So Why South Korea?

When I first started telling people that I would be spending my entire summer vacation in South Korea, their first question was always, “So why South Korea?”. Well, I’m going to break that down for you.

N Seoul Tower 

In October of 2017, I just started my freshman year of college at Kent State University. As much as I want to say that my first semester of college was the best semester of my life, it really wasn’t. I spent a majority of my weekends working on projects until the early hours of the morning and doubting my choice to be a fashion major. At times, I loved my classes and professors but I also felt lost and unfulfilled. One afternoon during my visuals lab course my instructor, Dr. Kim Hahn, informed our class that there was going to be a new study abroad program in the summer where you could go to South Korea. Something instantly clicked in my mind. This was the opportunity that I needed to help me get out of my first semester rut. I basically sprinted home to my dorm and immediately called my family to see if this was even possible. It took some convincing and explaining, but eventually they were fully on board. I only told my parents, sister, roommate, and my best friend that I was applying. There was a part of me that thought that I had zero chance of getting in because I was only a freshman, so I wanted to keep it a secret just in case it fell through.

After many applications, an essay, and a scary 30-minute interview, I got in! I found out in mid- February and it was one of the greatest days of my life. I remember after telling my immediate family, I called my grandma on the way home from one of my classes. She was finding out for the first time that I was even interested in this program, let alone actually going. Something that she said to me that will stick with me forever was, “I don’t know if I could ever do what you are doing, but if anyone is going to embark on this journey, I know you’re the perfect person to do it.”

On May 28th, I packed my two large suitcases, and headed to the airport where I would fly from St. Louis to Incheon, South Korea. I’m going to be honest, as much as I told people how excited I was, I was scared. I didn’t sleep for a week before because I was so stressed. I had no idea what to expect. My two biggest fears were that I would be miserable because I had no knowledge of the culture and that I would not make any friends. Writing this now from the comfort of a café in Korea, I can say that my stress was unnecessary. South Korea is one of the safest cities in Asia and has the best public transportation. Also, the entire cultural is extraordinary, filled with generations of traditions as well as modern ones. And with the whole friends issue, well I made some friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. People always ask me what American city I would compare Korea to. I guess I would describe Korea as a mix of Los Angeles and New York with a little Hawaii thrown in.

Weekend trip to Busan, South Korea

Something unique about this study abroad opportunity is that for the month of June we were given an internship with various Korean fashion companies. I interned for a trend research company based out of Gangnam. I lived and worked in one of the most fashion-forward cities in Seoul. Even the four-minute walk from my apartment to my office building inspired me in a different way each morning.

Rainy walk to my internship 

Although I was only an intern, I learned a lot in just four weeks. Not just about Korean fashion trends, but about myself. Language barriers, out of date computer software, and Korean keyboards were just a few of the setbacks that I had to overcome every day to get my tasks done. Luckily, the women I worked with were incredibly patient and were always there to answer any questions I had. It also helped that I had access to an espresso machine whenever I wanted, definitely a pretty good job perk.

Our taxi driver was a bit horrified when he found out we had 9+ suitcases....

Starting July 7th, we (Myself, Mira, Nikki, and Erykah, my dope roommates) all packed our bags  into a small taxi and headed to Dankook University. Around an hour outside of the city of Seoul, Dankook was the University that we would spend the entire month of July taking two fashion courses. I was super excited to return to a college setting and be around people my age. I had class from 9am-4pm, and typically after class we would explore the area around Dankook or take the bus into Seoul. All of the students at Dankook made the experience amazing. Everyone was so welcoming and inviting. Although I only spent a little over three weeks with some of these kids, by the end we were all best friends.

Overall, going to Korea was probably one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. I learned to live life more spontaneously and find an adventure wherever I go. I’m thankful that I was given this opportunity so early in my college career and cannot wait to see where life will take me in the next three years at Kent. 

ALSO, for a brief glimpse of my daily life in South Korea, watch this video that I made. None of these clips truly capture the beauty, insane fun, and weird adventures, but it was pretty cool to edit together. 

Link: https://vimeo.com/283817100

Password: Korea