TEAN: Study Abroad in Seoul, South Korea

My experience of studying abroad truly felt like a dream. When I think about my time there, I feel so endlessly grateful for the life I lived and all of the lessons I have learned. I went for my spring semester junior year, I arrived in late February and left in late June. I experienced winter, spring, and summer in Korea and it was the most magical thing ever. School started in early March, and every day after classes my friends and I would go explore the city, go to cafes to do homework, shop for our daily necessities and so much more. Every day was filled with adventure and meaningful moments. I enjoyed the time I spent alone exploring the city, all of the precious moments between people, and the beauty of the city. I miss Korea and my life there, and I am so grateful for TEAN and all of their help along the way.

Before starting the program, I did not know anything about South Korea except for Korean pop culture. I believe Seoul is the perfect destination for students that want to explore a little bit of everything. I enjoyed being able to go out every day, and just explore a different part of the city, and even a different part of the country. If you are considering Seoul, make a bucket list because there is so much to do! I made great memories, and it was easy to get to know other students even in other universities. Seoul feels much safer, than other cities like NYC, or Boston that I've been to. Whether you are looking for a more outdoorsy experience, or nightlife, or going to concerts, Korea has a something to offer to everyone, and I am so glad I did so by studying abroad with this program!

Since high school, my dream has been to study abroad, specifically in Seoul, South Korea. I started watching Korean dramas in 2017, and ever since then, I have been fascinated by the culture, food, and language. What was once just a dream became a reality. I believe it's important to educate oneself about different cultures. Instead of relying solely on media portrayals of a country, it's important to seek opportunities to experience it firsthand to form unbiased opinions. I feel that I've learned a lot about Korean culture through this approach.
One of my favorite experiences was festival week at the university I was attending. They invited artists and groups like Day 6 and Jay Park, well-known Korean artists. It was amazing to see how every department came together and participated in the cheering event where students spent hours chanting the university name.

Would I recommend this to other students?
Absolutely, I think it's a great experience because you get to explore and make memories by learning about a new culture and meeting new people with different perspectives and backgrounds. You also become more self-reliant as you are able to live in a whole new country without your friends and family, so you get to discover yourself and gain knowledge that will positively change your life forever.

I chose to study abroad through TEAN in Seoul, South Korea as a student at Korea University. During the 2022-2023 semester, living in Seoul became my new home. At first, I was alone, but as I took learning the language more seriously, and was comfortable adapting to the culture change, I was able to make lots of friends. Making friends with the natives boosted my experiences. I was able to visit local cafes, restaurants, and pop-up shops around Seoul. Also, it is hard not to indulge and spend all of your money. After living in Seoul for a year, I did not feel so much like a foreigner anymore. I was extremely grateful for the help through TEAN by making my trip and transition to arriving in Seoul both semesters easy. I also participated in the Seoul, Winter Program and hosted through TEAN during 2023-2024 at Korea University again. If it were not for choosing to study abroad, I believe I would not have developed my new goal of returning to my host university, Korea University, as a graduate student after graduating with my undergraduate.

I would definitely go through TEAN for my study abroad experience. The onsite staff were very useful and a much needed support system when adjusting to a new environment. Many of time the staff helped me with translating as my Korean is not very good. The excursions which are included in the program price which made planning very easy. I did not need to figure out stuff like tickets. Most of the popular attractions were a part of this program, there was not an excursion that was uninteresting. This program also planned a trip to Busan which was amazing. Other exchange students at my university, not apart of TEAN, were a bit jealous as they could not join this experience because they were not with TEAN. TEAN also guarantees university housing so this minimized stress. Overall, I think studying abroad without this program would have been a lot more difficult and not as exciting due to the support and community of TEAN.

I went to South Korea for Fall Semester which encompassed the Late Summer, Fall, and the Winter Seasons, and it was my favorite memory and makes me want to go back A.S.A.P!
Going to the country without prior knowledge of the language I was able to learn through the classes I had taken at Korea University and immerse myself quick enough that I did not struggle as much as one would think. I love food, and it was so easy to get a quick bite to eat or have a nice sit down meal with friends and colleagues, during my first week a meal was set-up through the program where everyone in the program was able to have a sit-down nice meal where we learned each other's names and ate great Korean Fried Chicken!

I am so thankful I got the opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea fall 2023. It was an experience I won't forget. I'm very thankful to have experienced it with TEAN. They gave students enough guidance, resources, and information pre-departure and during my time studying abroad. I felt ready and equipped for departure from the States. During my time, I always felt that TEAN had my back and whenever I had questions, there was always someone to go to. I think TEAN did a really good job giving international students the best experience in Seoul. All of the things I wanted to do, TEAN had already planned and thought of. The best part is that it's already paid for through the program so all the cultural excursions and activities planned throughout the semester was basically 'free'. I would definitely do it all over again!

I truly had the best time studying abroad in Seoul for a semester. There is so much to do and explore in Seoul and I definitely want to go back someday!
I'm really grateful for the support that TEAN gave me, from helping me with documents and housing to picking me up at the airport, and organizing fun activities to meet new people! This was my first time traveling on my own and it was nice to have support and the TEAN community, especially when getting adjusted to a new country. They showed us how to use the subway and navigate our classes and quickly we became independent students exploring the city on our own!
For school, I mainly took political science, history, and Korean language classes. The professors were engaging and I learned a lot. There wasn't really any homework, which was nice for afternoon and weekend adventures, but I did have to study hard for midterms and finals. Also, I always felt safe everywhere I went in Korea, even late at night. The food was delicious and I was always able to find a vegetarian option, which was important to me. Seoul is a great city to study abroad to learn about a new culture and meet people from around the world. I am so glad that I did and it will be a time that I will always look back on and never forget!