It has been exactly one month since I arrived here at Seoul. Although Korea is my home country, I was so nervous and I didn’t know what to expect since it’s been 10 years since I last came to visit. The first couple of days here were the busiest: I had to get my alien registration card, process various documents and adjust with the time difference. I stayed at my grandparent’s house the first week but it wasn’t long before I had to move into my dorm at Yonsei University where I would be living for the next few months.
At my dorm, otherwise known as “SK Global House”, I’ve already made friends with students from places like Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, and many more. During orientation, I became especially close with two girls named Reina and Ellen. Reina is an exchange student from Bangkok in Thailand and Ellen is from Maryland in the States.
Once I got settled in, my childhood friend, who was visiting home from Sydney, showed me around Seoul and we became tourists in our home country. We visited various attractions such as the N Seoul Tower, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Lotte World Amusement Park, and even went on a five-hour road trip to Jeongdongjin, to watch the sunrise in Korea. During this time, I had the chance to really appreciate the beauty of Korea. The history behind all the city lights amazed me. Seoul has really developed into a bustling metropolis acting as a political, economic, social, and cultural hub. I’m slowly becoming acquainted with life in the city and it’s been a pleasure since I have not had the chance to experience this back home.
I am becoming more adjusted to life in Korea as this is becoming a new type of normal. The best advice that I would pass on to students considering journeys abroad, is to be open-minded, take advantage of opportunities and step out of your comfort zone. I can definitely say that this journey has been the most exciting part of my Beedie career and I highly recommend other Beedie students to take this opportunity and experience what life is like outside of Canada.
Kerry is currently in her third year and is completing her academic exchange term at the Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. She has been active within the Beedie community through her involvement with the Student Marketing Association, SFU Orientation Program, and the BASS Mentorship Program.