I arrived in Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 17 at around 2:30 p.m. Thankfully, I had a friend who was able to pick me up from Incheon International Airport. She helped me get to the hotel I would be staying at for two days before moving into my dormitory. Thanks to her, my transition period went a lot smoother than if I had been on my own. She taught me about the public transportation system and helped me get a SIM card and phone plan. Two days later, I officially moved into my new home for the next four months.

It was more spacious than I expected, but the bigger surprise was the massively steep hill I was expected to climb everyday to get home. I immediately tried to make as many friends within my dorm as soon as I could. I was able to meet various people from all over the world, and it was amazing to learn about everyone’s lives. My dorm is located really close to one of KU’s cafeterias, so I mainly ate there due to its close proximity and affordable prices.

When I would venture outside the cafeteria food, I would often go with friends. However, most of the friends I made did not know any Korean, and I was the only one with some knowledge of the language. This lead to me being the main spokesperson of the group. Although my Korean is very broken and limited, I still tried my best to communicate with various service workers (servers, retail workers, etc.)

It was very nerve-racking for me, but I had to do what I could regardless of how terrifying it seemed. Looking back at it now, I am glad I was put in a position that pushed me out of my comfort zone. It has definitely made interacting with locals a lot easier now a month later because of all the practice I had gotten. One thing I had to learn and get used to was relying on public transportation. I am from a small town where everyone drives cars, and even Columbia has very limited public transportation options, so switching over to purely walking and public transit was a big change for me. Although I have some experience with big city public transit (Chicago, New York, etc.), I am still very new to the concept. Here are some things I have noticed about Korean public transportation: no one really talks on the metro. Most people are on their phones, reading a book, or resting their eyes/taking a quick (or maybe long) nap. You have to tap your transportation card once when you get on, and then one more time when you are getting off. Bus rides are crazy, and you have to hold on really tight if you don’t want to go flying halfway across the bus. Also, bus drivers will not wait for you, so you either have to get on quickly or not get on at all. I had orientation on Aug. 24, and that was when life finally felt like it was starting. I was meeting people outside of my dormitory and full time KU students. I signed up to go on the Seoul City Tour, which became the best decision I would ever make during my exchange, because I walked away with who I think will be some of my lifelong friends. After orientation and the city tour was when I began exploring Seoul and what it had to offer. I had a lot of chicken (like A LOT), visited the Dream Forest, had bingsu (Korean shaved ice), familiarized myself with Korea University’s campus, tried Korean McDonald’s, etc.

At the time, I would say I was pretty terrified being in a new country all on my own with little to no Korean skills. Although it was tough and I felt like it would be easier to just back out and go home, I am proud to be here one month later and say that I am alive and well. Time passed so quickly that I didn’t even realize how much I have grown. Regardless of all the hardships, I couldn’t be more grateful to be here. I am excited to see and experience all that has yet to come.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Korea University