CIEE High School Study Abroad in South Korea

I went on this trip in summer session 1 summer 2024, before you read more, know that i got into this trip being HOMESCHOOLED, so for all the homeschoolers out there who don’t think the trip will let them go bc they are homeschooled, it is possible! I went!

My highlights over the 3 weeks spent in Seoul: the Namsan tower, the FOOOOOOD, the scenery and riding the subway, the shopping, and most of all, getting to meet Korean high schoolers and tour their school, AND spending the weekend with our Seoul Mates, Korean high school/early college students (plus some surprise visits!!)

My lowlights: there was a lot of drama that happened under my, and the Program Leaders radar until the last few days of the trip, and i wanted things to be cleared up, or talk with the other students that were apart if this drama but i feel the students that were involved and involved ME weren’t open to having a conversation without it turning into a interrupting contest.

Our PLs (program leaders) i loves them all! Brittney, Christina, and KT All were so fun and very easy to talk to, and then being easy to talk with made it easy to let them know if i needed anything. I feel like the PLs were especially great because i can tell they love their job and we’re excited about Korea with us teenagers, but also we’re able to put on the leader/teacher hat when needed.

Cost: it’s expensive.. but then again ALL study abroad programs cost something. I mean no offense to anyone when i say this but i think that scholarship and/or financial aid money should be awarded to, yes of course anyone who needs it, but equally to students who aren’t ethically part of the race your average persons would assume needs the money most. You get what I’m saying?
I went on a scholarship, but a very small scholarship AND fundraiser my butt off to get to Korea, coming from a more low income family. It’s possible! Only thing i wish i had done was to start saving WAY sooner

The flight: there’s a group chaperone flight or you can fly solo, if your scared to fly solo, don’t be, you know yourself best but, i took the chaperone flight bc i was scared to fly solo but i think i totally could have done it, the airport is actually way more do able then it seems especially if you can read the signs.

Doing what’s actually in the program name:
That being K-pop themed activities, we did that! I’m also really greatful for the amount of freedom students were given to explore and shop in the city. I did hear the the second session had a much much later curfew then the first session which i find really unfair…

Last Summer, I participated in the K-Pop Immersion Program through CIEE and I lived in South Korea. I would like to say that South Korea was the best moment in my life because I had lots of fun and I developed a sense of independence. The group and I visited Historical places, we went to a norabang which is also karaoke, met soulmates and we played Korean games. Initially, my mom was nervous about living alone without any family but eventually she was proud I went. Through this program, I got to know myself better and I realized that I would thrive in any pace and environment I found myself in. Additionally throughout the program I made new friends which led me to have different perspectives in life. I would like to inform everyone that we need to explore and not be reserved. With the CIEE program, it's an opportunity to learn diverse cultures in different countries to know the definition of who you are.

I had never been that far from home so when I got the chance to study abroad in South Korea I didn’t know what to expect. As I got to the airport, I got to meet everyone else in the program and while I didn’t know them before, it felt like I had known them for years because of how easily we bonded over our love for korean culture. Spending a few weeks with the rest of my peers, I got to experience so many things like karaoke, spicy rice cakes, and I even got eat fried chicken with my friends along the Han River. Making so many memories with people I didn’t know, naturally led to us becoming not just friends but “Seoul Mates” and to this day, my trip to Korea continues to inspire me to be more curious and to embrace the unknown.

Being my first trip abroad without my parents, this program really took me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to embrace a culture unlike any other. Although I didn't feel super confident traveling without my parents, the providers were there every step of the way and became everybody's friends! This program has everything, from history, to old Korean culture, to modern Korean culture, to language, food and more! Korea has a very different history and culture from the U.S., but the growing influence that we have in Korea is making this program even more important for American students.