Tag: studyabroad

Student Life at Korea University

Published on by stefaniepaikLeave a comment

It has been around a month since I arrived at Korea University (KU). So I have decided to share my experience thus far. The aspects of KU I have chosen to reflect on are the campus, classes, cafeteria, and dorm. I chose these 5 topics because there are significant cultural differences and similarities that I find interesting.

Campus

The campus is very pretty and holds lots of history, especially during the Japanese occupation. There are buildings and statues around campus that have bullet holes, not only from the Japanese occupation but also from the Korean War.

Firstly, compared to the University of Denver (DU), KU has a significantly bigger campus. To walk from one end of DU to the other takes 30 minutes. At KU it takes 2 hours. All of the on-campus dorms are on one side of campus, on top of a hill. Convenience stores are scattered around campus for easy access to snacks and drinks. Because I am used to a small campus, I do hate walking to class. From my dorm to class, it takes about 45 minutes. At DU my walk from dorm to class was under 10 minutes. Because Korea’s biome is forest, everywhere is steep hills. This truly adds to the walk-to-class experience. At KU the STEM buildings are across a major street. So if you decide to take STEM classes at KU, be prepared for the long walk.

Class

Overall the classrooms are pretty typical. For the classes I am taking, the average number of students is 50. Which for a university with about 40,000 students is a pretty good size class. I find the professors to be fairly nice and understanding. Of course there are still some rude and strict professors.

The most frustrating aspect of classes for me was class registration. To simplify the registration process, there are 3 chances to get classes. The 1st chance is creating a preferred course list. Then the system will randomly select students to go into their desired classes. For some students, they get all the classes they want. For me and other students, you get no classes. 2nd chance is more cut and competitive. At 10am everyone registers at the same time. if possible, your preferred course list can be used to quickly register. If you are too slow and it fills up then you have to find other classes. The worst part of change 2 is that even if spots are available in the class, you can’t register because your category is full. for example, if you are an exchange student then the available spots for a class will have 2-4 spots available for exchange students only. Even if the class allows 30 students and the count is at 20, then you won’t be able to register because the cap for exchange students was made. On the 3rd change, it is the most stressful because that is when the category caps are removed. Meaning that if a class allows 30 students then anyone from any category can fight to fill the last remaining 10 spots.

On the 3rd change, I was able to register for all of the class I wished to have, which was 3 business classes approved by DU for credits and a Korean language class. This overly stressful registration makes me thankful for DU’s registration processes. It seems fair to me to slowly register by most credit students to least credit students.

Cafeteria

Compared to the US, the cafe room is pretty good. KU has 5 cafeterias around campus, but many students just go to the on-campus or local restaurants for lunch. One downside to the KU cafeterias and restaurants is the lack of customization. So if you have diet restrictions due to personal or religious reasons then it is up to you to find food that you can eat. Korean food culture isn’t keen to do removals or substitutions.

My favorite aspect of the KU cafeteria by my dorm is the self-service ramen station. For the price of 5,000 won. you can make and customize your own ramen. There is a variety of ramen to choose from, like shin ramen, jja-pa-ge-ti, sesame seed ramen, and much more. next is to choose your unlimited toppings. You can choose from rice cakes, eggs, green onion, cheese, and kimchi.

Dorm

At DU I was previously an RA, so seeing how Korean dorms function is interesting. My dorm, Anam International, has 5 floors, with the laundry in the basement, and the communal kitchen on the first floor. All dorms are doubles, each with their own private bathroom.

The rooms are quite spacious. Each roommate gets their own wardrobe, bookshelf, and desk with chair. Because I am a part of TEAN, I got bedding for free. Like any college, it is important to get along with your roommate. Here at KU, they do not do room switches. They Highly encourage you to get along with your roommate; unless there are extreme circumstances.

At DU they hire 3rd party security, but at KU, they hire their own security. The security have their own desk at the front of the building. The security guards also do other tasks such as distributing resources and organizing mail. The RAs at KU are much more hidden and unknown. When I moved in, I didn’t know we had an RA until the 3rd week of living here. The RAs will sit at the entrance of the building next to the security desk, every day from 7pm-10pm only. This is drastically different from DU which is a Desk Assistant and/or RA who will be at the front desk from 6am-12am.

The aspect I hate most about the dorm is the communal kitchen. Some of these residents don’t know how to cook or clean up after themselves. If smoke is detected in the kitchen then the entire building turns on its fire alarms. It has been about a month of me living in the dorm. At least once a week the fire alarm goes off cause people are starting fires in the kitchen. Another reason I have the communal kitchen is the shared fridge/freezer. Not only is it fully packed all of the time, but it smells terrible all of the time because people are horrible at keeping track of their food.

Keep Your Expectations Real While In Korea

Published on by stefaniepaikLeave a comment

While in Korea, I have noticed that many are surprised by the real Korea. Like any other major city; it smells like sewers and there is trash on the streets. From my fellow abroad students, I have learned that they came to Korea with certain expectations. Now that they are here, they feel disappointed and frustrated. For the months that they have prepared, they come here realizing that they are not prepared. I have also noticed that some abroad students live here a little recklessly.

For this blog post, I have decided to write a mini guide on how to keep your expectations realistic while in Korea. That way culture shock is lessened and you will be better prepared to travel to Korea.

Language

While it is not an expectation to speak perfect Korean. It is helpful to know basic phrases. The capital, Seoul, is pretty accommodating to foreigners, especially in neighborhoods like Myeongdong, Gangnam, and Itaewon. Do not get frustrated if you go to a store or restaurant and the employees can’t speak English. There should be no expectation that Korean people speak English. Utilizing apps such as Papago and Google Translate can help in more complex speaking situations. Do not rely on translation apps because they are not always the most accurate. Depending on what you say in English, it could translate into something rude in Korean.

Even learning the basic alphabet can be very helpful, especially in situations where you have to read menus or street signs. There are many books, websites, and even YouTube videos that teach you how to read Korean. Quite literally, you can learn to read Korean in an hour. Compared to other languages, Korean is simple and easy to understand.

No Food Accommodations

Unlike the United States, Korea does not do food accommodations. While it does not hurt to ask, it will be rare for restaurants or cafes to do substitutions or remove items from an order. While I have many examples of me trying to get items removed due to dietary restrictions, one example is when I went to a brunch cafe with some friends. At the cafe, I was ordering for my friends and me. My friend is lactose intolerant and has IBS. So I asked if they could remove the cheese from a sandwich. The cashier said they were unable to remove the cheese because it was premade with cheese.

It is just restaurant culture in Korea to accept the food as it comes. The general consensus is that if you don’t like how it is, order something else or go somewhere else. If you decide to go to Korea, and you have strict dietary restrictions, you have to be very careful of what you choose to eat. If you decide to eat a certain dish, please do your own research on how that dish is prepared. This is because Korean people have a different idea of what diet restrictions are. For example, if you decide to order a soup and ask “Does this have beef?” The employee may say “There is no beef.” So you decide to order it. When you receive your order you realize it is a beef broth. This is a true story from my Aunt who used to be vegan.

Limited Clothing Size

It is common for travelers to decide to buy clothes in Korea. This is understandable because fashion is very prominent in Korea. The Korean fashion wave continues to grow in popularity. An issue many foreigners run into, especially with street clothing stores, is that there is only 1 size for the entire store. To put into perspective what the 1 size is, it is about the equivalent of a woman’s small and men’s M. For both women’s and men’s clothing, the bust (circumference) of the shirts or pants is slim/narrow.

For many of my fellow abroad students, especially the women students, is that they feel a little body dysmorphia. In their home country, they are a size small, but here they are a size extra large.

The reason for this large size difference is due to Korean people, generally, being skinnier and shorter. The other reason is due to Korean extreme beauty standards, which support the notion of skinny = pretty. “If you aren’t skinny, then you aren’t pretty enough to wear these clothes.

If you decide to buy clothes in Korea, please remember that there is nothing wrong with you, it is the fault of Korean Society. Don’t be discouraged from participating in Korean fashion culture! While it is small and scarce, there are various size-inclusive stores in Korea. You just have to do research on where to find them.

Stay Safe!!! (Danger still exists)

Compared to the United States, Korea is a generally safe country. This does not mean Korea is a 100% safe country. Crime is still prevalent and people are still at risk of being harmed. The dangers I will discuss are strangers, clubs, and cars. While there are many other crimes to be knowledgeable of, I feel that these 3 topics are the biggest ones foreigners don’t realize are quite dangerous.

Remember as a kid when adults would tell you to avoid strangers? Well, it still applies in Korea. Cults and kidnappings are serious issues prevalent in Korea. Cults and criminals are more inclined to approach foreigners. If strangers approach you and ask “Where are you going?” “Are you alone?” DON’T let them know that you are alone. I encourage you to lie and tell them you have friends waiting for you. Cults and criminals will look for alone and vulnerable people. So if you are traveling alone, walk to your destination with purpose, and DO NOT talk to strangers.

TRIGGER WARNING (Mention of rape and sexual harassment, please skip to next paragraph if triggering)

Clubs are clubs. They are not the safest place, especially in Korea. Firstly, it is common in Korea to find Korean-only bars. While this is discrimination, it is allowed in Korea. If you decide to go to a foreigner-friendly club or bar, please go with friends and please beware of your surroundings. It is common for women to get drugged and raped. It is more common for women to be touched inappropriately, which is sexual harassment. For clubs, the general consensus is that if you go to a club, you go with the expectation that people will touch you. I personally do not encourage going to clubs or bars because of the potential dangers. There are many other fun things to do in Korea, BUT if you do decide to go, be careful, be vigilant, and go with friends.

Cars in Korea will just drive. Speeding is very common, and getting hit by cars is very common. While Korea is working towards fixing this issue, it is not working. It is the job of the pedestrian to look out for cars. If you are not looking left and right twice, then you will get hurt. Cars are not afraid to get close to pedestrians. This goes for taxis, personal cars, trucks, buses, and everything else that has wheels. So my tips are, look left and right three times and cross the street fast. I have had countless experiences of seeing people almost get hit by cars. Getting hit by a car IS NOT on your Korean bucket list.