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Summer Abroad Journey 2019

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The University of Leeds offers many opportunities for students and one of them is studying abroad. I personally did not want to spend a year abroad but by chance I saw a subsidised summer school programme and was interested. I thought since I will be free in the summer holiday anyways why not try it out. Hence I applied and had an opportunity to attend a summer school in Seoul, South Korea for 6 weeks. This summer school was at Yonsei University which is one of the top universities in South Korea. I am interested in Korean music and food so this is why I selected South Korea.

Since it was a summer school, I could only choose to either do 2 or 3 subjects. I selected 2: Marketing and Korean language for beginners. The subjects I selected were not extremely hard but still required time to study outside class. Sometimes it was quite challenging for me but the professors were always keen to teach and explain more. I found that very helpful.

During my time there I stayed in the university's dormitory. It is called SK Global house. I stayed in a double room sharing with another person. It was awkward at the beginning but still it was an experience for me. It was very convenient living in the dorm as class is within 5-10 minutes walk and there is a convenient store underneath. Most importantly the food in the dorm is so good and affordable as well.

As this programme was more about experiencing Korea, the university had day trips and events related to Korean culture. We had to pay for the trips but it wasn't that expensive. There were four in total but I only attended one. I went for a day trip in Seoul. They took us to the main historical places and museums. It was quite interesting to see the palaces but the weather was really hot!

My time in Korea was mainly studying, shopping and eating in Seoul. However I also got to travel with my friends to Busan which is famous for seafood and beaches. A storm slightly hindered the experience, but we tried to make the most of it! Besides that this programme has given me knowledge in a new area and taught me more about Korean cultures. I also made good friends from around the world.

Lastly this opportunity would not have happened without the University of Leeds study abroad office's support. Before I went, there were inductions and tips about studying abroad which was beneficial. When I had questions about the application they would always try their best to help. For more information visit: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/summerabroad

There are also other programmes you might be interested in. The opportunities are open now so check it out. For any questions about my summer abroad please feel free to contact me at teeraya-link@leeds.ac.uk.