Three days after I landed in Seoul, the populace around me suddenly became a couple of years younger. In South Korea, you are considered to be 1 on the day of your birth, and you continue to gain a year in age on the first of January each year after… read more
Discovering South Korea
Leaving home changes you. After deciding to leave Brazil to study in Texas, I learned that changing our environment can shape who we are, the decisions we make and the people we strive to be. And now, my decision to travel to South Korea has profoundly impacted me as a… read more
What Makes You Special?
As the lovely cherry blossoms have gently taken flight with the breeze, I face the harsh reality that my time in South Korea is, unfortunately, not going to last forever. I’ve made amazing and unforgettable friends who have made me feel welcome and safe. I think about the ways my… read more
Step by Step
When I missed my connecting flight to South Korea three weeks ago, I thought it was a sign from the universe that leaving home wasn’t the best idea. I struggled to find peace while I hastily shouldered my heavy duffel and tried to figure out how to get on the… read more
Ending My Teenage Years in Seoul
I am very thankful to have spent the last parts of my teenage years in such a beautiful place: Seoul. Not only am I able to experience and have a better understanding of everyday Korean culture and lifestyles, but I have also been able to understand myself better. Throughout… read more
Unspoken Rules and Making Friends
Korea is a high-context culture, which means people here communicate implicitly, unlike in the U.S. In Korea, there are a lot of different cultural norms, so foreigners entering this country may have difficulty adjusting, especially since Korea doesn’t explicitly mention these rules in their everyday lives. For example, going to… read more
Embracing the Differences and Making Them Feel Like Home
Starting the summer of last year, my hopes of spending a summer in the bustling city of Seoul, South Korea were beginning to realize. I recall being unable to contain my excitement when my roommate and I, in idle conversation inside our local Walmart, discussed both of our ambitions to… read more
1600 Feet Above Namsam
Stepping foot off the train in Myeong-dong, I began searching for Exits 7 or 8. The instructions I looked up the day before said to, “wait there for a free shuttle that will take you to the cable car station”. However, the longer I waited, the more I doubted I… read more
Finding my Soul in Seoul
Horns meet World. World meet Jessica Chen. Jessica studied abroad the summer before her senior year, and is majoring in Public Health. Although she wasn’t gone very long, her experience was one to remember. Here is what she has to say about it. My glasses fogged as I peered into… read more
Heart and Seoul, by guest-blogger Roger Ibarra
Horns meet World. World meet Roger. Roger is a Government major who has been in South Korea for quite a while. The world is his classroom, and he’s learned a lot about Korea during his extended study abroad experience! For me, coming to Korea hadn’t been on my mind until… read more
