AIFS Abroad in Seoul, South Korea: Summer

If I told myself a year ago, heck even 6 months ago, that I finally took the leap and traveled to South Korea-- I would think I was crazy. Going abroad seemed like a fairytale. It was so expensive, so unheard of in my family, my community. But I had decided that this would be my time, the quintessential summer to experience the world to the fullest. Since the pandemic, and even previous to it, I’ve wanted to see how other people live, what other cultures are like and the beauty of biomes divergent from the melting heat and clobbering humidity of my home. That spring semester of 2024 finally helped me determine where I wanted to go. Joining the Korean-pop club at my university showed me more of Korea than I had known before. I was a casual K-pop listener, but from witnessing the food, the historical landmarks, the cultural differences, it all seemed so unique and captivating. Getting on that plane was a long, nerve-wracking journey, but landing into a whole new continent where even the language written on the airport signs were different, was a complete culture shock. Jet lag was a tough monster to defeat, but after about a week of getting used to a new sleep routine, I had felt more energized and excited about being alive than ever. Even with the tough days, like preparing for an oral presentation in Korean language class, or traveling to a new area alone, I was still overjoyed with the idea that-- I’m literally in Korea right now! It was easy to get lonely being in a foreign country, not having any family or friends in the same time zone. But knowing other students in the AIFS program were going through the same thing, made me feel less alone. I created some amazing friendships, finding things in common with people I never would have met otherwise. Going on excursions with them to places like the famed N Seoul Tower, Everland theme park, and even taking weekend trips to Jeju Island, were moments I could never replace. In a similar note, being in the Sogang University community felt so comforting and safe. Besides being a gorgeous campus, the faculty were so accommodating and the professors were so curious and warm-hearted. I am going to greatly miss the natural atmosphere of Seoul, the expressiveness and kindness of Koreans, and seeing something new everyday that I wouldn’t be able to find in Florida. Visiting South Korea was just the push I needed to kickstart my traveling addiction; I can’t wait to go back and see what else the country has to offer.