Now that I have been in Seoul for a month, I can say how truly prepared I was for my time abroad. I would say I was prepared in the sense of paperwork and cultural expectations of Korea. I was not prepared for the language barrier and the weather. Even though I studied Korean to get by in shops and restaurants, I still have difficulty with interactions with people. The people I met are very understanding, trying to talk to me in English or through translating apps. I have made some friends from my university who speak English, but I would say for future study abroad students learn the language not only to speak to people in your host country with ease but to respect the culture and people. Besides the language barrier, I was not prepared for the weather. I thought I planned accordingly since I was going to Korea in the fall months. I was mistaken. It felt like a Louisiana summer here, hot and humid. So for future exchange, put more time into packing instead of packing at the last minute like me. Overall, Seoul has been a place I would recommend to anyone to visit. If you like food, Seoul has affordable restaurants that have some of the tastiest food I have ever had. If you like museums, Seoul is home to over 100 museums. I have visited many with no entrance fee. To add the cherry on top, Seoul always has festivals going on. I can’t wait to see what else Seoul has in store for me!
Below is photo of National Museum of Korea and a festival held on Banpo Bridge:
