Wow, where do I even begin? The first month has been a whirlwind. For me, this experience has been so special in so many different ways. It was my first time ever leaving the United States, as well as the first time doing many things. First time taking the subway, first time ordering in Korean, I felt like a baby trying to learn its way through the world!

South Korea is genuinely so amazing. In just the first month here, I’ve made so many incredible friends and memories. There’s so much to do here, it honestly can be kind of overwhelming! But each day has been a new and rewarding adventure, and I can’t wait for what comes next. Even today, I climbed the Gwanak Mountain, which is just right next to Seoul National University’s campus, where I’m currently attending.

Of course, not everything has been easy, there have been many frustrating moments here and just with studying abroad in general. I never knew how frustrating paperwork can be until I came here. If you’re a foreigner in Korea, you need an ARC (Alien Registration Card) to do anything important, like ordering things online or opening a bank account. The process for the ARC has been so long and tedious, as well as stressful, and honestly quite inconvenient. Not only that, but the first few weeks of adjusting to Korea was really tough, and I ended up missing home a lot, as well as my friends.

Despite that, I’ve made so many awesome memories in such a short time! To list a few, I visited 경복궁, (Gyeongbokgung Palace), which offers free entrance for anyone wearing a hanbok (I most definitely wore one, haha). I also went kayaking on the Han River, which was just so amazing, and it was the first time I have ever kayaked! It’s only been a month here, but I’ve really enjoyed my stay here in Korea and can’t wait to see where my journey takes me.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Seoul National University: Exchange