Going on exchange challenged me because...
Because of my looks, people would assume that I was Korean and spoke Korean. It was sometimes more embarrassing to ask for help alone since people believed I spoke Korean. I always found it a bit annoying to break it to someone talking to me by saying, "Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying; I don't speak Korean." International students tend to stick together, and when I was solo, I often had to make the first move when socializing with other international students, as they thought I was Korean.
I recommend going on exchange because…
Living on your own is very rewarding. I realized that I could be much more self-sufficient than I thought, and being in a new and foreign environment improved my problem-solving skills and resourcefulness. I was able to eat what I wanted every day for cheap. It may not seem like a big thing, but it was the most memorable thing for me. Korea is full of nutritious and affordable street food. Imagine waking up, walking down the street, and having beef dumplings for only $4. Ah, the happiness!
I felt like I made a great decision to go on exchange when…
I would go cherry blossom hunting. The cherry season lasted less than two weeks, and I wanted to enjoy such ephemeral beauty to the fullest. I would wander every day through parks looking for cherry blossom trees; it was magical. There is nothing like it in Canada, and it was so beautiful and serene I felt I was in the right place at the right time.
A tip I would give to students applying for exchange is…
Koreans love it when you try to communicate in their native language, and it's also a great icebreaker! Learning the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is essential before coming to Korea. Knowing some basic Korean phrases would be even better. Rest assured, the Korean alphabet is easy to understand, and linguists consider it the most straightforward alphabet to learn. You will often come across words in English that you know, but these will be written in the Korean alphabet, such as 바나나 (ba-na-na). Your knowledge of the alphabet will come in handy!
