Last Words on Korea

I won't say I'm happy and I can't say I'm sad. As hard as it is for me to write this, my experience in Korea has changed my life!

You know, there were lots of concepts of Korean culture I really couldn't understand. However, living abroad has helped me grasp and appreciate it. I made some great Korean friends through absorbing concepts like 는치(neunchi~ keen sense in social situations), 정(jeong~ spiritual and emotional bonds), 체명(chemyeong~ preserving harmony and balance), 분위기(bunuiki~ mood or atmosphere of a group), and 기분 (kibun~emotional state aka aura). Understanding how Koreans build and maintain relationships has helped me make wonderful long-term friendships.

While living in South Korea and being around the people, I've come to figure out how a Korean mindset is different from an American. There are exceptions, but most Koreans posses values such as hard work, human relations, collectivism, social face, and hierarchy. This is also a key component to Confucianism.

Things I will miss in Korea:
~Fast driving taxi's and buses
~Fun and embarrassing drinking games
~노래방 (karaoke)
~Great clothes and bargaining
~Korean FOOD!
~홍대 and 신촌 (places in Seoul)
~Nightlife
~Staying out all night until the subway opens
~Hearing Koreans speak better English than some Americans lol!
~There's just too much to name!!!

To the people who want to study abroad in Korea:
~Always carry around hand soap
~Make friends in your dorm or home-stay
~Be prepared for confusion or frustration at times
~Keep a sense of humor
~JOIN A KOREAN CLUB! (You'll interact with more Koreans that way)
~Participate in traditional activities
~Travel as much as you can
~Feed your cravings (food, clothes, music, TV, etc from home)
~Keep a diary and write down your experiences (trust me, you'll laugh about them later)
~ Build a cultural bridge to understanding Korean culture

Also, I want to give a special thanks to:
~UCD Study Abroad office
~CIEE Seoul
~CIEE friends
~Yonsei University
~H.A.R.I.E.
~Ye Won Church
~Korean Language Institute
~and ALL the friends I have made on my journey!

I wouldn't have transformed as a person without this experience! It's all thanks to my support system. Now I can go back home taking everything I've learned with me. This has been the time of my life I will never forget!!

감사합니다 ^^