Korea: Seoul - Korean and East Asian Studies, Yonsei University

I was able to end my last semester of college in the most spectacular way, thanks to my USAC study abroad program in Seoul, South Korea. I attended Yonsei University, one of South Korea's most prestigious colleges. Before even landing a foot in Seoul, I was able to bond with fellow students as USAC opened opportunities to connect with our study abroad peers. While in Korea, I had constant and speedy communication with my USAC advisors, who helped to sort any travel or academic issues. Through USAC, I was able to learn about so many fascinating aspects of Korean culture ranging from food and cinema to philosophy and history. Seoul would have many fun places to go, including tourist attractions, parks, cafes, restaurants, nightlife, historical sites, etc. On the flip side, Korea is a very mountainous country and there are a lot of places to go hiking and enjoy nature in Seoul and around the country! My study abroad in Korea was filled with delicious meals, karaoke, and new adventures every single day. It was truly, the Seoul search of a lifetime.

Studying at Yonsei University through USAC was one of the best and most affordable options for me! Not only was the school beautiful, the campus life was amazing and I learned a lot about the culture and about myself during my time at Yonsei! I was there for a year and got to experience four seasons, two school festivals, form deep relationships, and vastly improve my korean language ability at Yonsei University! I can't wait to go back to South Korea. If you are considering studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, there really is no better option than studying abroad at Yonsei through USAC!

USAC, Yonsei was the best choice I ever made in my life! I've always wanted to visit South Korea in my lifetime and I was lucky to be able to go through a study abroad program and live there for four months. The campus is beautiful! The University experience there was alot different from my home University, but I liked how involved students were in social and academic events.
The culture scene was very fun and exciting. So much music everywhere you go probably because of their ever-growing music industry but i love the buskers who perform at night. It's a nice way to relax for the nigth while still enjoying the culture. I was able to take some trips and see the beautiful places South Korea has to offer. The people are amazing as well! You will always feel at home because they treat everyone like family.
My favorite little restaurant is called 딸기 or Strawberry, and it is down the street from the student dorms. It's very popular with the students as well as people in the neighborhood and I think it's because a nice family owns it (2 generations) and the food is delicious for the affordable price!
More about food, there are so many affordable places to eat at in Sinchon(the district Yonsei is located in) and they fill you up!
I can go on and on about my experience, but I would like to say that it was a very eye-opening experience for me and probably the best trip I've ever taken in my life! Definitely recommend Seoul, South Korea (especially Yonsei 😁)!

Beware that you will have trouble finding easy access to any help. I had to go to the ER because the counseling center at Yonsei was not open, and even after I told them my necessity, no one budged. I admit that I already came with some mental issues that I had, up to that point, completely under control. That said, when it got worse, I tried calling everyone I could only to be pretty much told that I am on my own. I went to the hospital multiple times to treat my condition, and each time I asked for someone to escort me, and that never happened. I went by myself each time, despite stressing how physically weak I felt and just how unsure I was if I was going to be able to make it to the hospital. The last straw was having a Korean psychiatrist tell me that he would not up the dosage of my drug (despite the fact that my psychiatrist in the US said that was okay) and told me to go home to the US. I got no explanation as to his reasoning, and he basically shoved me out of the door immediately after to get to his next patients. Yonsei Severence is a wonderful hospital for strictly physical problems, but again, do not expect any help from them in terms of mental disorders. The same goes for the staff of Yonsei University's counseling center and Office of International Affairs as well as USAC. Before studying abroad, seriously look into the school you will be attending and the program through which you are doing it. Make sure you ALWAYS! have access to someone in case of emergencies.