have a little guide about studying abroad and my tips and tricks for how I did it and didn’t break the bank sprinkled throughout this post, but I had an amazing time, and I want to share my experience with you all!
Pre-Travel: Application Process
The application process for my study abroad in South Korea this past semester was complicated. My university requires students to go overseas for two weeks, six weeks, or a full semester to graduate (of course, I didn’t only go abroad for this reason–I love to travel and have lots of interest in various cultures, languages, and cuisine.). Through the many options I had for countries to study in, I wanted to go to South Korea because I have wanted to visit Korea since I was 10, and I didn’t know if I’d have the chance to come to Korea for such a low price again.
After the initial application through my school’s program, I had to apply to the host university’s program through CIEE. I received my acceptance about a day or two after completing my application, but then I had to apply to be a student at Yonsei University and get accepted for that, too. I (obviously) got accepted and had to go through the process of applying for a visa. It was a long process but was worth it in the end.
After receiving my final acceptance to the program in South Korea, I had to apply for scholarships. I am a first-generation, low-income student, so I knew that affording the trip would be costly. Thankfully, my school scholarships transferred over for the semester abroad, so all I had to cover were my plane ticket and food/activities in Korea. Thankfully, I received a scholarship from CIEE for my plane ticket through a grant scholarship they had (based on family income levels), so I didn’t have to worry about paying for my ticket anymore. Thus, I began looking into scholarships to cover the food costs.
I created a large document with all the 2023-2024 study-abroad scholarships and then applied for them. In the document, I wrote the eligibility criteria, when the scholarships were due, when the decisions would be released, when they would send scholarship funds, and what the scholarship prompts were. Out of about 12 scholarships I applied to, I only received one. Yes, one of 12. The fact that it only took one “yes” in a field of “no” was all I needed to afford sustenance and entertainment while abroad. Of course, I had tasks to complete to receive the scholarship funds, but it was great to receive money to afford my study abroad.
My Study Abroad Experience
I was going to put many photos in this section with some tidbits about them, but it’s unfortunately not working for me :(. Instead, I will talk a bit about my experience abroad.
My experience started on a low note, as my second flight from Boston to Incheon was delayed by a day due to weather and technical issues with the plane. I was with 4 or 5 other people, and we all stayed overnight in a hotel provided by the airport. Thankfully, the aircraft was up and running by the next day, and we took off for Incheon.
The flight wasn’t too bad, regardless of my fear of heights. Takeoff was a little nerve-wracking, but I wasn’t too bothered because I was so tired from the day before. We landed in South Korea on February 23 at midday, a day later than everyone else. We only missed a day of orientation, but we were still able to catch up to speed on what we missed. We had a four-day orientation, which was exhausting but helped us navigate Seoul and the campus. My classes have been intriguing and thought-provoking, and I have made friendships that I think will last a lifetime.
Post-Travel: Coming Back Home
To be honest, my study abroad experience was nice, but some things happened that made it less fun than I assumed it would be. I got COVID for the first time in March, which affected my class attendance. My mental health struggled during this period and fluctuated greatly during the remainder of my study abroad experience. I didn’t expect to struggle so much, but I’m glad I learned much about myself during these difficult times. I also got several infections (ear, sinus) during my time here, and I experienced racism and stereotyping while here (as a Black femme-presenting person). Those experiences made it hard to enjoy my whole time here. However, I am grateful for the moments of adversity because they just proved my resilience and allowed me to learn more about myself and grow.
I’m excited to return home for the summer in two weeks and see all of my friends from home and friends (who haven’t graduated yet) on campus in the fall. Thank you for reading about my study abroad experience, and I hope this helped you with the study abroad process!
-Toni <3