The saying “time flies” could not have been any truer to describe my four months as an exchange student in Korea. In a blink of an eye there are now only a couple more weeks left in this amazing city. This exchange experience has been extremely remarkable, and I’m going to attempt to describe all my favorite parts in my last article.
The Memories
Coming to campus for the first time and spending 40 minutes trying to find the dorms. Trying to shop at e-mart when there are 5 different sales ladies trying to get you to buy their brand of laundry detergent. Drinking at dinner just to find out that the drinking continues at noraebang and then discovering that the drinking just never stops. There are so many different memories I’ve made in this crazy city, and each one will hold a special place in my heart. Regular ordinary experiences like going to class and grocery shopping became special ones just by doing them in a foreign land. And special experiences like bungee jumping and eating weird sea creatures at fish markets were even more memorable.
The Places
While I believe in the saying “it’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with”, Seoul may be the exception. My favorite trait of Seoul was the city’s fusion of old and new.
I loved walking past a traditional temple, and then turning 180 degrees to see a towering skyscraper. In a fast paced city filled with modern technology, you could still always find palaces and statues that reflected its deep cultural roots.
You can also never get bored in Seoul. The places to explore are endless. From climbing mountains to spending a lazy day in a café, there’s always a new spot to try. Not to mention the city comes alive at night and never seems to sleep! Walking down streets filled with bright lights and neon signs is something I’m going to miss. My personal favorite spot was Hongdae, for its liveliness, buskers and endless cafes. I can’t leave out Wangsimni though, which I now know like the back of my hand now.
The People
The best part of this exchange experience was getting the opportunity to meet so many wonderful, different, beautiful people from all across the globe. One of the coolest things about exchange is making friends from different countries, and then meeting them again in the future. I’ve made some of the best friends here in Korea. Friends that made these four months better than I could have ever imagined. Just typing this and thinking of the impending farewells has me tearing up! Korean classmates, other foreign exchange students, mentors, and of course the myHUBS team- I’m going to miss them all!
These past four months have been nothing short of amazing, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend Hanyang University this semester. Goodbye Korea, you’ve been phenomenal!
Article by Kristi from Canada
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