Series of photos of Eunjee in South Korea

Eunjee Choi

Major: Molecular Cellular Biology

"I've always wanted to study abroad. As a Korean American, I was curious about my heritage and living in the country that my parents grew up in. Given that Korea was one of the few countries continuing with their study abroad program during the pandemic, I decided that it would be the perfect place to go for my study abroad program."

What led you to study abroad? Why did you choose your country/program?

I've always wanted to study abroad. As a Korean American, I was curious about my heritage and living in the country that my parents grew up in. Given that Korea was one of the few countries continuing with their study abroad program during the pandemic, I decided that it would be the perfect place to go for my study abroad program.

What was the most interesting cultural experience you had abroad?

An interesting cultural experience I had was enjoying 'service' from street food vendors and restaurants. Sometimes, people will give you things 'on the house' if they are in a good mood or they just want to treat you. I would hang out with other foreign exchange students that would try to communicate in Korean and would be offered small samples or menus on the house :)

What was the biggest challenge/concern of your study abroad experience? How did you respond?

Having the covid pandemic made the study abroad experience extremely stressful and uncertain. Connecting with other students going through the same experience, communicating with counselors about expectations and changing regulations, and adapting to the way of life of the locals helped address these concerns.

Describe a typical day for you abroad.

Unfortunately, for me, classes were online. However, I would still leave my place often for meals, socializing, and extracurricular activities such as learning k-pop dance.

What coursework did you take while abroad? How did courses abroad compare with Berkeley classes?

I took fun classes that were not major-related while I was abroad (ie: film production, child psychology and development, law). Taking courses for majors not available at Berkeley were really cool, making me wish that I considered going into the related field earlier.

What was the most memorable/meaningful aspect of your time abroad?

Getting life experiences of settling in a new country by yourself and going through legal procedures really opened my eyes to what it's like to be a foreigner. Seeing how the way of life was in a different country made me realize that I really grew up in a bubble and helped me understand that the world is so much bigger than I thought and that there is so much to explore.

What impact did studying abroad have on you personally?

It broadened my view of the world and helped me make a decision to consider different career paths. It was also a breath of fresh air from intense academics in which I was able to relax and recover from my previous burn-out.

What would you recommend to students considering studying abroad, especially to your country or program?

I really recommend joining student group chats for the country and meeting up with people early into the term. Everyone is looking for friends and people to go on adventures for. It's really nice to find people that vibe with you.