During the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to study abroad in South Korea through the provider, CIEE. This is a non-traditional study abroad experience as not as many students choose to study in the summer and/or go to a country in which their native language is not spoken. Language should not hold you back as you can find programs that do not require you to have experience with the language before going abroad and you can often take all of your classes in English. This offers you the chance to learn a new language and broaden you cultural horizon.
Reasons to Consider a Summer Program
- These programs tend to be cheaper than a semester abroad as they are for a shorter time period.
- You also don’t miss out on as many holidays at home then you would have if you were away for a semester.
- It can be a great opportunity to complete core classes as summer programs are not as heavy in material and can allow you more time to explore your area.
- Packing for the trip is also easy as you won’t need as many clothes since the duration is shorter. You will only need to pack light clothes if staying in the northern hemisphere as temperatures will be hotter, which allows you more room to bring back gifts.
- The summer is also a great opportunity to participate in local events.
While in Korea, I went to the Water Bomb Festival, which is basically one big water gun fight mixed with a concert. It is a two day event with a range of different performers. I choose to go on the last day, where I saw Jay Park and other artist perform. If you love K-Pop it is not unlikely that there will be concerts happening or even pop-up events during the summer as seen in the picture below. I just happened be out walking and saw Seungri from Big Bang promoting his solo album in Shin Chon.
I highly recommend stepping outside your comfort zone and going to a non-English speaking country. It is always fun to learn new things and explore another culture. The summer to me was a great opportunity to test out the country before deciding that I wanted to go for a semester. Now I’m on my journey of planning to study abroad in South Korea Fall 2019!
About the Author – Madeline Gingrich ’20, Summer 2018, Seoul, South Korea alumna
Hello! I’m Madeline Gingrich, a junior Business administration major with a concentration in marketing and a minor in Asian studies. I spent my 2018 Summer at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. While there, I improved on my Korean language skills and learned more about the culture. I also had the chance to experience the hottest day in one hundred some years, it was hot! This was definitely an amazing opportunity that I wish all students would take the chance on doing. I currently promote study abroad on campus as an Outreach Coordinator for the Study Abroad Office.
Blue Jays Abroad 
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