Mechanical Engineering student studying in Hanyang U + CIEE Internship

I am a 4th-semester ME student from Penn State University who came to Seoul with CIEE to do the Engineering, Technology + Science program. I took two CIEE courses (Internship seminar + Culture & Cuisine), two engineering courses at my host university (Thermodynamics + Dynamics), and an Internship. My CIEE courses were small in size, with not too many assignments, and even though the classes lasted 2 to 3 hours, the professors made them engaging and fun to attend. My HYU courses were academically challenging but definitely doable; they barely provided assignments, and most of my grade was weighted on my midterm and final, which provided some stress, but it was expected coming into Korea, where academics are known to be challenging. Don't let that discourage you, as there are resources like office hours, and you can make friends with whom you can study as well. The host institution was also attentive to how the international students were, and would send emails to students with important information and events happening at the university. My internship was the highlight of my experience abroad, as I got to work in a Korean "start-up" company for 4 months, where I worked on my soft skills and was able to get a glimpse of what corporate life is like, as well as gained experience that I can add to my resume. CIEE made sure my time here was enjoyable, such as keeping in contact and responding quickly to our emails. They would host events for us to meet Korean students, known as SEOULmates, and they would also host trips to nearby cities like Andong and Suwon so we could explore SK more.

Lastly, Seoul is a vibrant and lively city. There is so much stuff you can do; take advantage of that!!! I was able to go hiking, kayaking in the Han river, visit Namsan tower, attend a KPop concert, eat SO MUCH delicious food, shop a lot, and just have a blast. It is an opportunity to be independent and an adult, so make the most out of it!