Brin Balboa

 I chose to study abroad because I felt that it was valuable to learn about my major in a more global aspect. I was excited to integrate the knowledge I gained from UC Berkeley into the new classes I would take at Yonsei and see how similar/different my experiences would be.

I chose to study abroad in Korea because I've been practicing Korean for a long time now and felt like being surrounded by Korean would force me to study and speak more. I also am a big fan of video games such as League of Legends and I know Korea is at the center of esports at the moment. In general, I had a lot of interest in Korean pop culture and wanted to learn more and have more access to those fun things!

 I am a Filipino queer person so it was a little jarring being in a country that can be a bit isolating towards those identities. Before coming to Korea, I was fully aware and prepared for this type of treatment. That isn't to say that /all/ South Koreans treated me negatively, but I can definitely remember more bad than good! All I did to prepare myself for this experience is by surrounding myself with supportive and loving communities (both from my home country and within Korea) and ignored what didn't matter.

 Since all my classes were online, a typical day for me was taking my classes at (usually) a different cafe a day, then afterward, exploring as much of Korea as I can. I was able to visit different cities like Busan, Jinnhae, Jeju, and more constantly to get the most out of my time abroad. I also explored Seoul as much as I was able to.

 I took 15 units which is 5 classes in total. I would say the classes themselves are relatively easy and similar to how courses are conducted back in Berkeley, but the midterms and finals were one of the most difficult and stressful exams I ever had to take! In addition to this, professors can seem a little bit unreasonable at times and more conservative than what we might be used to at Berkeley; it can be a culture shock how professor-student dynamics so be prepared for that.

 Studying abroad in a country where being a foreigner is painfully obvious, it made me value my communities so much more. With my major, I intend to work with community outreach as well as diversity and inclusivity within the workspace -- being abroad as a foreigner and not knowing how to access these resources increased my passion to make these things more readily accessible and helped me gain a better sense of empathy and understanding.

 The most memorable aspect of my time abroad is the friends I made. I went through a lot of mental health crises during my six months there, as well as a lot of times when I got physically sick, but I was able to meet good, inspiring, and amazing people who were able to get me through it all. You meet so many unique and diverse people when abroad, they constantly inspired me to get through the harder days and always taught me valuable lessons. I miss those 4 am walks to 24/7 study cafes with those friends where we would share stories from home and talk about coming back to Korea one day together!

 One of the biggest challenges was money and banking. I used a credit card that charged foreign transaction fees so I was accruing a lot of charges that I should have prepared more for. I was able to survive the 6 months through frugality and mindful spending, so I was able to make by, but money was a big concern and stressor for me whilst abroad.

 BE PREPARED FOR FEELINGS OF ISOLATION!! They are totally normal and valid, but it's important to not become complacent in those feelings and to actively seek out resources before and during your study abroad. UCEAP was helpful in constantly keeping contact with students and making sure that resources were available for those who were seeking community and whatnot. Try and find resources for yourself both locally and globally; I had friends that I made during my study abroad who were like-minded and helped me stay strong during the 6 months, and also joined gaming discords so I could also talk to people online as well.