Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: I chose to study at Yonsei University in South Korea due to the culture! From the age of 7 my mother and I were so astonished by the culture due to a kdrama we would watch called staircase to heaven. Waking up at 6am just to watch this kdrama I grew a fascination with Korea and stated one day I would go visit. My mom being Hispanic, and no previous family traveling outside the country just laughed. I set myself up to achieve my goal of going to Korea, and studying abroad helped me achieve this dream!
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: The highlight of studying abroad was making unforgettable friends as well as being accepted and welcomed by Korean locals!
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: My greatest challenge was the language barrier, however with my Korean class I was able to improve my Korean which helped in the end!
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: The coursework was similar, but fast paced as it was such a short amount of class time. It was a bit challenging trying to manage when to do school work and when to go out and explore.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: I gained a new perspective of myself and my independence as well as a new drive to go an explore the world and different cultures.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: Don’t let fear stop you from discovering fun things. Go study abroad, enjoy your time and see where this journey leads you.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: Wake up, class number 1, lunch, class number 2, explore the city, dinner, sleep.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: I would go back to South Korea! After this trip I am considering future studying even work in Korea due to how much I fell in love with the country.
