South Korea is a beautiful country, full of rich culture which mixes with its traditional values and efforts to improve technological efficiency. Being there, each person was willing to help by navigating busy streets and help in suggesting the best food along with overall kindness. Though, the struggles did encapsulate the resilience necessary for this program from the exercise and subtle homesickness I felt. This was my study abroad experience which was an interesting experience to say the least, full of insane ups, and depressing downs. However, it is an experience I will never forget, or regret being a part of because it was truly a once-in-lifetime experience.
When I first land in South Korea I immediately felt the heat of the summer, but expected it to be a one day, one off weather phenomenon. That was naïve, as the humidity, heat and sun beat down on us most days, making excursions around the cities of Seoul and Busan a struggle. However, a beautiful thing that was included in each place was the vibrant presence of South Korea’s cultural mixture. The art and architecture of the cities really blew me away, along with the views from the mountains that overlooked these amazing structures. Each site in the cities we visited also had this feeling of wonder as we explored small villages, museums, a famous king’s palace and modeled plans for what the plans are going forward. It left me wondering about the times they endured to become a bustling country of such magnitude and cultural wealth.
The clear impact as I sit at home in Washington is exhaustion and relief to be home, but this overwhelming curiosity to go back to see what else there is to explore. The experience has also made me curious about other places I have thought about traveling to, like Iceland, New Zealand, and Singapore. It’s open my view on the importance of exploring more culturally rich environments, open to seeing and trying more so I can bring it home. Overall, in terms of what South Korea has done for me, it challenged who I was when I first landed at Incheon Airport, but it made me strive for these new experiences in the future.
