Emilie Salas

 Declaring a minor in Korean at Cal pushed me to do my first study abroad program in South Korea. I felt like it was the right move to truly put my Korean language skills through real-life scenarios instead of depending on textbook scenarios. As a frequent Korean drama watcher, I really wanted to study at Yonsei since it is a famous location site and is a well-known university. I specifically wanted to do Yonsei International Summer School since it is an international school, hosting students from all over the world which would allow me to meet and become friends with students from different countries!

 As a low-income Chicana student, it was not too common to find other students who were like me. A lot of the time, I was one of the very few Latino students who were participating in the study abroad program. Although I took this as a chance to become friends with people of different cultures and traditions as me, I also became very close with other Latinos as a way to find familiarity in a country so far away from home.

 I would wake up around 8am to get ready for my 9am class. Unlike most students who had on-campus housing, I was in an AirBnB in Yeonhui-dong, around a 8 minute bus ride to campus or a 15 minute walk to campus. I would quickly make a stop at the convenient stores in front of the campus gates for a quick coffee or kimbap before starting class. After my first hour and forty five minute accounting class, I had a 10 minute gap to make it to my second class focused on Korean modern history. After this class, it was finally time for lunch! I would either make my way to the cafeteria to get a roughly 6000 won meal or go to the Yonsei library's ground floor and get a pork cutlet sandwich and boba for a similar price! After my 40 minute lunch break, I would make my way to my last class of the day and finish at 3pm. Despite taking the maximum amount of classes, there was a lot of free time where I was able to hang out with my friends after class. I would make arrangements to visit historical places, cafes, and get dinner with other UCEAP students on the program to fully maximize my time in South Korea.

 I took one business class and two Korean history classes. The workload was easier than what I am used to at UC Berkeley which allowed me to spend more time to socialize with friends after my classes.

 Although it was not planned, I became very close friends with other UC Berkeley low-income students. We would hang out every day despite not having the same classes. We still hang out and keep in touch at UC Berkeley!

 My biggest concern was feeling like I was missing out. Many other students would travel with other friends during the weekends or would have cool experiences with other YISS participants. As someone who found it hard to meet other YISS participants as I was not living in the dorms, I depended on social media apps like Instagram and Discord to meet others and try to find a friend group to do activities with! Once I was able to find group, I found it very easy to do things like going to Lotte World, going to themed cafes, shopping, attending dance studios, and more!

 I would recommend other participants to network with other participants prior to departure in order to make arrangements and do activities with others after classes or in your free time! Upon this, I would suggest not being afraid to do things by yourself and start initiative. Studying abroad is a great way to become more independent and by getting out of your comfort zone, you will be creating unforgettable memories that will maximize your experience abroad!