I went to study at Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea. I arrived in the middle of July, when the weather was almost unbearably hot and humid, I remember it being almost 40 degrees celsius and humidity being over 95%. I went early as I didn’t want to go to the dorms, and wanted to find an apartment to rent, it was really difficult honestly, but I luckily had friends from Korea already from previous holidays, whom helped me so much to find an apartment, I’m really grateful for them. After two months I finally got my own place, the security deposits are crazy expensive in Korea, so be prepared for that if you don’t want to go to the dorms haha, they are only for the first half a year either way, so staying for a year it would be a hassle to move out in the winter.
My teacher was really fun, she made jokes and could speak english, I believe we had it so much easier than the “real” students in the “real” classes as opposed to us aliens just having fun in class, so I can’t say much. You had to go to class to pass, can’t be sick on the day of the exam either or you fail the class, if you are sick you have to get a note from the hospital as proof.
Spare time I went to picnics alot, Seoul Forest was really nice and the different han river parks, and the lake next to lotte world was especially beautiful during the cherry blossoms season. I walked around alot, went to many many small restaurants, I wanted to feel like a local there. I had great friends whom I just took the subway somewhere and walked around to find an interesting looking restaurant to eat at, we found some really nice hidden gems. Also another fun thing I did was go to karaoke often to practice with my friend for his wedding, he wants to sing an english song at his wedding so we went to practice often. Huoh, writing this my mind is flooded with all the good memories that I can’t pick which to write about, there’s literally endless things for you to do in Seoul, the people are so nice too, at first it was a bit difficult to find real friends, but after going to some meetings I made so many great friends that I’m in touch to this day. The University’s “I-Buddy” program was a good thing too to have, I would recommend TAMK to also implement this for the incoming exchange students, basically the university matches you with a local student to hang out with and ask for help and such, I got a really great friend from that program, we went to cafes alot to yap.
Best decision of my life and the best opportunity ever to be able to live in Korea for a year, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Hopefully I can move there in the future and enjoy life, I won’t be in Finland for all my life that’s for certain🤭
Comments